I’ve been around since before the “file sharing” and the “open source” world was a thing.

I’m a uuuuuuuuge music fan. But I’ve never had Napster, Pandora, or Spotify accounts. And other than two dozen or so iTunes purchased albums, all of my music is physical media, like CDs, records, and yes, even cassettes. All of which I bought and paid for.

Anyway, this is a long-winded and slightly off-point way to say I believe products and services have value. And their makers and providers should be justly compensated.

But what constituted “just” compensation?

I ask because I see a disturbing trend in the SAS world. Digital tools that were once moderately priced and thus affordable for small businesses are being jacked up by as much as 10x their original rate.

A long-time commercial real estate client who relies on a prominent Multiple Listing Service (MLS) saw their monthly MLS bill increase from $1,800 to over $7,000.

They can’t live without the service because both their staff and clients have come to rely on it. And both groups would balk if the brokerage eliminated it.

But as the commercial real estate market is floundering, due largely to the pandemic, a $60,000 increase for an annual service that previously cost $20,000 (which is already outrageous) is nearly impossible to swallow.

In practical terms, this increase equates to the cost of an employee. So, who do they layoff? Because that’s what the sort of choices small businesses are grappling with in the face of such increases.

Close to home, I’m dealing with a similar, if less costly, dilemma.

I’ve been a Hootsuite user for a decade. And I’ve had a paid, pro account for about half that time. I love the service and have come to depend upon it as a key component of my social media marketing strategy.

Earlier this week, however, I received a distressing email from Hootsuite. They informed me they’re raising the annual price of the “Professional Plan” account I’ve had with them since 2016 from $120 to $588.

Now, I have a pretty sweetheart deal. When I originally signed up, the Pro Plan was $20 or $25 per month (I can’t remember), but Hootsuite gave me a discount for paying annually rather than monthly.

Of course, I reached out to Hootsuite for clarification on the increase and asked if there was any middle ground between $120 and $588.

They indicated the cost is rising across the board for all users paying less than $49 per month for the Pro Plan (their entry-level product).

Of course, they emphasized the benefits of the forced “upgrade.”

I can now create a second user login. And I can now manage up to 50 social platforms under the account.

Meanwhile, I’m a freelance solopreneur and don’t need a second user. Plus, I only manage five platforms (strictly for my business) and don’t need to add another 45 accounts.

And because their Pro Plan is the lowest tier offering, there is no middle ground. So, it’s $49 per month ($588 annually) or nothing.

Could I afford the increase?

I guess. But considering my income has stumbled, like many others muddling through our pandemic-challenged world, I need to cust costs, not quintuple them.

And that’s exactly what Hootsuite is asking me to do.

So, I guess when my current subscription expires this fall, Hootsuite and I will be parting ways after a productive, decade-long relationship… Sad. Very sad.