The open source movement has meant there's now more top quality, legit free software floating around the web than ever.
We've cherrypicked some of the best downloads for PC and Macs (and a few for Linux), to help you completely kit out your computer for nowt.
In this guide
Quick jump:
Always check any software you put on your computer's suitable and compatible with your existing set-up. No liability can be accepted for any problems caused from acting upon the info given.
How can it be free?
Free software falls into two categories; promotional freebies, and software developed to help people fight back against the power of the big software providers. The latter category has grown hugely as more people have embraced open-source projects, wherein the building blocks - big chunks of code - are free for everybody to adapt and improve.
Click the categories below to read more about the types of free software available:
Free software as a commerical giveaway
Many commercial publishers offer free versions of their software, hoping it'll become the industry standard in its category. After all, having a product sitting on millions of PCs is a fantastic marketing tool. Then they try to persuade you to upgrade to "advanced" or "corporate" versions.
Open source software
As well as being free, here the code used to write the program (effectively the program itself) is available too, so anybody that wants to can work on improving it. This has pros and cons. The bonus is it's constantly being honed and updated, and the problem's that support is often limited as there are no big bucks backing it up.
The open source model has come a long way since it began, and the growing popularity of Linux-based operating systems and programs like Mozilla Firefox suggests it'll only continue to grow.
Freeware and Shareware
As the name suggests, freeware costs nothing, though some developers request a donation if you like it. The difference is that here you can't access the source code, so development is centralised in one location. Shareware is similar, except here the software's only free for a limited period, after which you have to either pay to register it, or lose some of the functionality (or have an annoying reminder message pop up every time you use it).
Generally there's less shareware and freeware available as more software goes open source, which is a good thing for people that are easily irritated by 'nag screens' (ie. just about everyone, ever).
The free software directory
Below's a list of all the top free software sorted by category, for both PC and Mac.
Work and productivity
Unless you're a student (in which case see below), Microsoft's Office 2010 office suite is a costly proposition, with the Pro version retailing at around �350. Yet you can furnish your machine with equivalents to most of its applications for nothing, thanks to open source alternatives.
Office suite downloads
LibreOffice: Just like MS OfficeCreated by the developers of Open Office, LibreOffice is an open source project which includes six programs, and is compatible with many Microsoft documents. We've replaced our original recommendation of OpenOffice after a few techie MoneySavers pointed out that OpenOffice is longer being developed by its creators. The programs included in LibreOffice are:
Combined, they make for a powerful, if not particularly pretty, suite of programs - think retro Windows 98. Version 3 is the best option for most, as it's the fully tested one and includes support for Microsoft's "docx" standard, which is currently difficult to edit unless you have the Microsoft Office package. |
OxygenOffice: OpenOffice with extrasOxygenOffice Professional is based on OpenOffice's source code, but adds a wealth of templates, clipart and photos. In fact, over 3400 graphics are included, and you also get 90 new fonts and a more detailed help guide. For some people, these extra features will seem like unnecessary bloat, but if you'll use them, it's well worth considering. |
MS Office 2010: Super cheap for studentsIf you're a student, you can get the top-end versions of Office for under �40. Microsoft hopes that by selling you it cheap now, you'll pay more in future. If you don't mind grabbing a download version rather than a physical CD package, you can get Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 from online software shop Viglen for �33.18. Alternatively you can go direct to Microsoft and get Office Professional Academic 2010 via its Ultimate Steal offer for �49.99. You'll need some evidence that you're currently studying (at least part-time) to get the cheap prices. |
Office suites online
The alternative to downloading an office suite is to use one of the many online options. With these, there's no installation to worry about, you can store your work online, and easily collaborate with others online. The obvious flip side is you must be online for them to work. Here are the best:
