A Quick Perspective on Using Free Tools vs. Paid Tools in Professional Creative Work

Every so often, I come across conversations about creative software costs—usually sparked by a price increase or a comparison between paid and open-source tools. Recently, I read an article about a video editor who decided to drop Adobe Creative Cloud altogether due to rising subscription fees. Instead, they rebuilt their entire workflow using open source and free software: Blender, GIMP, the free version of DaVinci Resolve, Fusion, and others.

These are all excellent tools. Resolve, in particular, is a personal favorite and a great example of how capable a free option can be.

But the article also got me thinking about something I’ve seen repeatedly throughout my career.

The Reality of Being a Working Professional

Whether you’re freelancing, running a small post-production business, or working in-house, there’s a certain level of financial investment that comes with doing creative work professionally. Software, training, internet, insurance, accounting tools, etc... they all fold into the overhead that allows us to do our jobs well.

I feel the subscription fatigue like everyone else. It genuinely seems like everything has a monthly fee these days. But in most cases, one project easily covers the cost of a tool like Adobe for the month—sometimes for much longer. That doesn’t erase the frustration, but it does put the cost into context. For many of us, it’s simply part of staying equipped and reliable for client work.

Where Open Source Fits

Open source tools absolutely have a place in professional work. Sometimes they’re the best fit for a specific workflow or budget. Sometimes they offer features a paid application doesn’t. And sometimes they’re exactly what a project needs.

But challenges tend to show up when collaboration enters the picture. When you’re handing off project files, working across teams, or maintaining shared assets for long-term clients, using a non-standard toolset can create problems you don’t see coming.

I’ve experienced this firsthand:

• Missing or unusable project files

• Incompatible formats

• Clients unable to reuse their own assets

• Editors delivering work in software no one else on the team uses
  

These situations slow down projects, increase costs, and create unnecessary friction—especially when the rest of a team is built around a specific production pipeline.

Choosing the Right Tools for Your Business

At the end of the day, it comes down to making choices that serve you, your workflow, and the people relying on you. Use the tools that make the most sense, whether they’re free, paid, open source, or industry-standard. Just make sure those tools align with how you work and what your clients expect.

Because in the long run, the cost of your tools isn’t just an expense—it’s part of the investment that keeps your business running smoothly.

© 2025 - Mike Konstan - MAK Digital Media, Inc.