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This is a 2021-era buying guide, not a current ranking. PCWorld’s December 22, 2020 roundup identified paid programs that could justify their cost through better workflows, automation, support, privacy, professional compatibility, or access to a changing library. Prices, product names, operating-system requirements, and security expectations have since changed. Use the historical recommendations below to understand the original choices, then check each vendor’s current terms before buying.
Most Windows users do not need to pay for every category. Windows Security, VLC, GIMP, Paint.NET, Krita, built-in file tools, and free PDF readers cover many ordinary tasks. Payment makes the strongest case when it prevents data loss, supports paid work, saves substantial time, enables a professional file format, or provides a service that would be difficult to maintain yourself.
Quick verdict: what PCWorld recommended for 2021
| Category | 2021-era pick | Best for | Historical price or current signal | Free or cheaper path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Window management | Stardock Groupy | People juggling many related windows | Source article cited $5; Groupy 2 lists $9.99 new, $5.99 upgrade, up to five PCs | Windows virtual desktops and built-in snapping |
| Password manager | LastPass Premium | Cloud-synced credentials and sharing | Subscription; current price varies by checkout and plan | Bitwarden, KeePass-compatible tools, or another independently reviewed manager |
| Creative suite | Adobe Creative Cloud | Professional photo, video, and design work | Subscription; country- and plan-dependent | GIMP, Paint.NET, Krita, or a one-time-purchase editor |
| Gaming subscription | PC Game Pass | Trying a large rotating game catalog | Historical article price was about $5–$10 monthly; Xbox currently lists $13.99/month in the US | Buy selected games outright during sales |
| VPN | Mullvad | Privacy on untrusted networks and travel | Historical article cited €5/month; verify current price | Trusted networks and no VPN, when your use case does not require one |
| Home media | Plex Pass/DVR; PowerDVD Ultra | Personal streaming, broadcast recording, or commercial discs | Historical Plex Pass: $5 monthly, $40 annual, $120 lifetime; PowerDVD 20 Ultra about $100 | Free Plex features or VLC for ordinary files |
| Security suite | Norton 360 Deluxe | Bundled protection, support, storage, and extras | 2021 price: $49.99 first year, $124.99 renewal; Norton lists $124.99 annually for five devices and 50GB in March 2026 | Windows Security for baseline protection |
| PDF editor | Adobe Acrobat Pro | Editing, OCR, redaction, forms, and business workflows | Historical prices about $19.90 monthly or $239.88 annually | Acrobat Reader or a lower-cost editor for occasional work |
| Cloud backup | IDrive | Managed off-site and versioned backup | Current page lists a free 10GB Basic tier and 5TB at $11.99/month; promotions may apply | Local plus off-site backups assembled separately |
| System imaging | Acronis True Image | Detailed drive images and recovery control | 2021 product and prices are historical; check the current successor | Windows backup tools plus imaging software that meets your recovery needs |
| Operating system | Windows | Custom-built PC owners and software compatibility | Buy the correct Windows 11 edition; no current price is stated here | Linux, where applications and hardware support permit |
The original selection was PCWorld’s editorial judgment, not an objective scorecard. The source roundup is PCWorld’s “Software worth paying for”, published December 22, 2020.
When paying for software is justified
- Security and support: You receive ongoing updates, customer assistance, or monitoring that you would not maintain yourself.
- Automation and recovery: Backups run on schedule, retain versions, and can be restored after hardware failure or ransomware.
- Professional compatibility: Your employer, clients, collaborators, or hardware depend on a commercial file format or workflow.
- Time saved: A smoother, integrated tool removes a recurring annoyance often enough to repay its cost.
- Changing content: A game catalog or cloud service gives you continuing access instead of a single static purchase.
- Privacy: A provider’s business model and infrastructure may be more transparent and sustainable than an unknown free service.
Payment is usually unnecessary for ordinary antivirus, video playback, casual image editing, simple file copying, reading PDFs, or a VPN used only because its advertising promises anonymity.
