LinkedIn's SlideShare Announces Its Premium Features Will Soon Be Free

SlideShare, a LinkedIn-owned website, on Wednesday announced that it will be offering its premium 'PRO' services for free from September, releasing them one by one. The website lets users upload and share presentations, documents, infographics, and videos online.

The website says it will make one premium feature free a month starting with Analytics in September. The other features that will be made free over the subsequent months will be Videos, Private Uploads, and Profile Customisation, though the company has not the detailed the order of release. These features were previously available in two different SlideShare PRO subscription tiers, at $19 and $49 per month.

"Now, all users will have access to our most popular premium features that include detailed analytics, profile customization and additional upload options, like video and private uploads.[...] We'll be rolling out a new feature every month starting in September to all SlideShare members," said Amit Sawhney, Product Manager, SlideShare, and the company blog introducing the new Analytics features.

The company is no longer accepting SlideShare PRO sign-ups and existing subscribers will continue to have access to the features after August 20, which is when the subscription fee ends.

LinkedIn had acquired SlideShare (founded in 2006) in May 2012 for $118.8 million. "Presentations are one of the main ways in which professionals capture and share their experiences and knowledge, which in turn helps shape their professional identity," said LinkedIn CEO, Jeff Weiner, on the acquisition.