Let me explain how I handle my actors.
For one of my rental-based actors, I implemented a strategy to limit usage for free users. Since each free user gets $5 in credits, and the runs are so cheap, they could otherwise just create multiple accounts to exploit it. By putting limits in place, I was able to prevent abuse and actually increase revenues. I’m aware that I can also limit the trial period, but in my opinion, that alone isn’t enough.
For my other actors that run on PPE, I use a different strategy: I manually approve free users who request access. I then grant them a limited number of runs and restrict the results per run. Why? Because free users receive a recurring $5 credit every month, and that creates another challenge. Technically, I could adjust the pricing for free users, but doing so makes the pricing displayed on the actor page look very expensive which is another issue that has been discussed here.
That’s why I suggested adding configuration options for developers, so they can more easily manage usage limits and control the number of event invocations depending on the user’s plan.