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- Classic Office Apps | Includes classic desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with ease.
- Install on a Single Device | Install classic desktop Office Apps for use on a single Windows laptop, Windows desktop, MacBook, or iMac.
- Ideal for One Person | With a one-time purchase of Microsoft Office 2024, you can create, organize, and get things done.
- Consider Upgrading to Microsoft 365 | Get premium benefits with a Microsoft 365 subscription, including ongoing updates, advanced security, and access to premium versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more, plus 1TB cloud storage per person and multi-device support for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Best paid window-management utility: Stardock Groupy
Groupy puts multiple application and File Explorer windows into tabbed containers. A research project, for example, can keep its browser, notes, file folder, and spreadsheet together rather than scattered across the taskbar.
Who benefits
It is a focused quality-of-life purchase for multitaskers, office workers, researchers, developers, and anyone who repeatedly switches among related windows. It does not replace Windows virtual desktops or a complete tiling-window system, and it is Windows-specific.
Price and limitation
The 2021 article discussed $5. Stardock’s Groupy 2 information lists $9.99 for a new consumer license, $5.99 for an upgrade, Windows 10 and 11 support, and activation on up to five PCs. Treat those as current product information to verify at checkout, not as a universal price promise.
Password managers: LastPass was the 2021 pick, but reassess the trust question
PCWorld selected LastPass Premium for password generation, credential capture and autofill, cross-device synchronization, auditing, secure notes, payment information, and sharing. Its current plans page still describes subscription plans with unlimited password storage, cross-device access, autofill, and a 30-day trial; an exact price should be confirmed in the live checkout because displayed amounts can vary. A promotional page also contains first-year qualification language: https://www.lastpass.com/pricing?cp=LP2026-02-10W.
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Do not treat LastPass as an unqualified current “best.” Compare the provider’s independently reviewed security record, breach response, passkey support, emergency access, family sharing, export options, and cloud-versus-local model. Bitwarden, 1Password, Dashlane, and KeePass-compatible tools are credible alternatives with different trade-offs. The right purchase is the manager you will actually use with a strong master credential and multifactor authentication.
Rank #2
![Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024 | Classic Desktop Apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote | One-Time Purchase for 1 PC/MAC | Instant Download [PC/Mac Online Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41H8B5iqO4L._SL160_.jpg)
- [Ideal for One Person] — With a one-time purchase of Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024, you can create, organize, and get things done.
- [Classic Office Apps] — Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote.
- [Desktop Only & Customer Support] — To install and use on one PC or Mac, on desktop only. Microsoft 365 has your back with readily available technical support through chat or phone.
Best paid creative suite: Adobe Creative Cloud
Photoshop, Premiere, Illustrator, Lightroom, and related Adobe applications remain valuable when clients, employers, or collaborators expect Adobe formats and established workflows. Integration, depth, plug-ins, color management, and collaboration can outweigh the availability of capable free tools.
Choose by workflow
- Photography: Compare a Lightroom or photography plan with the full suite.
- Video: Pay for Premiere and related tools only if editing volume and compatibility justify a subscription.
- Design: Illustrator, Photoshop, and shared libraries matter most in commercial production.
- Occasional editing: GIMP, Paint.NET, Krita, or a one-time-purchase editor may be sufficient.
Adobe says plan availability, pricing, and future renewals vary by country and plan; consult its plan-change guidance before committing. Subscription lock-in and unused applications are the main reasons casual users should not buy the bundle.
Best paid gaming subscription: PC Game Pass
The 2021 recommendation was based on a large catalog, Microsoft first-party games, and selected independent and third-party titles. Today, Xbox lists PC Game Pass at $13.99 per month in the United States, with a changing PC catalog and EA Play. Xbox’s April 2026 announcement describes plan changes. Availability, features, and price vary by region.
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Windows 10 or 11 version 22H2 or later and the Xbox app are required. Downloads can be large, some titles require separate launchers or accounts, and your PC must meet each game’s hardware requirements.