Microsoft Office Web AppsIn 2010 Microsoft launched some stripped down online versions of its usual office apps. Its selection of Office Web Apps includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, and is available to anyone with a free Windows Live account. The account also gets you a huge 25GB of storage on the Live SkyDrive backup service, which you can use to store documents. If you're used to the Microsoft packages this is worth a try, but bear in mind these are hobbled versions of the software; Microsoft doesn't want to cannibalise its profitable business of selling the full versions of Office. Try 'em: Office Web Apps |
ThinkFreeAlmost 100% compatible with Office, ThinkFree is a free online suite which bears a striking resemblance to the latter, and has received glowing reviews all round. It includes the equivalents of Word, Excel and Powerpoint, looks pretty, and most importantly for an online suite, is responsive and simple to navigate. It also holds a trump card in the way it hides your web browser window when in use, so you can use regular keyboard shortcuts to control it without upsetting your browser. Neat. Try it: ThinkFree |
Zoho Office SuiteThis basic-but-superfast package is fine for simple tasks, but if you're going to need advanced features it's best to look elsewhere. Whilst it offers a wider range of applications than ThinkFree, they aren't as detailed. Zoho stores all your documents in its 1GB free storage space, and allows you to share them with (member) friends via email invitation. Try it: Zoho |
Google DocsThis service has more of an emphasis on collaboration than the other two. The idea here is you can select a few people to work with you on the same document, and they can all see it and make changes in real-time. It includes plenty of useful document, spreadsheet, and presentation templates which you can use to get going. It's also the most web-oriented, since if you publish one of your Google Docs, you can use all manner of Google's whizzy analytics tools to track its progress too. Try it: Google Docs |
Handy utilities: Make your computer faster for free
The longer you use any computer for, the slower it'll get, since operating systems leave a trail of hard-drive clogging mess behind. There is a range of utilities that can help you spring clean your machine, though do double check they're suitable for your system's spec before downloading.
Utilities downloads
CCleaner: Dump the junkThis superfast program cleans up unused files in around a second, getting rid of all the crap (that's what the first "c" stands for - honest) as it goes. CCleaner doesn't run all the time; just have it give your machine a quick spruce up every week to keep it ship shape. Download: |
Dropbox: Share files between devicesDropbox has become more and more central to many web users' lives since its launch a couple of years back. Sign-up and you get 2GB free storage in the cloud - your Dropbox - which you can access from any web connected computer (plus some mobiles). It might not sound like much, but its intuitive interface, efficiency and sheer usefulness means it easily rivals carrying data from "A to B" on USB sticks. |
Ultimate Windows Tweaker: Vista & 7 onlyGives you control over around 130 Windows settings in one place, allowing you to customise your computer's interface as much or little as you want. Great for those that like modding, but aren't into coding. Download: |
Defraggler: Speed up your hard diskFrom Piriform, the same stable as CCleaner, Defraggler is a "defragmenting" tool. Fragments are made when your computer splits up files because there's not enough space in the place they were originally saved. It has a significant effect on performance, since when re-opening these files, your PC has to find two (or more) pieces instead of one. Defragmenters join the pieces together again, thus speeding up the computer. Windows has its own Disk Defragmenter, which can be found in the System Tools menu, but it takes ages, as it'll only go through your entire hard disk at once. Defraggler can be used to do the job on a smaller scale; you just choose files and it'll process them in a few seconds. Download: |
IMGBurnIf you need to burn disk images on DVDs, Blu-Rays and the like but don't want to be besieged by millions of options, IMGBurn's a good bet. Skip its advanced mode and you've a fairly foolproof tool which seldom wastes your CD's. Download: |
StuffIt Expander: For all your compression needsMAC ONLY: Whilst OSX is perfectly capable of packing/unpacking .zip files, if you want to open or use the wealth of other compressed file types out there, you'll need a third-party expander. Smith-Micro's free version of StuffIt fills this void perfectly, and offers a simple drag-and-drop interface which works just as well as any paid-for version, so you can focus on more exciting things, like, erm, anything. Download: |
