{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "checked_at": "2026-11-08",
  "about": "Source-backed paid job to genuinely free route card copy. No prices, parity or personal savings claims.",
  "comparisons": [
    {
      "id": "office",
      "category": "Office & PDF",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Write documents, calculate spreadsheets and make slides offline",
      "paid": "Microsoft 365 desktop apps",
      "free": "LibreOffice",
      "outcome": "Write documents, work with formulas and build slides. Keep editable files and export shareable copies.",
      "url": "https://www.libreoffice.org/download/",
      "action": "Get LibreOffice free",
      "free_path": "Use the free direct download, not a paid store or support package.",
      "catch": "Check complex Office layouts, macros and formulas after conversion. This is not Microsoft cloud collaboration or Outlook.",
      "setup": "Windows, macOS or Linux desktop installation. No service account needed for local editing.",
      "paid_caveat": "Microsoft also provides free web Word, Excel and PowerPoint with a Microsoft account and OneDrive workflow.",
      "keywords": "word excel powerpoint docx xlsx pptx spreadsheet presentation office subscription",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.libreoffice.org/faq/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/free-office-online-for-the-web",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        }
      ],
      "local_url": "/tools/documents/index.html",
      "local_action": "Or write a simple document here",
      "local_limit": "Hosted text editor, not an office suite. Simple DOCX conversion loses layout; tables, images and tracked changes are rejected."
    },
    {
      "id": "pdf",
      "category": "Office & PDF",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Merge and rearrange PDF pages locally",
      "paid": "Adobe Acrobat paid plans",
      "free": "PDFsam Basic",
      "outcome": "Combine, split, rotate and extract pages on your computer. Save a new PDF.",
      "url": "https://pdfsam.org/pdfsam-basic/",
      "action": "Get PDFsam Basic free",
      "free_path": "Choose Basic for local merging, splitting, rotation and page extraction.",
      "catch": "Not PDF text editing, OCR or redaction. Keep originals and check forms, signatures and accessibility after any transformation.",
      "setup": "Windows, macOS or Linux desktop installation. No online account or file upload required for local page assembly.",
      "paid_caveat": "Adobe also offers a free online merge tool with uploaded files. PDFsam’s distinction is free local page assembly, not exclusive free merging.",
      "keywords": "acrobat merge split rotate extract pdf documents",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://pdfsam.org/pdfsam-basic/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/merge-pdf.html",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        }
      ],
      "local_url": "/tools/pdf/index.html",
      "local_action": "Or merge simple PDFs here",
      "local_limit": "Hosted, local processing. Unsigned simple PDFs only; no text editing, OCR, signatures or redaction."
    },
    {
      "id": "paint",
      "category": "Design & images",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Draw and paint with brushes and layers",
      "paid": "Adobe Photoshop desktop",
      "free": "Krita",
      "outcome": "Paint with brushes, layers and drawing tools. Keep the editable artwork.",
      "url": "https://krita.org/en/download/",
      "action": "Get Krita free",
      "free_path": "Download directly from Krita’s site; paid store versions are optional.",
      "catch": "A painting-focused route, not a promise of Photoshop feature, plugin or file compatibility.",
      "setup": "Windows, macOS or Linux; Android options exist. No iPad/iPhone support. No service account for desktop painting.",
      "paid_caveat": "Comparison is to the paid desktop Photoshop workflow, not a claim that every Adobe photo tool requires payment.",
      "keywords": "photoshop painting illustration art image brushes layers",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://krita.org/en/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://krita.org/en/download/",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 3"
        }
      ],
      "local_url": "/tools/image/index.html",
      "local_action": "Only need a crop or caption? Do it here",
      "local_limit": "Hosted single-image editor with text. No general image layers, PSD or professional colour workflows.",
      "studio_url": "/tools/image-studio/",
      "studio_action": "Try layered Image Studio here",
      "studio_limit": "Experimental miniPaint-based editor. Keep disposable copies and check actual saved files; browser editing, image decoding and multilayer save/reopen are unverified. Separate from the simple image tool."
