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If you want to avoid creating accounts for software you use only occasionally, these five pairings offer a starting point: ONLYOFFICE for Microsoft 365, GIMP and Krita for Photoshop, KiCad for Autodesk EAGLE, Jellyfin for Plex, and Joplin for Evernote. They are reported recommendations by How-To Geek author Nick Lewis, not a guarantee that every feature or workflow will transfer unchanged.
Lewis’s selection is based on avoiding sign-ins, but the practical choice also depends on file compatibility, collaboration, device support, and how much setup you are willing to do. In particular, a self-hosted media server and optional note syncing involve different trade-offs from installing a desktop editor.
Which apps are paired with which alternatives?
| App being replaced | Suggested alternative | What to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) | ONLYOFFICE | Office file compatibility and collaboration needs |
| Adobe Photoshop | GIMP and Krita | Photo manipulation versus illustration; this is a two-app setup |
| Autodesk EAGLE | KiCad | PCB workflow, libraries, and existing design files |
| Plex | Jellyfin | Account control, remote access, clients, and setup |
| Evernote | Joplin | Import/export, attachments, OCR, and sync preferences |
Can ONLYOFFICE replace Microsoft 365?
Lewis recommends ONLYOFFICE for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs. He describes its interface as familiar to Office users and says it supports Microsoft Office formats. That makes it a candidate for people who mainly create and edit those file types without depending on specialized Microsoft 365 services.
Before switching, try your own files—especially complex documents, spreadsheets with advanced formulas, and presentations with unusual layouts. A broad format-support claim does not guarantee that every feature, font, or layout will behave identically. Check collaboration and sharing requirements too; the recommendation alone does not establish that your team’s particular workflow will carry over.
#1 Best Overall
- Compatible Models: Width: 13 9/16" (13.5 inch/344 mm), Height: 7 5/8" (7.6 inch/194 mm), Diagonal: 15.6" (396.24 mm) widescreen laptops which have a 16:9 aspect ratio. Not touchscreen compatible !!! Not fit for 16:10.Do NOT rely solely on your laptop’s diagonal size when ordering. Use a ruler to measure your screen’s visible area (excluding the black bezels). If the width reads 344mm and height reads 194mm, this filter is a perfect match for your device.
- Keep Information Privacy: Effective "black out" privacy from side views outside the 60-degree viewing angle. Designed for optical clarity when viewing from the front, a person not at the front of the screen can only see the dark side of the screen, so it protects buisness secrets and personal privacy
- Eye and Screen Protection: Privacy filter does not only protect your private life but also protects your eyes by blocking 30% of blue light , blocking the harmful blue light between 380 - 495nm, it filters out the blue light and relieves eye strain. Our laptop privacy screen also helps keep your screen safe from dust and scratches
- Perfect For Open Workspaces: Great for maintaining screen privacy in high traffic areas such as open work spaces, airports, airplanes, commuter trains, coffee shops and other public places, etc
- Easy Installation: Choose between 2 simple Options; Slide-On/Off or Mounted. Not touchscreen compatible
Why does Photoshop’s replacement use two apps?
The recommendation is GIMP for image manipulation and Krita for drawing and its brush tools. Lewis does not present either as a one-for-one Photoshop substitute: his point is that no single program covers all Photoshop functions.
Choose by the work you do
- For editing and manipulating images, consider GIMP.
- For illustration and brush-based drawing, consider Krita.
- If your work moves between photo editing and illustration, expect to use two applications rather than one unified workflow.
Check whether your essential tools, file handoffs, and established processes are supported before relying on either app for work that currently depends on Photoshop-specific features.
Rank #2
- 【Instant Snap-on Magnetic Attachment】- The Patented Magnetic Privacy Screen – Protected by U.S. Patents 9,829,669 and D844,012. Simply place the privacy screen along the top of your MacBook and let the magnets attach along the top. No need for tricky placement, messy tape, or damaging adhesive. Easily remove and reattach when you need it.
- 【Filter Dimensions】: Width: 11 15/16" (304 mm), Height: 7 1/2" (190 mm), Diagonal: 14.1" (358.14 mm) - SightPro Blackout Privacy Filter is engineered to be compatible with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, and other laptop brands. Please verify your screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your screen's diagonal size. [Not optimized for touchscreens.]
- 【Superior Privacy】- Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful UV and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- The Laptop Privacy Screen Filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports, and public areas.
- 【Package Contents】- Each package includes a magnetic privacy screen filter, magnetic stickers, a webcam privacy cover, a storage folder, and a cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
Is KiCad a suitable alternative to Autodesk EAGLE?
Lewis names KiCad as a free alternative that does not require a sign-in, and describes it as having component and footprint libraries, board-size and signal-layer capacity, and a capable interface. Those are his characterizations, not an independent verification of current product limits or a guarantee that an existing EAGLE project will transfer cleanly.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →For an actual migration, compare your board requirements and design workflow, inspect the libraries you rely on, and test representative existing files. The article also refers to EAGLE’s shutdown, but that status is time-sensitive and should be confirmed with Autodesk before you make a decision based on it.
