I think that both free or investment has different risks and profits. If free, the risk is lower than investment. But, sometimes, the rewards or products will be also smaller than the profits in investment. In this case, I think that participating in both investment and free is good to support each other.
In essence, if you want big profits, you have to invest and take risks. The ability to analyze the market is a project that is very reliable for investment success. If you choose the free one, the risk is small and comparable to the relatively small income.