    },
    {
      "id": "edit-video",
      "category": "Video & audio",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Trim clips, add titles and export a video",
      "paid": "Adobe Premiere desktop",
      "free": "Shotcut",
      "outcome": "Arrange footage, add titles and export your video. Save an editable project too.",
      "url": "https://shotcut.org/",
      "action": "Get Shotcut free",
      "free_path": "Free desktop editor; save an MLT project and export a separate video.",
      "catch": "Keep original media alongside the project. Hardware affects performance; not Premiere collaboration, plugins or project compatibility.",
      "setup": "Supported 64-bit Windows, macOS or Linux computer. No activation or subscription required.",
      "paid_caveat": "Comparison covers desktop editing, not all Adobe mobile or free editing offerings.",
      "keywords": "premiere video cut trim film movie titles timeline",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://shotcut.org/FAQ/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/plans.html",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "record-screen",
      "category": "Video & audio",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Record a screen tutorial to a local video file",
      "paid": "Loom Business",
      "free": "OBS Studio",
      "outcome": "Record your screen, microphone or camera to a local video file.",
      "url": "https://obsproject.com/",
      "action": "Get OBS Studio free",
      "free_path": "Install OBS and record locally; select only intended screen and audio inputs.",
      "catch": "Not Loom’s hosted links, viewer comments or AI summaries. Review microphones, desktop audio and private screen content before recording.",
      "setup": "Supported Windows, macOS or Linux computer; storage and capture hardware matter. No OBS account needed for local recording. Streaming services are separate.",
      "paid_caveat": "Loom Starter already offers free short recordings. OBS is a local-recording route, not a hosted sharing service.",
      "keywords": "loom record tutorial screencast screen webcam capture",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://obsproject.com/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://obsproject.com/kb/quick-start-guide",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.atlassian.com/software/loom/pricing",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 3"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "diagram",
      "category": "Design & images",
      "mode": "browser",
      "job": "Make flowcharts and diagrams",
      "paid": "Microsoft Visio",
      "free": "draw.io",
      "outcome": "Make flowcharts, process diagrams and plans. Save editable files and export images.",
      "url": "https://app.diagrams.net/",
      "action": "Open draw.io free",
      "free_path": "Open the free web editor and keep editable diagrams locally, or use its desktop app.",
      "catch": "Not a guarantee of Visio file fidelity or enterprise feature parity. Paid third-party integrations are separate.",
      "setup": "Modern browser; desktop app also offered. No account required for core editor; external cloud storage may require one.",
      "paid_caveat": "Check existing Microsoft 365 entitlements before claiming personal savings; some users already have diagramming access.",
      "keywords": "visio flowchart diagram process org chart plan",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.drawio.com/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/visio",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "melody",
      "category": "Video & audio",
      "mode": "browser",
      "job": "Sketch an instrumental melody or game loop",
      "paid": "FL Studio",
      "free": "BeepBox",
      "outcome": "Write a pattern-based tune and export audio. Keep the song editable.",
      "url": "https://www.beepbox.co/",
      "action": "Open BeepBox free",
      "free_path": "Use the free browser instrument and retain the song URL or an editable export.",
      "catch": "Pattern-based synthesized music, not recorded audio, a full mixing workstation, VST hosting or FL Studio project editing. Original compositions retain their own rights.",
      "setup": "JavaScript-enabled browser. No signup needed for the public editor.",
      "paid_caveat": "FL Studio has a trial; this is an ongoing free melody tool, not equivalent studio production.",
      "keywords": "fl studio melody compose synth song music beat audio",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.beepbox.co/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio/",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        }
      ],
      "local_url": "/tools/music/index.html",
      "local_action": "Or use BeepBox here on the Hub",
      "local_limit": "Hosted isolated BeepBox. Save JSON before closing; there is no automatic backup or song-URL saving."
    },
    {
      "id": "budget",
      "category": "Money & planning",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Make an envelope budget and import transactions manually",
      "paid": "YNAB",
      "free": "Actual Budget desktop",
      "outcome": "Build an envelope budget, import transactions manually and see where money goes.",
      "url": "https://actualbudget.org/docs/install/desktop-app/",
      "action": "Get Actual’s free local app",
      "free_path": "Use the desktop app with local data and manual transaction imports.",
      "catch": "Cloud hosting and optional bank-sync providers may cost money. Back up the budget. Do not promise managed multi-device service for free.",
      "setup": "Desktop app; follow current official release instructions. Local server can be bundled. No paid cloud account needed for local use; local server setup asks for a password.",
      "paid_caveat": "YNAB has a free trial. Actual’s prominent PikaPods hosting link is a paid route, so do not use it as the free CTA.",
      "keywords": "ynab budget money envelope expenses income",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://actualbudget.org/docs/install/desktop-app/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://actualbudget.org/docs/install/",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://actualbudget.org/",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 3"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.ynab.com/pricing",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 4"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "vector-chart",
      "category": "Data & research",
      "mode": "browser",
      "job": "Create and export an editable SVG chart",
      "paid": "Datawrapper Pro SVG export",
      "free": "RAWGraphs",
      "outcome": "Map a CSV to a static chart. Export editable SVG and save a project to reopen.",
      "url": "https://app.rawgraphs.io/",
      "action": "Open RAWGraphs free",
      "free_path": "Use the browser app to map data, save a project and export vector artwork.",
      "catch": "Static chart workflow, not Datawrapper hosting, interactive embeds, maps or team controls. Projects include source rows. Website analytics mean browser-local data processing is not a zero-network claim.",
      "setup": "Modern browser. No account required for the public chart editor.",
      "paid_caveat": "Datawrapper already has a free plan for interactive publishing and PNG downloads; current pricing puts SVG/PDF export in Pro.",
      "keywords": "datawrapper svg chart graph csv visualize visualization charts graphs visualisation visualisations visualizations",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://rawgraphs.io/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://rawgraphs.io/learning/how-to-export-your-visualization-and-how-to-edit-it",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.datawrapper.de/pricing",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 3"
        }
      ],
      "local_url": "/tools/charts/",
      "local_action": "Or try Chart Studio here",
      "local_limit": "Experimental hosted RAWGraphs edition with a guided practice project. Source and renderer checks passed; browser editing, downloads and reopening remain unverified. Inspect labels, colours and saved files."