Rank #3
- 【Instant Snap-on Magnetic Attachment】- The Patented Magnetic Privacy Screen – Protected by U.S. Patents 9,829,669 and D844,012. Simply place the privacy screen along the top of your MacBook and let the magnets attach along the top. No need for tricky placement, messy tape, or damaging adhesive. Easily remove and reattach when you need it.
- 【Filter Dimensions】: Width: 13.56" (344.5 mm), Height: 8.49" (215.6 mm), Diagonal: 16" (406 mm) - SightPro Blackout Privacy Filter is engineered to be compatible with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, and other laptop brands. Please verify your screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your screen's diagonal size. [Not optimized for touchscreens.]
- 【Superior Privacy】- Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful UV and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- The Laptop Privacy Screen Filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports, and public areas.
- 【Package Contents】- Each package includes a magnetic privacy screen filter, magnetic stickers, a webcam privacy cover, a storage folder, and a cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
What changes when you move from Plex to Jellyfin?
Jellyfin is presented as a media server you control, with local accounts and support for video, music, and audiobooks. Lewis also says local-user passwords can be disabled. That approach may appeal if you want account management on your own server, but it comes with the responsibility of setting up and maintaining the service.
Assess which Jellyfin clients are available for your devices, whether you need remote access, and how much configuration you are prepared to handle. Lewis’s comments about Plex remote streaming and lifetime pricing can change over time; check Plex’s current terms directly rather than treating those statements as settled facts.
Rank #4
- 【Instant Snap-on Magnetic Attachment】- The Patented Magnetic Privacy Screen – Protected by U.S. Patents 9,829,669 and D844,012. Simply place the privacy screen along the top of your MacBook and let the magnets attach along the top. No need for tricky placement, messy tape, or damaging adhesive. Easily remove and reattach when you need it.
- 【Filter Dimensions】: Width: 12 3/16" (310 mm), Height: 6 7/8" (175 mm), Diagonal: 14" (355.6 mm) - There are two different 14 inch screen sizes, please select the correct one. SightPro Blackout Privacy Filter is engineered to be compatible with Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Samsung, and other laptop brands. Please verify your screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your screen's diagonal size. [Not optimized for touchscreens.]
- 【Superior Privacy】- Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful UV and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- The Laptop Privacy Screen Filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports, and public areas.
- 【Package Contents】- Each package includes a magnetic privacy screen filter, magnetic stickers, a webcam privacy cover, a storage folder, and a cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
Does Joplin work as an Evernote alternative?
Lewis describes Joplin as offline-first, with notebooks, Markdown editing and preview, attachments, OCR, and plugins. Sync is optional; he says users can sync through their own server or a cloud service. This makes it worth considering if local-first note storage matters to you, while optional sync means you must choose and configure a method if you want notes available across devices.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Before moving your notes, check import and export behavior for your notebooks and attachments, and confirm that the OCR and plugins you depend on meet your needs. The recommendation does not establish that every Evernote feature or piece of metadata will transfer.
Best Value
- Instant PDAF Autofocus — Stay sharp with Phase Detection Auto Focus. This computer camera locks onto subjects instantly, eliminating the focus "hunting" found in a standard webcam for a crisp, stable streaming experience.
- 4K HD Fidelity— Experience uncompromising video quality. Powered by a brand new Sony 1/2.8-inch sensor, this 4k webcam delivers remarkable clarity and color accuracy at a fluid 4K at 30fps, while also supporting 2K/1080p at 60fps to ensure every detail is captured with professional-grade precision.
- Plug and Play — Simplicity from the moment you connect. This usb camera works natively without additional software or drivers, featuring a USB-A to C adapter to ensure an instant, reliable connection across all your devices, from legacy PCs to the latest laptops.
- AI Noise Cancellation—hear only what matters. This webcam with a microphone uses AI-powered technology to filter out distracting background noise, ensuring your voice sounds clear and professional. To ensure optimal performance, select A640 as your default microphone input in both your computer system settings and video applications (such as Zoom or Teams), and verify that microphone permissions are enabled. Please note: This product does not include built-in speakers.
- Privacy Shutter — Security you can see and feel. This 4k webcam features a physical shutter that slides closed in an instant, providing total peace of mind by ensuring your computer camera lens is only open when you are.
How to decide whether switching is worthwhile
- Start with your essential tasks. List the files, features, devices, and collaboration steps you actually use, rather than comparing app names alone.
- Test with real work. Open copies of representative documents, images, PCB designs, media libraries, or notes before committing to a migration.
- Separate account avoidance from setup effort. A local or self-hosted option may reduce reliance on an external sign-in but require more configuration or maintenance.
- Plan a reversible transition. Keep original files and exports until you have checked that the new workflow works and that important data is intact.
The pairings and feature descriptions here reflect Nick Lewis’s August 23, 2026 article in How-To Geek, surfaced through Yahoo Tech. Sign-in rules, capabilities, compatibility, service terms, and product availability can change; verify current details with the relevant project or vendor before switching.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