Access is not ownership
Games can leave the service, and a subscription does not give permanent ownership. It is excellent for sampling many games or playing first-party releases while subscribed. If you repeatedly play one or two titles, buying them during a sale can cost less and leaves you with access after cancellation.
Rank #3
- Designed for Your Windows and Apple Devices | Install premium Office apps on your Windows laptop, desktop, MacBook or iMac. Works seamlessly across your devices for home, school, or personal productivity.
- Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Outlook | Get premium versions of the essential Office apps that help you work, study, create, and stay organized.
- 1 TB Secure Cloud Storage | Store and access your documents, photos, and files from your Windows, Mac or mobile devices.
- Premium Tools Across Your Devices | Your subscription lets you work across all of your Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices with apps that sync instantly through the cloud.
- Easy Digital Download with Microsoft Account | Product delivered electronically for quick setup. Sign in with your Microsoft account, redeem your code, and download your apps instantly to your Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
Best paid privacy subscription: Mullvad VPN
PCWorld favored Mullvad for a flat monthly model, account-number login without requiring an email address, privacy positioning, speed, and a straightforward interface. A VPN encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN server; it does not make you anonymous or stop phishing, malware, weak passwords, or unsafe downloads.
Match the service to the threat
- Public Wi-Fi and travel: A reputable VPN can reduce exposure on networks you do not control.
- Privacy: You must trust the VPN provider because it operates a key point in your connection.
- Streaming: Access can be unreliable and may conflict with a service’s terms.
- Home use: If you use trusted networks and have no specific privacy or travel need, a subscription may add little.
Free VPN business models and privacy practices vary; “free” is not automatically unsafe, but the provider deserves careful scrutiny.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
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Plex Pass and DVR
Plex Pass was aimed at cord-cutters who wanted over-the-air recording, granular scheduling, and streaming of personal media across devices. The historical prices were $5 monthly, $40 annually, and $120 lifetime; do not assume those prices remain current. DVR generally requires an antenna and compatible tuner, a computer or server that remains available, and enough upload capacity for remote playback. Local broadcast availability determines whether the feature is useful.
A lifetime plan makes sense only if you expect long-term use and accept vendor and platform risk. Plex’s current offering should be checked at https://www.plex.tv/plex-pass/.
CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra
PowerDVD 20 Ultra was recommended for commercial DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray playback, with a historical price of about $100. Its value is concentrated among users with optical discs and compatible drives. Playback can depend on codecs, DRM, region, firmware, and hardware. Streaming-only households gain little, while VLC remains an excellent choice for ordinary video files but is not automatically equivalent for every commercial-disc workflow. Check the current product at CyberLink’s PowerDVD page.
Rank #4
- Designed for Your Windows and Apple Devices | Install premium Office apps on your Windows laptop, desktop, MacBook or iMac. Works seamlessly across your devices for home, school, or personal productivity.
- Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Outlook | Get premium versions of the essential Office apps that help you work, study, create, and stay organized.
- Up to 6 TB Secure Cloud Storage (1 TB per person) | Store and access your documents, photos, and files from your Windows, Mac or mobile devices.
- Premium Tools Across Your Devices | Your subscription lets you work across all of your Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices with apps that sync instantly through the cloud.
- Share Your Family Subscription | You can share all of your subscription benefits with up to 6 people for use across all their devices.
Paid antivirus: Norton 360 Deluxe is a bundle, not proof of superior protection
Windows Security and other free antivirus products can provide solid baseline protection. Norton’s case is the bundle: browser, email, phishing, and malware defenses; password management; cloud storage; cleanup and secure-erasure tools; and customer support.
