ZDNet’s Jack Wallen argues that the world depends on open-source software and that more of it deserves to be paid for, revisiting an earlier list of open-source apps he would happily buy and noting how much it has changed over the past year. He picks seven apps he believes justify a price, from Firefox to other desktop and productivity tools, and asks developers who add a fee to make it a one-time purchase rather than a subscription.
7 open-source apps worth paying for in 2026
ZDNet's Jack Wallen argues that the world depends on open-source software and that more of it deserves to be paid for, revisiting an earlier list of open-source apps he would happily buy and noting how much it has changed over the past year. He picks seven apps he believes justify a price, from Firefox to other desktop and productivity tools, and asks developers who add a fee to make it a one-time purchase rather than a subscription.
Source: Zdnet