Software Recommendations 2025
Wade S
Cut Subscription Costs
Software subscriptions are expensive. Adobe Creative Cloud alone costs about $600 a year—nearly $6,000 over a decade. Multiply that across tools, and you’re likely overspending. The good news: many safe, high-quality alternatives are free or far cheaper.
What to Ask Before Switching
- Do you use most of the features, or just a handful?
- Is it required by your job or clients?
- Does it actually save enough time to justify the price?
If not, it’s time to switch.
Adobe Alternatives
Paid
- Affinity Suite — $224 AUD, one-time purchase.
Free
| Brand | Cost/Year | Alternative | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe | $600 | Affinity | $224 one-time |
| Open Source | $0 |
Video & VFX Alternatives
- DaVinci Resolve — Free; Studio $295.
- Blender — 3D, editing, compositing. Free.
- Natron — Node-based compositor. Free.
Resolve and Blender are professional-grade with strong communities. Over 10 years, you save thousands.
Office Software
Skip the $179/year Microsoft Office bill.
- LibreOffice — Free
- OnlyOffice — Free
- OpenOffice — Free
10-year savings: ~$1,790.
Code Editors & IDEs
IDE’s:
- JetBrains IDEs — $60–$289 USD/year personal, $799+ commercial.
- Visual Studio — Free community edition; paid plans $499+.
Editors:
Using lightweight editors plus command-line tools is often faster—and cheaper—than full IDEs.
3D Modeling
Maya is still an industry standard, but Blender offers a no-cost, full-featured alternative.
Final Word
Most people don’t use enough premium features to justify the cost. By switching where you can, you’ll save thousands over the next decade—without losing capability.
Wade Schneider