Microsoft is a large corporation that has a ton of products in its portfolio. Some of the most popular ones include Windows, Office, Teams, Outlook, and OneNote. While these are all apps that are beneficial and provide several features that help people across various verticals, they have certain shortcomings that may deter folks from using them. The biggest deterrent in several cases may be the price, while some users may not be too sure about their privacy when using Microsoft's apps, since their data may be sent to the company's servers. However, there's not much that Microsoft can do about these factors since they're essential parts of running a large business.

But that doesn't mean one can't look for alternatives to Microsoft's solutions. Several open-source tools and apps provide services that are similar to Microsoft's offerings, but for free and in a transparent fashion. Whether you're a student and are looking for a free version of Excel, or you're simply tired of the basic media player on Windows that you know Microsoft just won't replace, here are some of the best free and open-source tools that do what Microsoft won't.

5 LibreOffice

A free alternative to MS Office

It would be hard to deny that apps in the MS Office suite, like Excel, are the king of productivity apps. This is primarily due to the wide range of features and universal compatibility. However, Microsoft Office is expensive, and not everyone can afford it. If you're a student or you're looking for an office suite for occasional use, LibreOffice is a free and open-source alternative that will serve you equally well.

There aren't any major missing features, and all the apps work offline, just like MS Office. It's cross-platform, compatible with multiple file formats, and has an active developer community that regularly rolls out updates with new features. Before you ask -- it's miles ahead of Google Docs and Sheets.

4 Audacity

An advanced audio editing tool

It's surprising that Microsoft doesn't provide a native solution to edit audio files on a Windows PC, let alone a barebones one. So, you'll have to resort to using a third-party solution. Audacity is one of the most popular free and open-source audio editors out there, and for good reason.

It offers an array of professional features found on expensive apps like Adobe Audition. In fact, it can give Apple's Logic Pro a run for its money, sheerly due to the number of features and plugins. It supports a wide range of audio formats, has built-in effects, and the UI is snappy even on computers with average hardware.

3 VLC Media Player

A versatile, codec-free media player

Well, VLC Media Player needs no introduction. It's been one of the most popular media players for more than a decade now, and it's not just because it's a solid app, but primarily because the default media player on Windows has been highly average, and hasn't improved in years. VLC can play pretty much any audio or video format, that, too, without the need to download any codecs.

The app has a lightweight UI that doesn't hog up resources, and it's easy to import subtitles when watching movies. While not impossible, Windows users have lost hope of Microsoft's version of a native media player that can match VLC in terms of functionality.

2 Nextcloud

A self-hosted, privacy-focused cloud solution

Using cloud storage is an excellent way to access your files remotely without being near your computer. Microsoft offers OneDrive for this very purpose, along with the ability to sync files, backup your drives, etc. It's a solid solution, but one that locks you in with your data uploaded to its servers.

This can be a red flag for those concerned about privacy. Thankfully, there are solutions like Nextcloud that let you self-host your own storage server with file sync, collaboration, and backups. It's open-source, which adds another layer of transparency. If you don't trust large corporations with your data, this is the way to go.

1 OBS Studio

Look beyond the Xbox Game Bar

I can go on and on about how the Xbox Game Bar is an absolute abomination, but I'll reserve that for another day. For now, let's focus on how limited the screen recording capabilities are inside the Game Bar. Thankfully, OBS Studio is a free and open-source solution that takes screen recording and streaming to a whole other level. Not only does it let you record your screen, but it also lets you create custom scenarios that are useful when streaming.

You can record the whole screen, a certain section of it, or even an individual app. The same applies to streaming as well. You can even have an overlay of your webcam's footage on top of the screen when recording, and switch up the audio sources to decide whether you only want to record the system audio or the sound from an external microphone, too. OBS can be used to stream your gameplay directly on YouTube or Twitch, making it an extremely powerful tool that Microsoft can never match, at least not for free.

Can't expect Microsoft to shift course

The majority of revenue generated by Microsoft is from businesses that use its services, and from user subscriptions to services like Microsoft 365, OneNote, OneDrive, and other such offerings. Hence, a company of that scale can't offer free alternatives to such platforms. The best bet for an end consumer who either doesn't want to pay or genuinely wants better alternatives to sub-par native apps like the media player or audio editor is to resort to open-source solutions that are free, respect your privacy, and are often more feature-rich.