As a f2p, you can get 5k cpns per month. in two years, that's 120k total coupons that can be collected, and you'd only need 20k to get an AGK (if you wait and get lucky, you c*so use it on fukurokumaru rebate to get a free Edo Deidara or Shisui, I believe both ninjas were in fukuro rebate at one point). But that's beside the point, what I wanted to show is that you can totally get ONE great 'event' ninja for your pos 1 as a f2p. And you can build around that team.

And yeah, I highly doubt a f2p would get as good ninjas as a moderate spender can while also keeping up in power.

But that's not necessary... technically speaking, you can go water-main's shark bomb mode with pure f2p ninjas, e.g. regular tsunade, kurenai, sakura, and water main. Its counter-able, sure, but if your team isn't specifically prepped to counter that formation, a f2p who's behind you in power by 30k but faster pos 1 can definitely beat you. Not saying it's a guarantee, but it is possible.

Plus, it depends on the skill of the f2p and the spender lol. An 'efficiently' spending spender will ALWAYS outperform an efficient f2p. If YOU are one of those, then yeah highly doubtful any f2p who didn't have months head start on you can beat you. But if you're the type of f2p who likes to get ninjas and spends like 100k ingots on ninjas that you don't actually use all that often... then f2p's can theoretically catch up/surpass. I mean, imagine a spender who gets all 3 minatos (Jonin, Hokage, and Edo) and the two Obitos (Masked Man and 5k Madara); that's like 50k worth of ingots in ninjas that they won't be able to use in a 1v1. And the difference b/w f2p's and low/moderate spenders is often exactly that; around 50k worth in ingots.