We are living in the age of “subscriptions.” Do you want to write a document? Subscription. Edit a photo? Subscription. Listen to music without ads? Subscription.
It adds up fast. But one of the main reasons I switched to Linux wasn’t just the operating system—it was the philosophy of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS).
Over the years, I have slowly replaced almost every paid proprietary tool in my workflow with a free, community-driven alternative. And honestly? I’m not going back. Whether I’m working on my Lenovo ThinkPad P14s at a coffee shop or rendering video on my high-end Desktop PC, these are the 5 apps that get the job done.
1. LibreOffice (Replaces: Microsoft Office)
Let’s start with the big one. For years, I thought I couldn’t live without Microsoft Word and Excel. I was wrong.
LibreOffice has matured into an incredible suite. The Writer (Word alternative) handles everything from simple blog posts to complex reports seamlessly. The Calc (Excel alternative) is powerful enough for all my data needs.
Why I love it: It opens
.docxand.xlsxfiles perfectly. I can write an article on Linux, send it to a client on Windows, and they won’t even know the difference. Plus, it loads instantly on my laptop without checking for a license server every 5 minutes.
2. GIMP (Replaces: Adobe Photoshop)
I run several websites, so I deal with images daily—resizing, color correction, and creating thumbnails. Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard, but its monthly cost is hard to justify for my needs.
Enter GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program).
Admittedly, GIMP has a steeper learning curve. The interface is different. But once you learn it, it is incredibly powerful.
My Use Case: I use GIMP to prepare every single featured image you see on this site. From layers to advanced filters, it does it all. And it runs natively on Linux, unlike Adobe’s suite.
3. Kdenlive (Replaces: Adobe Premiere Pro)
This is where my hardware really shines. My desktop packs an NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti and 64GB of RAM. You might think I need expensive software to utilize that power, right?
Not at all. Kdenlive is a professional-grade video editor that is completely free.
It supports multi-track editing, 4K rendering, and yes—it utilizes my GPU for faster rendering speeds. While Adobe Premiere is known for crashing, Kdenlive has been rock-solid for my YouTube workflow.
Pro Tip: If you are a content creator moving to Linux, Kdenlive is the closest experience you will get to a traditional timeline editor. It’s fantastic.
4. Thunderbird (Replaces: Microsoft Outlook)
I manage multiple email accounts for my different projects. Using a web browser for email feels slow and clunky to me.
Thunderbird is the ultimate email client. It’s rugged, customizable, and handles massive inboxes with ease. I have it set up to manage all my domains in one “Unified Inbox.”
Why I love it: The “Offline Mode.” I can download thousands of emails to my ThinkPad, hop on a plane or train with no Wi-Fi, and still search through my entire archive instantly. Privacy is also a huge plus—my emails stay on my device, not just in the cloud.
5. VLC Media Player (Replaces: Everything else)
Okay, this one is legendary. You probably already know it. But it deserves a spot on this list because it saves me from the headache of “codecs.”
Back in the day, you had to install specific packs to play different video formats. VLC changed that. It plays everything. MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV—if it’s a video file, VLC will play it.
My Use Case: I use it not just for movies, but to review raw video footage from my camera before editing. It’s fast, lightweight, and installs in seconds via the Software Center (or Flatpak).
You may also read:
GIMP 3.2 RC1 Released: Introduces Vector SVG Export and a Smarter Rasterize Workflow
Skanlite, The Simple Image Scanning Application for KDE
Switching to open-source software isn’t just about saving money (although keeping that extra $50/month in my pocket feels great). It is about ownership.
These tools belong to the community. They don’t track me, they don’t force updates at the worst times, and they don’t hold my files hostage behind a paywall.
If you are hesitant, try replacing just one paid app this week. Download LibreOffice or GIMP and give it a fair shot. You might be surprised at how capable “free” software really is in 2025.
What is your favorite open-source app? Did I miss a tool that you use daily? Let me know in the comments!