Software & Tools
Free Open Source Alternatives to Expensive Software
Save hundreds of dollars with these free, community-developed alternatives to popular paid software.
Simplified from original source
Originally published by Hacker News (Y Combinator)
Office suites
LibreOffice replaces Microsoft Office for free: Writer (Word), Calc (Excel), Impress (PowerPoint). Download at libreoffice.org. Opens and saves Microsoft Office files.
Photo editing
GIMP replaces Photoshop for free. It's powerful and handles most photo editing tasks: cropping, retouching, color correction, and filters. Available at gimp.org.
Video editing
DaVinci Resolve (free version) is professional-grade video editing used in Hollywood. Handles everything from home videos to complex productions. Available at blackmagicdesign.com.
Password manager
Bitwarden is a free, open-source password manager. Just as secure as paid alternatives. Works on every platform. Premium is only $10/year if you want extra features.
Note-taking and organization
Obsidian (free for personal use) is a powerful note-taking app. Your notes are stored as plain text files on your computer — you own your data. Logseq is another great free alternative.
Web browser and email
Firefox (browser) and Thunderbird (email) are both free, privacy-focused, and community-developed. They don't track your data like some commercial alternatives.
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About this article: This guide was simplified and rewritten by TekSure from content originally published by Hacker News (Y Combinator). We make it easier to read for everyday users — no jargon, just plain steps. View the original article. Learn about our content sources.