I Tried Replacing All My Paid Windows Apps With Open-Source Alternatives
How-To Geek, Monday, March 16th, 2026
I've spent the last few years slowly moving away from corporate software and switching to free and open-source alternatives. I have fully switched to Linux as my main desktop.
I set up a little home server to cut subscriptions and host open-source apps. When I do use Windows, I make an effort to find FOSS alternatives. I've been using these replacements for years, and I never miss the paid versions.
LibreOffice instead of MS Office
Like many tech nerds, I took an Excel and Word course when I was a kid. Adults around me made it seem like they were valuable tools that everyone should learn. So I did and just stuck to them by default. Years later, when I started writing professionally, I was using Excel and Word more frequently than ever.