I was spending over $200 per month on SaaS subscriptions and it was draining my budget fast. Between productivity tools, design software, grammar checkers, and scheduling platforms, the costs kept piling up. Then I discovered something that changed everything. There are completely free alternatives that work just as well, sometimes even better. Over the past year I replaced five expensive SaaS tools with free options and saved hundreds of dollars annually. Today I am sharing exactly which tools I replaced, what free alternatives I use instead, and how you can slash your SaaS spending to zero.
NOTION ($10 per month) replaced by OBSIDIAN (Free)
Let us start with Notion. The Plus plan costs $10 per user per month billed annually, and once you need unlimited file uploads, extended page history, or team collaboration, that is where the costs start. I replaced it with Obsidian, which is completely free for personal use and honestly better for my needs.
Obsidian is a local first note taking app that stores everything on your device as plain Markdown files. You own your data completely. No cloud dependency, no subscription fees ever. What makes Obsidian exceptional is the linking system. You create connections between notes by typing double brackets, and over time this builds a web of interconnected ideas. The graph view visualizes how your entire knowledge base connects.
For project management I use free community plugins. The Kanban plugin gives me a Trello style board. The Calendar plugin organizes daily notes. The Tasks plugin builds a powerful to do system. These replicate everything I used Notion for, but faster and with zero monthly cost. You can sync for free using Dropbox or Google Drive. I have been using Obsidian for 14 months with over 800 notes and I have spent exactly $0.
GRAMMARLY PRO ($12 per month billed annually) replaced by LANGUAGETOOL (Free)
Next is Grammarly Pro, which costs $12 per month on the annual plan, which works out to $144 per year. Grammarly is useful but that price adds up fast. I switched to LanguageTool, which offers a generous free plan that handles everything I need.
LanguageTool is an open source grammar and style checker that works across 30 plus languages. The free version checks up to 10,000 characters per text field, which is enough for emails, blog posts, and most documents. It catches grammar mistakes, punctuation errors, style issues, and suggests improvements just like Grammarly.
I installed the browser extension and it works in Gmail, Google Docs, WordPress, and everywhere I write online. What I appreciate most is that it catches errors across multiple languages and handles formal writing extremely well. The premium version exists at around $5 per month but I have never needed to upgrade. For my writing workflow, LanguageTool handles everything without costing a penny.
CANVA PRO ($120 per year) replaced by CANVA FREE plus PHOTOPEA (Free)
Canva Pro costs $120 per year on the annual plan, or $15 per month if you pay monthly. While I loved the premium templates and extra features, I realized I could replicate 95 percent of what I needed using Canva’s free plan combined with Photopea.
Canva’s free tier is genuinely impressive. You get access to over 1.6 million free templates, drag and drop design tools, and the ability to create social media graphics, presentations, and posters. The main limitations are fewer premium templates, no background remover, and a smaller stock library.
For the 5 percent of tasks that Canva Free does not handle, I use Photopea, a completely free online photo editor that works like Photoshop in your browser. No installation required. It supports PSD files, layers, masks, and all the advanced editing you would expect from professional software. I use it for background removal, advanced photo editing, and complex design work.
The workflow is simple. Design layouts and social graphics in Canva Free, then switch to Photopea when I need advanced editing or precise control. Together these two free tools replace everything I used Canva Pro for. Photopea does show ads in the interface but they are non intrusive. That is $120 saved annually without touching design quality.
CALENDLY STANDARD ($12 per month) replaced by CAL.COM (Free)
Calendly’s Standard plan costs $12 per user per month, or $10 per month billed annually. That adds up to $120 per year just for unlimited event types, branding removal, and basic workflow integrations. I replaced it with Cal.com, which is open source and offers all of this completely free.
Cal.com is a Calendly alternative that is honestly better in several ways. The free tier includes unlimited event types, calendar integrations with Google Calendar and Outlook, custom availability settings, and automated email reminders.
What sets Cal.com apart is that even on the free plan you can remove their branding, use a custom domain, and access workflow automation. These features cost money on Calendly but are free on Cal.com. I connected it to my Google Calendar, created different meeting types for consultations, quick calls, and client sessions, and it works flawlessly. The booking page looks professional and clients have zero issues scheduling with me. Setup took about 15 minutes and I have been using it for nine months without a single payment.
LOOM BUSINESS ($15 per month) replaced by OBS STUDIO (Free)
Finally, Loom’s Business plan costs around $15 per user per month, adding up to roughly $180 per year for unlimited screen recording, no watermarks, longer recording times, and editing features. I replaced it with OBS Studio, which is completely free and far more powerful.
OBS Studio is professional grade open source software for screen recording and live streaming. It is what content creators, streamers, and professionals use when they need serious recording capabilities. The learning curve is steeper than Loom but once you set it up it is infinitely more capable.
With OBS I can record my screen, webcam, or both simultaneously with custom layouts. I can switch between scenes, add overlays, include audio from multiple sources, and record in high quality with no watermarks and no time limits. For quick recordings I create a simple scene and hit record. The output quality is better than Loom and I can record as long as needed without restriction.
Setup takes about 30 minutes to understand the interface and configure your scenes. But once it is done, recording is just as quick as Loom. I have created dozens of tutorial videos and client presentations over eight months without paying anything.
THE TOTAL SAVINGS
Here is what this all adds up to. Notion Plus to Obsidian saves $120 per year. Grammarly Pro to LanguageTool saves $144 per year. Canva Pro to Canva Free plus Photopea saves $120 per year. Calendly Standard to Cal.com saves $120 per year. Loom Business to OBS Studio saves $180 per year. Total annual savings: $684. Over five years that is over $3,400 staying in your pocket.
And here is the important part. My productivity did not decrease. In some cases like with Obsidian and OBS I actually gained capabilities I did not have before. These free alternatives are actively maintained, have strong communities behind them, and are not going anywhere.
So there you have it. Five expensive SaaS tools I completely replaced with free alternatives, saving nearly $700 annually.
Replace Notion Plus with Obsidian for note taking. Swap Grammarly Pro for LanguageTool for grammar checking. Use Canva Free plus Photopea instead of Canva Pro for design. Switch from Calendly Standard to Cal.com for scheduling. Replace Loom Business with OBS Studio for screen recording.
Each switch requires a small investment of time to set up and learn. But the long term savings make it absolutely worth it. Stop paying for features you can get for free and start putting that money toward growing your business instead.
