Challenges in the buying process

Boy howdy is it challenging. As a self-employed biz guy, finding software is tough. The biggest thing I have trouble with is getting a true feel for the program to make sure it lives up to the expectation. I am so tired of using software for a "free trial" when it really isn't a trial. You get added to the top tier of the software with all the bells and whistles. After the trial is over, the truth reveals itself, and you're left with a piece of tech that shadows in comparison to the one you tried. You then have to pay so much more to get access to the features. I know that's how it works with most places, but dang, just give us access to what we are interested in, and if we click a button or search for a feature, inform us that it's part of a higher plan and give us the option to choose a different plan.