    },
    {
      "id": "game-library",
      "category": "Games",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Browse and launch owned PC games with a controller",
      "paid": "LaunchBox Premium / Big Box",
      "free": "Playnite",
      "outcome": "Browse games you own from a full-screen, controller-friendly library.",
      "url": "https://playnite.link/",
      "action": "Get Playnite free",
      "free_path": "Use Playnite’s free fullscreen controller interface and local game library.",
      "catch": "Launcher only: games, emulators and lawful content are separate. Store integrations may need account sign-in.",
      "setup": "Windows PC; controller needed for controller navigation. No Playnite service account needed for a manual local library. Optional store connections use their own accounts.",
      "paid_caveat": "LaunchBox Starter is already free. The bounded comparison is Premium/Big Box’s controller-friendly living-room interface, not basic launching.",
      "keywords": "big box launchbox playnite launcher controller games library",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://playnite.link/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.launchbox-app.com/premium",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "stats",
      "category": "Data & research",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Run point-and-click descriptive statistics and standard analyses",
      "paid": "IBM SPSS Statistics",
      "free": "jamovi Desktop",
      "outcome": "Run point-and-click statistics. Save data, analyses and results in a project.",
      "url": "https://www.jamovi.org/",
      "action": "Get jamovi Desktop free",
      "free_path": "Choose Download Desktop for the free offline edition and save data, analyses and results together.",
      "catch": "Not every SPSS module, syntax workflow or enterprise feature. Results still require sound methods. Saved projects contain source data.",
      "setup": "Desktop installation; choose the current official build for your platform. Exact binary was not verified in this review. No cloud account for offline Desktop. Cloud is separate and requires sign-in.",
      "paid_caveat": "SPSS offers a trial and may be supplied by an institution. jamovi Cloud also has free access but is not the same offline route.",
      "keywords": "spss statistics statistical analysis research data",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.jamovi.org/",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.ibm.com/products/spss-statistics",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "qualitative",
      "category": "Data & research",
      "mode": "download",
      "job": "Manually tag text excerpts and organize themes",
      "paid": "NVivo Desktop",
      "free": "Taguette local edition",
      "outcome": "Highlight and code text, organize tags and export your research project.",
      "url": "https://www.taguette.org/",
      "action": "Get Taguette’s local edition",
      "free_path": "Install locally for single-user text coding, codebooks and project exports.",
      "catch": "Not audio/video transcription, AI analysis or full NVivo parity. Local mode is single-user. Keep sensitive research off the public hosted service.",
      "setup": "Windows, macOS or Linux. Linux/manual setup can need Python and Calibre. Local use avoids a hosted account; hosted free service requires username/password.",
      "paid_caveat": "NVivo licenses and institutional access vary; this is a manual text-coding alternative, not a measured savings claim.",
      "keywords": "nvivo qualitative text research coding analysis interview",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://www.taguette.org/faq.html",
          "label": "Free tool / official source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.taguette.org/install.html",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 2"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://www.taguette.org/getting-started.html",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 3"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://shop.lumivero.com/qda-and-research/nvivo",
          "label": "Official comparison evidence 4"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "static-qr",
      "kind": "hosted",
      "category": "Design & images",
      "mode": "browser",
      "job": "Put a fixed website link on a flyer or menu",
      "paid": "QRCG / Bitly dynamic QR plans",
      "free": "Static QR Maker",
      "outcome": "Make a direct-link QR code. Keep SVG or PNG artwork and an editable project for another version.",
      "url": "https://free4allhub.com/tools/qr/",
      "action": "Make a static QR code free",
      "free_path": "Generate locally, download the files and keep them. No account, subscription or Hub redirect is needed.",
      "catch": "A fixed code cannot change the printed destination or provide scan analytics. Keep the target website available, check the saved code and test the final print. Anyone can decode its address.",
      "setup": "A modern JavaScript-enabled browser. No installation. Keep the editable QR JSON separately; the Hub project bundle does not accept this format.",
      "paid_caveat": "QRCG / Bitly already offers free static codes without an account. This is an alternative to a dynamic subscription only when a fixed direct address is all you need.",
      "keywords": "qr code static bitly qrcg flyer menu print website url link subscription svg png",
      "verification": "The encoded SVG and PNG files have independent decoder checks. Actual browser downloads, phone scans and printed output remain unverified.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "url": "https://github.com/nayuki/QR-Code-generator/tree/bcfe1b018cec5f1f91b5705eca5bb4cdd34e9f8d",
          "label": "Pinned MIT encoder source"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7664248839053-How-can-I-create-a-Static-QR-Code-without-an-account",
          "label": "QRCG free static route"
        },
        {
          "url": "https://support.qr-code-generator.com/hc/en-us/articles/7665046137613-What-happens-to-my-account-and-QR-Codes-when-the-trial-expires",
          "label": "Static and dynamic trial limits"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}