Short answer: often yes — but only if you search award space frequently, want wide/broad discovery and automated alerts, or rely on Star Alliance/partner availability that many free tools no longer show. If you only check a couple of routes or use one airline’s site, the free tier or free tools may be enough. (AwardFares.com)

Why people pay (major benefits)

• Broad, multi‑program “discovery” searches: AwardFares can search many programs/airlines and whole regions or months at once, letting you find unexpected routings and saver awards you wouldn’t find by checking one airline. This is its main strength versus narrow free checks. (blog.AwardFares.com)
• Alerts & automation: Flexible “Live” and AI‑style “Flex” alerts monitor many routes/date ranges and notify you when valuable seats appear — huge time‑savers if you want to catch openings quickly. (blog.AwardFares.com)
• Per‑program availability & seat maps: AwardFares reports how many seats are available to each specific frequent‑flyer program (not just an aggregate), and includes seat maps — helpful for determining what you can actually book. (blog.AwardFares.com)
• Real‑time / usability: Paid tiers add faster, more simultaneous searches and real‑time availability, plus a modern visual UI (map, timeline) that’s easier and faster than many legacy tools. (AwardFares.com)

Costs (what you’d pay)

• Free (Basic) tier: meaningful features like Award Map and Calendar to explore availability.
• Gold: about $9.99/month (more searches, alerts, seat maps).
• Diamond: about $19.99/month (real‑time availability, large or unlimited alerts/searches). Exact prices and limits are listed on AwardFares’ pricing page. (AwardFares.com)

When the paid version is worth it (practical guidance)

• Worth paying if: you search often (weekly/monthly), redeem high‑value international premium cabins, need cross‑program visibility (including Star Alliance partners), or want automated monitoring so you don’t miss releases. The time and miles you’ll save/find often justify the subscription. (blog.AwardFares.com)
• Skip paid if: you only book occasionally, only fly/use one airline’s program, are willing to manually check a few dates/routes, or you don’t value automated discovery. The free tier plus airline sites and other free tools (award calendars on program sites, Google Flights for schedule checks, and community alerts on forums/Discords) can be sufficient.

Limits / caveats

• No tool is guaranteed: availability can change quickly and sometimes a seat shown won’t be bookable by the exact program due to back‑end rules — double‑check before transferring points. AwardFares aims to show per‑program counts but always verify on the loyalty program’s booking engine or by calling. (blog.AwardFares.com)
• If you’re price‑sensitive, try the free tier first (AwardFares offers a free trial) to see how much value it finds for your typical searches. (AwardFares.com)

Recommendation (quick)

• If you’re an active award traveler who wants to save time and find better redemptions: try the 24‑hour free trial; if you frequently get alerts that lead to bookings, the $9.99/month Gold tier is a good value. (AwardFares.com)
• If you’re casual or only search a few routes: stick with the free tier and supplement with airline websites, award booking tools/forums, and occasional manual checks.

If you want, tell me how often you search award space and what programs you use and I’ll give a tailored recommendation (e.g., which tier makes sense or which free tools to pair with AwardFares’ free plan).