LogMeIn free, not so free.

Along with thousands of other loyal LogMeIn free users, we just got an email notifying us they will be limiting all LogMeIn free accounts to just 10 computers.

In a rather nonchalant blog post, the remote administration provider highlights the change:

In order to ensure that we can continue to [blah, blah, blah], we will be limiting the number of computers a user can access free of charge to 10. Any computers that exist beyond the 10 computer, free-only limit will not be remotely accessible unless the free account is upgraded to Central.

For those that don’t already know, LogMeIn Central costs $300 per year.

Now, let’s face facts. We don’t really have a right to complain. For more than a decade, the product has been free and provided reliable remote access features to small businesses all over the world.  That doesn’t mean we aren’t allowed to get a little upset about the change.  Kevin Costain says what we’re all thinking on his blog post titled: “Logmein Delivers Knockout Blow to its Free Users.”  Here’s an excerpt:

It’s time to move on. Now is the time to look for other alternatives (of which there are a few). Logmein has squandered most if it’s goodwill towards users, and this should be the final straw for those that look to the company for remote access solutions. You can no longer trust them. For a company and product I have promoted and brought revenue to, this will stop.

Ouch.

Just to keep the gloves up, I did a little research on LogMeIn’s community forum and found this little thread rather interesting.

ejChristian wrote:
“I assume this only applies to free accounts and not a mix of free and Pro. For instance, if I have 14 computers, 7 of them free and 7 of them pro, I still have “room” for 3 additional free, correct?”

Logmein replied:
“If you currently have subscriptions of LogMeIn Pro within your account, at this time you will have the ability to have more than 10 free computers within your account.”

So, if I’m reading this correctly, all we have to do is upgrade one or two computers to Pro (costs $70/year) and the change is moot.

Maybe LogMeIn has just been too generous for too long.  Or, maybe they just pulled a Netflix.  We will see.