Evernote is exploring a potential shift in its strategy by testing limitations on the number of notes that free users can create, aiming to encourage more users to opt for its paid version. In a small-scale trial, some users are presented with a message upon logging in, notifying them that they will be restricted to one notebook and 50 notes unless they upgrade to a paid plan.
This change, if implemented, could impact long-time users with a substantial number of accumulated notes. Evernote confirmed the ongoing test but emphasized that it’s still in the experimental phase and not finalized.
The company is currently assessing the impact on less than 1% of its free users. The limitations would affect a user’s ability to create new notes while allowing them to manage, edit, view, export, or delete existing notes beyond the set limit.
Evernote’s current website outlines certain restrictions for free users, such as 60 MB of monthly uploads and a 25 MB maximum note size. The paid plans, which are presently discounted at $10.83 per month for personal use and $14.17 per month for professional use, offer more extensive features like support for larger notes and uploads, syncing to unlimited devices, among others.
Evernote, once valued at nearly a billion dollars, faced challenges and executive turnover before being acquired by Bending Spoons. Despite generating $100 million in revenue under a new CEO, the company struggled to compete with newer rivals and was eventually acquired by Bending Spoons, which later laid off 129 employees, citing years of unprofitability.
