Spin the Names is free to use, and keeping it that way requires a way to cover costs. The current model is advertising: non-intrusive ads displayed on the site generate the revenue that pays for hosting, infrastructure, and ongoing development. No subscriptions required, no features locked behind a paywall.

What does the revenue actually go toward?

• Hosting and infrastructure — Firebase, CDN, database, and storage costs scale with usage. More users means higher costs.
• Development time — Building and maintaining software is time-intensive. Ad revenue makes it sustainable to keep working on improvements.
• Bug fixes and reliability — Keeping the app working correctly across browsers, devices, and operating systems requires ongoing attention.
• Multilingual support — Maintaining translations across English, Spanish, French, German, and Swedish adds complexity that takes time to manage well.

Will there always be a free version?

Yes. The core tool — adding names, spinning the wheel, getting a fair random result — will always be free. That's a firm commitment, not a marketing line. Teachers shouldn't have to pay to run a fair classroom, and anyone running a giveaway shouldn't need a subscription to pick a winner transparently.

Is a premium tier coming?

Yes, eventually. The plan is to offer optional paid features for users who want more — things like ad-free browsing, additional saved wheels, advanced customization, export options, and analytics. These would be genuine extras, not features removed from the free tier to create artificial pressure to upgrade.

Premium features will be announced when they're ready. In the meantime, everything currently available stays available.

Can I support the project without buying anything?

Absolutely. The most useful thing you can do is share Spin the Names with someone who'd find it helpful. Word of mouth from teachers, streamers, and event organizers is how most users find the app, and every new user makes it more sustainable.

Leaving feedback, reporting bugs, and sending feature ideas also helps — it improves the product and guides development priorities without costing anything.

Commercial or high-volume use

If you're using Spin the Names at scale — large events, corporate environments, or as part of a commercial product — and you have specific needs around reliability, branding, or usage limits, reach out at ash@spinthenames.com to discuss options.