In today's digital era, cloud-based solutions have become increasingly popular for both businesses and individuals. Cloud-based software provides many benefits like accessibility from anywhere, automatic updates, no software maintenance, and pay-as-you-go pricing models. While cloud services are definitely valuable, the costs can also add up over time. However, many cloud providers now offer deep discounts for their services if you know where to look. In this blog post, we will explore different cloud-based software categories and strategies to access them at a reduced price.

SaaS Productivity Tools
Some of the most commonly used cloud-based software falls under productivity tools like office suites, email services, file sharing platforms etc. Let’s look at options to save on these essential SaaS products:

Office suites: Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are the most popular cloud office suites. Both offer discounted annual subscriptions if you buy in bulk for multiple users. You can save around 30% by signing up for a 3-year subscription.

Email services: Gmail and Outlook are the top cloud email providers. While their free basic tiers meet many needs, paid tiers unlock more storage and features. Check for student/non-profit discounts or bundle with other Google/Microsoft services.

File sharing: Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive offer generous free storage but paid plans are needed for larger teams. Look out for limited-time promos and bundle discounts with productivity suites.

Project management: Trello, Asana and Monday.com have free versions but paid tiers unlock more features. Bundle with other tools from the same provider or sign up annually instead of monthly.

Therefore, when selecting SaaS productivity tools evaluate your specific needs and always check for discounted annual/bulk subscription options instead of paying monthly.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
IaaS platforms like AWS, Azure and Google Cloud provide the building blocks to develop scalable applications in the cloud. Let's see some cost-saving strategies here:

Reserved Instance discounts: Availing 1-3 year reserved instances for compute resources like EC2, Virtual Machines comes with significant discounts (up to 75% off on-demand rates).

Free tier resources: All major IaaS providers offer free usage of basic compute/storage instances & services for 12 months. Leverage these as much as possible initially.

Marketplace software: Instead of direct procurement, explore third-party applications certified on the cloud platform marketplace with potential discounts.

Budget monitoring tools: Track spend across services with tools like CloudHealth, CloudHealth, Densify etc. to optimize usage and apply for credits.

Graduation programs: AWS Activate and Azure for Startups programs provide credits for eligible entities like startups, non-profits etc.

With careful planning and usage of reserved instances, free tiers, monitoring tools as well as provider support programs, IaaS can be significantly more affordable.

Small Business Cloud Solutions
Adopting cloud technology can help smaller companies stay competitive but costs remain a concern. Let's look at affordable options:

Bundled solutions: Suites like Microsoft 365 & G Suite bundle productivity, collaboration & security tools at competitive prices customized for SMB needs.

PAAS Database Services: Cloud databases from providers like AWS, Azure and Google Cloud remove infrastructure management overhead. Their free usage tiers are very generous.

No-code App Dev platforms: Bubble, Airtable, AppSheet etc are fully-managed low-code services ideal for process automation and data apps. Free tiers are feature-rich.

API Management: 3scale, Manifold provide affordable API management platform tiers optimized for SMB and independent developer needs.

Special programs: AWS Activate, Google Cloud Activate provide up to $15000 credits as well as support to help small businesses adopt cloud in a cost-effective way.

Premium Support for Free Tier
Many experts argue that while free tiers are appreciated for evaluation and experimentation, production applications deserve paid support plans. However, there are still strategies to access premium support without costs:

Student packs: Major providers like AWS, Azure, Google offer free credits (up to $100/month) specifically for students along with support.

Non-profit programs: Organizations with 501(c)(3) status have access to upgraded free tiers specifically for non-commercial usage along with technical assistance.

Internal helpdesk: Large enterprises manage in-house cloud support teams using DevOps best practices to supplement vendor support efficiently.

Ask the community: Actively participate in provider forums like AWS Forums, Azure Community Forums to get quick resolutions to issues for free from experts worldwide.

So in summary, free tiers coupled with student/non-profit programs orcommunity support can be leveraged for production use cases without breaking the bank.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we explored different categories of cloud-based software solutions and strategies to access them at discounted pricing specifically focusing on SaaS productivity tools, Infrastructure as a Service and options tailored for small businesses. While cloud software definitely brings value, costs should not be a deterrent to adoption. With careful planning around bundled subscriptions, reserved instances, graduated pricing programs as well as premium support for free tiers - organizations of all sizes can benefit from the cloud at affordable prices. Cloud providers are also aggressively pitching incentives to boost adoption. Overall, the cloud is highly scalable paying only for what is consumed which can translate to significant savings over time.

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