Because of that, this guide will serve as both a F2P guide, but also an introduction to the HDB. Because of this, there are players who buy the HDB, then follow a F2P path afterwords. While the HDB is a paid feature in the game, it is the single best purchase that a player new to the game can make.
While it will not be fully comprehensive, it should be enough to get you on the right path. This guide will be a good starting point for those who are following the F2P model.
Naturally, some will be spending money but some will be playing for free. With the popularity of both the Star Wars universe and mobile games, SWGOH has seen an influx of new players.