I went through my subscriptions last month and found six tools I was paying for that do exactly one thing: transform text. Base64 encode. JSON to CSV. Generate a UUID.
Each has a $5–10/month tag. Together they cost more than my domain registration.
Then I built the free version. Here is the comparison, tool by tool.
1. Base64 Encoder/Decoder
Paid tools: $5/mo, "unlimited encodes", ads.
Free version: wuchunjie00.github.io/devtools/base64-tool — paste, encode, decode, done.
2. JSON ⇄ CSV Converter
Paid tools: $8/mo, export limits, "team plan" upsell.
Free version: csv-to-json and yaml-to-json — paste in, copy out. Nothing leaves your browser.
3. Hash Generator
Paid tools: MD5/SHA "forensic tools" at $12/mo.
Free version: hash-generator — MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512 in your browser, no upload.
This is the one that matters: the paid tools upload your data to their server. The browser version computes locally. For anything sensitive, that is not a feature difference, it is the difference.
4. JWT Decoder
Paid tools: $6/mo "API security toolkit".
Free version: jwt-decoder — paste the token, read the payload. (Reminder: tokens are bearer credentials; decoding in a local tool is fine, pasting them into random sites is how they leak.)
5. QR Code Generator
Paid tools: $4/mo, "commercial license", watermark removal.
Free version: qr-code-generator — generate, download, no watermark, no license fee.
6. Password / UUID / Slug Generators
The "utility suites" at $7/mo.
Free versions: password-generator, uuid-generator, slug-generator, lorem-ipsum.
The Full Set
That is 14 tools in total, all at wuchunjie00.github.io/devtools:
Base64 · CSV to JSON · YAML to JSON · Cron parser · Diff checker · Hash generator · HTML entities · HTML to text · JWT decoder · Lorem ipsum · Password generator · QR code · Slug generator · UUID generator
Why They Are Free (Forever)
They run 100% in your browser. No backend, no server costs, no data collection — which is also why there is no business model to "sustain". The cost of running them is zero, so the price is zero. If you use them, a Ko-fi keeps the next batch coming.
The Math
Six subscriptions, ~$40–50/month. Fourteen browser tabs, $0/month.
Your call which side of that line you are on.
From the same toolbox
-
ScaffoldX — generate production-ready project templates in seconds:
npx scaffoldx-cli -
DotGuard — scan
.envfiles for exposed secrets:npx @wuchunjie/dotguard -
GitPulse — git analytics (commits, contributors, activity) in your terminal:
npx @wuchunjie/gitpulse -
SnippetX — save, search, and copy code snippets from the terminal:
npx @wuchunjie/snippetx
☕ If This Saved You Time
All of these tools are and will always be 100% free. If they make your day a little easier, consider fueling the next one:
Built with ❤️. Zero dependencies, zero tracking, zero bloat.
Top comments (0)