The 2021 article cited $49.99 for the first year, $124.99 annual renewal, and five devices. Norton’s current pricing table lists Norton 360 Deluxe at $124.99 annually for five devices with 50GB, effective March 2026. Promotional introductory prices can obscure the renewal amount, so record the renewal date and cancel or downgrade if the extras are not used.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Professional PDF editing: Adobe Acrobat Pro
Free Acrobat Reader covers viewing, printing, commenting, and basic signing. Acrobat Pro earns its cost when you regularly edit existing text and images, run OCR on scans, redact information, create forms, convert Office documents, batch-process files, or work in a business review and compliance process.
The original prices—about $19.90 per month or $239.88 per year—are historical. Casual users should start with Reader or a lower-cost editor rather than paying for capabilities they rarely need. Adobe’s current product page is https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/acrobat-pro.html.
Backup: IDrive for convenient off-site copies, Acronis for imaging control
IDrive
IDrive combines online backup, local backup, synchronization, snapshots, and recovery options. Its current pricing page lists a free Basic tier with 10GB and Personal plans including 5TB at $11.99 per month; first-year or promotional discounts may apply, and Windows 10 and 11 are supported.
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- Alternative office suite: Word processor TextMaker, Spreadsheet program PlanMaker, Presentation software Presentations, Automation tool BasicMaker
- Licensed for 5 users / household or 1 user / organization, perpetual lifetime license for Windows, Mac and Linux
- User interface with modern ribbons or classical menus
- Compatible with all modern Microsoft Office documents including DOCX, XLSX, PPTX
- The complete office suite can be installed on a USB flash and used without installation
Do not confuse synchronization with backup. Sync mirrors changes, while versioned backup preserves earlier states; a system image captures a restorable operating-system and application environment; local and off-site copies address different disasters.
Acronis True Image
The 2021 Acronis product appealed to users who wanted whole-drive and partition images, file backups, incremental and differential schedules, retention rules, validation, throttling, multiple destinations, synchronization, and additional malware protection. Current branding and pricing should be checked before purchase.
IDrive is the simpler choice for managed cloud and off-site coverage. Acronis is better suited to users who need detailed local imaging and recovery controls. In either case, a backup that has never been restored is unproven. Ransomware can reach connected destinations, one external drive cannot survive theft or fire, and no software can restore files that were excluded. Keep multiple versions, include an offline or otherwise isolated copy, and periodically perform a test restoration.
Windows licensing: the operating system you may actually need to buy
PCWorld included Windows as a deliberately practical recommendation. Prebuilt PCs and laptops normally include a license; custom-built systems may not. For Windows 11, Home and Pro have different capabilities, and retail, OEM, and volume licenses have different transfer rights. Hardware eligibility and activation matter.
Recommended Free Tools
Microsoft’s current consumer price is not stated, so no price is quoted.
What you probably should not pay for
- Basic antivirus: Windows Security may be enough if you do not need bundled storage, support, or extra controls.
- Ordinary video playback: VLC handles common files without a subscription.
- Casual image editing: GIMP, Paint.NET, and Krita can cover nonprofessional work.
- Simple copying: Windows tools can copy files, though they do not replace a tested backup plan.
- Occasional PDF reading: Reader is sufficient for viewing, printing, commenting, and basic signing.
- A VPN for “anonymity” alone: A VPN changes the network path; it does not solve broader security and privacy problems.
How to spend a limited software budget
- Build and test a backup system. Include local and off-site protection and verify restoration.
- Use a password manager. Choose a service or local-first tool whose security model and recovery options you understand.
- Buy professional applications required for paid work. Compatibility and saved time can outweigh subscription cost.
- Add security extras only for a defined need. Compare the bundle with Windows Security and account for renewal pricing.
- Purchase convenience utilities last. Groupy is worthwhile when window clutter is a daily problem, not merely because it is inexpensive.
- Treat entertainment subscriptions as discretionary. Cancel Game Pass or similar services when the catalog no longer matches what you play.
The best paid PC software is not the longest shopping list. It is the product that removes a recurring problem—lost data, incompatible files, unsafe credentials, unmanageable windows, or a library you would otherwise buy one item at a time—while its renewal cost and lock-in remain acceptable.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
