can others who use the free version still collaborate with someone who does not use the free version

[Amy Boles]

can others who use the free version still collaborate with someone who does not use the free version?

[Michael Pryor · Accepted solution]

Yes!

[Amy Boles]

Thanks so much for getting back to me! A new question: if someone is simply an observer to a board, can they use the free version?

[Michael Pryor]

I'm slightly worried that the way you are asking the question means I might give you an answer which confuses you.  Whether someone is set to be an Observer or not on a board has no effect on whether that person is billable.

Just to recap:

Workspaces hold boards.  All boards are in a Workspace.  Free Workspaces can only hold 10 boards.  Free Workspaces do not have different roles for members - essentially all members are admins in Free Workspaces.

Paid plans go on specific Workspaces and the billing is for all the people who are members of the Workspace PLUS any guests on the boards when they are on MORE than 1 board in that Workspace.

So a particular Trello user could have a free Workspace and a paid Workspace.  They can invite whoever they want to both Workspaces.  In the paid Workspace, if they added the person to the Workspace as a member, they would pay for them.  If they added the person directly to one board, they wouldn't have to pay for that person, but if they added the person to another board in that Workspace they would pay for them.

Setting a user to be an Observer on a particular board just determines what that person can do on that board.  It has no effect on whether the person is billable or not.

[Amy Boles]

Okay. I understand (I think) but still have my original question - if user A is a free member, and user B is paid can B set permissions for A as a free user or does A become a paid user at that point?

I'd give almost anything to talk to someone at Trello. The gatekeeping is killing me and slowing us way down.

[Michael Pryor]

Users aren’t free or paid. 

Workspaces are free or paid and any user can belong to any Workspace. If a user belongs to a paid Workspace then they are a billable user. 

I think the answer to what you are asking is likely that you have to pay for users you collaborate with. The only way you wouldn’t have to pay for users on a board in a paid Workspace is if they were only a member of that one single board and no other boards in the Workspace (single board guest). 

Unfortunately we don’t have phone support (in the entire history of Trello we haven’t had phone support). 

[Amy Boles]

Michael. 

You've been so so helpful. I think we're going to move forward. Is there any way to find a Trello person who could come talk to us? Does this exist?