FREE is attractive...Paid is painful.if not recovered in ad..what to do for best? lets discuss FREE

Free looks attractive but is not really free ..advertiser world over has opines tha so called free is not free and not worth the efforst but still they go for it...instead paid targetted ADS bear more conversion and nrevenue..one gets traffic in FREE but no cinversions ).1 % only..thjat is delemma ..is it prudent to strike balance? should we forgo the lure of free?? lets dis cuss