Quicksilver: Speed up your productivityMAC ONLY: If you've got the time to learn it, Quicksilver's a clever productivity tool which'll allow you to launch applications, files and folders without taking your hands of the keyboard. Many more advanced features mean it can totally change the way you use your computer for the better (and faster), and plug-ins extend its capability yet further. Read Lifehacker's Beginners' Guide to see if it's for you. Download: |
SuperCal: Improve your display for freeMAC ONLY: It's worth trying out SuperCal even if you think your display looks fine. It's a display calibrator which can clean up the image you see on screen by tailoring your computer's output to the characteristics of the monitor you're using. The results should be better tonal colour gradients, clearer text, and better long-term eyesight for you. Download: |
Utilities online
Ninite: Quickly install a raft of freebiesDesigned for when you reinstall your operating system and want to get up to speed quickly, Ninite installs a whole range of top free software in one package - you just go to its site and tick the boxes for the software you want, and it'll install as many or as few as you choose. Everything is neatly categorised, so it's a good place to get the basics together quickly. Try it: Ninite |
Zamzar: Free file converterThis is a nifty, user-friendly site which can convert over 100 types of media file formats between each other. So, if you've a CV document from Word, and you'd like to make it a PDF instead, you simply put in your email address, upload the file to convert, and choose ".PDF" in the drop-down box. Zamzar will do the hard work, and then email you a link to download the new file. One thing though, since it stores your files online before conversion, it's not advisable to use it to convert sensitive documents. Try it: Zamzar |
Graphics and photo manipulation
Go top end on graphics software and you can easily spend �1,000s, so it's good to see that capable freebie programs exist. As the majority of photos are now digital, there are some great free photo editing programs emerging too, both to download or use online.
Image software downloads
Paint.NET: Probably all you'll needThe beauty of basic-yet-surprisingly powerful photo and image-editing tool Paint.NET is if you've used the ultra-basic paint program that comes with Windows then you'll be able to navigate it with no problems. It's the most straightforward program to use for basic image cropping and editing, and will optimise images for quick loading on the web too. In short, if you only need the basics, Paint.NET should be your first port of call. Download: |
The Gimp: Advanced image editingIf you're looking for more of a full-blown PhotoShop equivalent, oddly-named The Gimp is probably the closest you'll get. Now in version 2.7, it offers powerful editing and filtering tools for photos and graphics, and is further boosted by a range of free add-ons. For an insight into its capabilities and how it works, check out the screenshots hosted on its site. GimpShop: Or, if you're used to using Adobe's PhotoShop layout and interface, try GimpShop. Based on the original Gimp software, this is a handy program if you don't want to shell out �500 on the official Adobe version. |
Inkscape: fun with vectorsInkscape is a free program similar in operation to Adobe Illustrator or Corel Xara. It's made for building "scalable vector graphics" - the ones which remain perfectly sharp no matter how much you zoom in or out, making them ideal for serious design work. |
Google Sketchup: Simple 3D modellingIf you're planning to build an extension to your house, or simply redecorate, Google's free Sketchup tool makes it relatively easy to build an accurate 3D model to work from. There are plenty of video tutorials to set you on the right track, and once you've used it a few times, you'll be impressing everybody with your designs. |
Truespace: Complex 3D modellingCaligari's excellent 3D modelling and animation software, Truespace 7.6, is available to download free from its site for registered users. It can be a little complicated to get started if you've never tried anything like this, but the site includes detailed (and free!) video tutorials to get you going. It also includes various collaborative projects to get involved in, so you could become part of the digital art/film fraternity in no time. |
