According to MakeUseOf, a writer decided to audit his software subscriptions, which included Microsoft 365 at $6.99 monthly or $69.99 annually, Adobe Creative Cloud, and various other utilities. He successfully replaced nearly all paid software with free, open-source alternatives, saving approximately $50 per month. Key swaps included ditching Microsoft Office for LibreOffice or OnlyOffice, replacing Photoshop with GIMP or PhotoDemon, and substituting Lightroom with digiKam for photo management. For video editing, he chose Kdenlive over Premiere Pro, and he replaced utilities like WinRAR with 7-Zip and Adobe Acrobat with Okular. He also emphasized cutting costs further by self-hosting a password manager and the note-taking app AFFiNE to eliminate those subscriptions.
The Real Trade-Off
Here’s the thing: this isn’t a magic bullet for everyone. The article is refreshingly honest about that. If you’re a professional designer whose entire workflow and collaboration hinges on Adobe’s ecosystem, jumping ship to GIMP or Krita is probably a non-starter. The file compatibility, while good, isn’t perfect, and relearning muscle memory has a real cost.
But that’s the key insight. For the vast majority of people who aren’t power users—the folks who need to edit a photo for a blog, whip up a presentation, or manage a personal PDF—these open-source tools are more than capable. The learning curve is real but manageable. And the financial payoff is immediate. We’re talking about saving hundreds of dollars a year, which adds up fast. It’s basically a question of whether your time or your money is the scarcer resource right now.
The Quiet Revolution In Utilities
What I find most compelling isn’t the big swaps for Office or Creative Cloud. It’s the smaller stuff. That’s where the subscription creep is insidious. Do you really need a paid password manager when Bitwarden’s open-source version exists? Is WinRAR still nagging you after decades? 7-Zip has been free and better for ages.
The standout mention is Okular. Calling it just a “PDF viewer” is a massive undersell. It’s a universal document reader that handles a crazy number of formats. Replacing multiple niche apps with one free, lightweight tool? That’s the open-source dream in action. It makes you realize how much we pay for software that just… views files.
The Self-Hosting Factor
The move to self-host a password server and AFFiNE (a Notion alternative) is the next-level play. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it highlights a major trend: taking back control of your data and your wallet. Self-hosting shifts the cost from a recurring subscription fee to a one-time hardware investment and your own time for maintenance.
This is where the philosophy deepens. It’s not just about free software; it’s about software freedom. You’re not subject to a company’s pricing changes, feature removals, or shutdowns. Of course, you become your own tech support. But for the tinkerer, the savings and the control are incredibly powerful motivators. It makes you wonder what else you’re paying a monthly fee for that you could host on a small home server.
Is It Worth The Hassle?
So, should you do it? The answer is a definitive “maybe.” Look, if your income depends on a specific tool and you bill by the hour, the lost productivity during a switch could outweigh the savings. But for students, hobbyists, freelancers on a budget, or anyone just sick of the subscription drain, it’s absolutely worth a shot.
The article’s final point is the most important: you don’t need to pirate software. The open-source community has built phenomenal alternatives. The worst that can happen is you try GIMP for a weekend, get frustrated, and go back to paying Adobe. But you might just discover that LibreOffice handles your spreadsheets perfectly fine and that keeping an extra $70 a year in your pocket feels pretty good. Isn’t that worth a little experimentation?
