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Free vs paid software: what do you pay for?

paid software free software

Dealing with used devices on a large scale requires some kind of diagnostic software to speed up and facilitate the work. Each business owner, when choosing diagnostic solutions for his company, faces the question: pay for the speed, quality and efficiency of workflow with high technologies, or use publicly available free programs. Let's try to analyze all the pros and cons of both options.

Free software

The main advantage of free software is, logically, no financial costs. It would seem, that why to pay for a program if you can get its free analog to work with. But you still have to pay. How? A daily struggle with inefficiency, data transition between different programs, lost information, dissatisfied customers, additional outsourcing costs, and, in the end, lost profits. 

If you are just starting out in the secondary mobile market and work with a small number of devices, you may be ok to work with free software or manual testing, but normal volumes require professional solutions. Having tried high-quality software, you won't go back to a less efficient option.

Paid software

The only advantage of a free software is connected to the only disadvantage of a paid one: you have to pay for it. Let's see what you pay for when purchasing paid diagnostic solutions.

1. The latest technology and regular updates

A SaaS software developer is always striving to meet the growing demands of consumers as well as listen to the feedback of its customers. IT developers spend the money received from software sales on upgrading their products and developing improved technological solutions. With a certified developer, there is no need to be afraid that the software will be blocked or stop working so you lose your data. A big company is responsible to its customers. 

2. Individual approach

When paying for software, you can be sure that you will receive an individual approach and personal conditions that perfectly meets the needs of your business. Many free programs, for example, only support iOS devices, or are available only for certain models. Also, free programs often can't afford translations of interfaces into different languages, as well as multilingual support. In case of questions or problems with the service, it is unlikely that you will be assisted.

3. Extended functionality

Free programs have limited functionality. They won't display unique diagnostic information. Often, free programs are not diagnostic solutions at all, they are just utilities that take general info about the phone that you can see on your own or check against open databases. They have no history, no stats. It's only a toy for the first initial check but not something you can trust. 

4. Diagnostic certificates

Another important trust point — is certification. Free apps don't provide you with a diagnostic certificate after checking the device, so you don't have any proof that the diagnostic has been really done. For your customers and partners, diagnostics without proof mean nothing. Market-recognized diagnostic certifications give you credibility and a competitive advantage in the international used phone markets.

5. Security issues

When using free services, there is a high risk of the client data breach. Some indecent services may even transfer their customers' data to scammers on purpose. Saving on safety is always dangerous.

6. Quality control

In free solutions, there is no separation of rights, roles, and users. It is impossible to track which of the links in the team failed in the work. With no control over the employees’ efficiency, it is impossible to rationally allocate work resources and, accordingly, increase profits.

7. Integration opportunities

And the last but not the least — free software doesn't integrate with other programs for grading, inventory, or price calculation. This means that you won't be able to organize your workflow quickly and effectively in one place. 

Thus, the only one conclusion can be drawn: the choice of a working model, methods of capital handling, software quality level, and other factors affecting the speed and efficiency of business is the responsibility of the business owner himself. Investing in development or saving on expenses is your choice, but remember that free cheese is only in a mousetrap, and a miser pays twice.

NSYS Diagnostics

For those who choose to actively develop the business, we offer NSYS Diagnostics solution. 

Error-free work performance, 5-times increase in speed, high-level quality control, and market-recognized certification — all of this makes NSYS Diagnostic a leading product in the pre-owned device industry.

Get access to a variety of professional tools with our ready-made solution and level your business up!

Read our article on Manual, Software-assisted, or Robotic Phone Testing.

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