Fact. At 3 lvls above I am soloing Heroic 2+
If you are struggling to go at equal levels you need to look at your gear. The f2p model doesn't restrict your gameplay any more than other f2p of the same design/caliber. Look at the WoW f2p model...no ah, no bank, no more than 10g, max lvl 20, can't whisper, no guild, etc...
The F2P isn't meant to be a full version of the game people can play for free. It's a trial. People compare it to Rift, and other F2P/P2W games, but fail to mention that those games were HORRIBLE from the start.