A free tool is valuable when it handles the actual job reliably, not merely when it has a familiar feature list. Choose one representative file or project and complete the whole workflow in a candidate: import, edit, collaborate if needed, export, and reopen the result elsewhere.
Check output fidelity, privacy, accessibility, update reliability, offline use, and any limits on file size or batch work. Estimate the time needed to retrain people or repair converted files. A paid subscription can be wasteful when its only used feature has a sound local substitute; a free tool can be expensive if every export needs cleanup. Keep originals and a rollback path until the replacement proves itself.
Akousa