Pro AutoDesk software: Free for studentsStudents can get AutoDesk's Computer aided design software free for three years simply by registering. The package includes over 30 AutoDesk products, including AutoCAD which retails at well over �1,000. These are the most common computer aided design packages in almost all design, mechanical and engineering industries and are used in everything from mechanical engineering design to urban planning. You get full functionality for three years provided it's not used for commercial purposes. Any student or teacher with an ac.uk email address can sign-up to the AutoDesk Education Community where you download the software, access forums, support and content sharing. It doesn't matter if you are part time or about to graduate. Please note, some of this software will come with built in features to prevent its use commercially, such as a stamp on any print outs. |
Desktop publishing downloads
PagePlus: Easy to use DTPPart of the whole free suite of Serif programs, PagePlus is the most user-friendly free program for desktop publishing we've come across, and can yield some fairly professional results. The company hopes that after using it, or the other free applications, you'll spend �13 on the full version, which has extra features. Download: |
Scribus: More complex and powerfulAn acclaimed open source desktop publishing program, Scribus offers features usually only found on more expensive suites like MS Publisher or InDesign, such as CYMK colour and ICC colour management. If that means nothing to you, but you want to make a professional magazine, then download this and read some of the detailed free tutorials. Also available for Linux. |
Image editing online
Live photo gallery: Photo organiserPhoto Gallery, part of Microsoft's "Live" suite, is an application for photo storage and online editing. It's very similar in use to Google's Picasa below, but seems notably faster and adds a couple of extra features. Which you choose is likely to depend mostly on whether you've a Hotmail or Gmail account, and which behemoth's products you like most. Download: |
Picasa: The Google equivalentGoogle's photo organiser Picasa also offers a wealth of photo editing, storage and back-up options, and makes navigating ill-organised photos scattered around your computer more straightforward than the Live offering above. |
Picnik: Speedy online editingThe beauty of this speedy online tool is you needn't register to use it. Picnik also sports some decent effects. Try it: Picnik |
Pheonix: Feature-rich online editingIf you need a more professional suite, but haven't time to download and install software, this tool from brilliant online software makers Aviary could be just the ticket. Anyone with Photoshop experience will be instantly familiar with its interface, and the amount that can be achieved without installing a thing is pretty awe-inspiring. Try it: Phoenix |
Audio and video
As well as a free sound recording program to banish Windows' Sound Recorder forever, there are ways to organise your MP3 collection, an alternative media player which'll play almost any format, and a clever converter which lets you play any video you like on your iPod.
Audio downloads
Audacity: Pro wave editingAudacity is a proper wave editing and recording program. With it, you can record audio, add effects, and even create your own soundscapes from scratch. It's not the most user-friendly tool, but its power more than makes up for this. Also available for Mac OSX and Linux. |
Levelator: Podcast powerhouseDesigned for podcasters, the sole purpose of Levelator is to normalise audio files and make them sound crisper. There's no way to change its settings, you just drag audio files onto the program and it does its thing, making all but the most appalling recordings listenable. |
Picard: Organise pesky "unknown" MP3sIf you've got hundreds of untitled MP3 tracks on your machine, Picard will analyse them, and add all the relevant artist/title info for those that match tracks in its database, saving you the hassle. It also offers a wealth of other options for keeping your collection organised. |
Media Monkey: Sidestep iTunesWhile iTunes is a necessity for most of us, the sheer number of features it now offers means there are far more streamlined music library options available, especially on Windows machines (where iTunes is especially slow). Media Monkey offers the ability to manage iDevices without iTunes, and some find it far more useful (and less salesy) than Apple's offering. It's also worth checking out FooBar2000 and Songbird if you'd rather a lightweight music library solution. Download: |
Video downloads
VLC: Play EVERYTHINGAnother of the free software greats, VLC Player is the most widely compatible media player available. It seems that no matter how esoteric a music or video format you throw at it is, it's got it covered. Plus, nowadays it's using more and more hardware acceleration to make proceedings more snappy too. |
Flip4Mac: Upgrade QuicktimeMAC ONLY: Like it or not, if you watch video content online, you'll come across plenty of Windows Media .wmv files, which Quicktime doesn't natively support. The previous solution was to download Microsoft's basic Windows Media Player for Mac, but thankfully you can now just get Flip4Mac, a plug-in for Quicktime which allows it to play these files, and even comes recommended by Microsoft. Download: |
Videora Converter: For video iPoddersVideora converts a range of formats, including the ever-popular DivX, into files playable by iPods and other Apple products, meaning you needn't buy all your video content direct from iTunes after all. Several versions are available, so make sure you find the right one for your player. |
Handbrake: As aboveLike the Videora converter for Windows, in essence Handbrake's a DVD to MP4 converter which makes files playable on a portable media player. It's better than Videora in its support for the likes of Dolby Digital and multi-track audio, and also runs really rather fast. |
Online tools
AudioTag: Identifies songsUpload a sample or link to a web-hosted snippet of the song (15 seconds will do), and AudioTag will identify it. Try it: AudioTag |
Myna: Multitrack online sequencer/editorAviary software's beautiful Myna suite allows you to create music from the comfort of your web browser. It's well worth a look if you've a speedy web connection and a bit of experience with digital audio workstations, and if it's unlikely to take on the likes of GarageBand or Ableton just yet, it's still an impressive showcase of what can be achieved in a web interface. Try it: Myna |
Communication tools
As well as those you'd expect, like Skype, there are a number of communication tools which bring all your disparate instant messaging accounts together, and some sharing apps too.
Keeping in touch
SkypeIt barely needs inclusion here as you probably already have it installed. There are other VoIP services available which are dedicated to internet calling, and there are certainly cheaper ones for calling landlines and mobiles. Yet for straight PC-to-PC calls Skype's still the leader, simply because it's the most popular bit of software. |
Trillian AstraClever tool Trillian allows you to keep track of all your instant messaging and social networking conversations from one centralised location. It looks like any number of the IM clients you're probably familiar with, and has a straightforward interface, plus all manner of handy features, like instant url-shortening for Tweeters. |
AdiumMAC ONLY: If your online social life includes more than one instant messaging program, Adium X's a neat way of combining them all in one easy-to-use window. It supports AIM, Yahoo and MSN among others, and it's highly customisable with add-ons aplenty. Download: |
File sharing
uTorrent:Over the last few years uTorrent's risen above the competition and gained a reputation for being the most reliable and secure Windows BitTorrent client available. It's easy to use and well designed, but most importantly, seems to just work. |
TransmissionTransmission's the favoured Mac torrent client, offering all the options you need to get going, without getting too technical. It's lightweight, and regularly updated by the makers, who request a small donation if you use it often. |
Where to hunt down more free software
This list covers the best all-rounders, but it's just the tip of the iceberg; there are plenty of sites out there with vast databases of free programs.
If you're looking for antivirus software, read our dedicated Free Antivirus and Safety Software guide. Also check out the Techie Stuff board, where regulars are keen to help (though remember there are no guarantees they're right).
OsaltOsalt is a software database with a difference, as it only lists open source equivalents to commercial programs. You just tell it which commercial program you want, and it'll list the free programs that are most similar to it. |
SourceforgeSourceforge is another open source software database, this time in regular search-to-find style. |
Download.comCnet's Download.com hosts practically all the programs listed in this guide, and is certified virus-free. It also reviews the bigger programs and charts the most popular ones, so it's well worth a browse. |
FileHippoA user friendly and well organised site, FileHippo catalogues browsers, firewalls, audio tools, DVD tools and more. It also promises no pop-ups when you visit the site. |
SnapFilesA bit slicker than FileHippo, SnapFiles has the added bonus of user reviews and feedback, though it can be hard to find what you're looking for. |
TucowsLike Snapfiles, Tucows includes its own and users' ratings and also has sections for Linux and Mac users. |
Know of some free software that should be included here?
Please report it in the discussion below, and we'll investigate. Thanks to all the MoneySavers who've left feedback so far!