The Best Free Software of 2023
(Image: Shutterstock/Andrey Suslov)
It’s a mobile world, but we have not fully abandoned the desktop PC. Real computing work (and a lot of the play) requires a full personal computing system. And to get the most out of it, you need software.
Software can be expensive, but free programs have been a mainstay of the desktop experience for decades, and today’s offerings are powerful. You can find a great variety of free audio and video editors, office suites, file utilities, organizers, photo converters, and more. To keep things free, software developers can adopt an ad-based model, create donation-ware, or use a shareware/freemium model that charges for extra features.
To be included in this roundup, software must be available directly from the developer/creator/original publisher. It should (typically) have a Windows-based download—we’re not including browser extensions, because we’re not all using the same browser. But we’ve included web-based apps that are as good as—or even better than—most downloadable programs.
More requirements for inclusion here: If the software is on a tiered sales model, the free version cannot be trial-ware; it must offer at least a free-for-life option. Preferably, the program has had an update in the last year or two, and the program should have little or no advertising to support it. Finally, this list is about software for productivity; there are plenty of other places to find free PC games.
Always be on the lookout for crapware installers: To make ends meet, many creators of otherwise great free software, or the services that offer free programs for download, bundle in things you don’t want—i.e., crapware. Worse, the installation steps are often obfuscated, so you might unintentionally provide the unwanted program with permission to be installed. For more about how to spot and avoid this problem, see How to Rid a New PC of Crapware.
A related pro tip: Download desktop software only from the maker of the software directly. It’s not foolproof—after all, developers want to eat, too—but it helps.
For more free software, check out The 100 Best iPhone Apps and The 100 Best Android Apps.
Did we miss any free programs you can’t live without? Let us know in the comments.
Mục lục bài viết
Best Free Audio/Video Software
Best Free Audio-Editing Software
Audacity
4.0
Windows, macOS, Linux
Open-source Audacity(Opens in a new window) can record and edit audio files on more tracks than you can imagine. It then outputs exactly what you need. It is perfect for noobs and pros alike, on any desktop OS.
MSRP Free
Visit Site
at Audacity
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Audacity Review
Best Free Video Converter
HandBrake (for Mac)
3.5
Windows, macOS, Linux
No one would call HandBrake(Opens in a new window) simple, but it’s hard for any other video transcoder to compete in power and comprehensiveness. Transcode means to convert; Handbrake will turn almost any video format into another video format. It’s free, it’s open-source, and it has years of practice.
HandBrake (for Mac) Review
Best Free Video Editing
Shotcut
3.5
Windows, macOS, Linux
While it lacks the slick interface found in most other video editors, Shotcut(Opens in a new window)’s got lots of other powers, and you don’t have to pay anything for them—you have nothing to lose but time in trying it out. You can undock panels as you work, customizing the editing on screen, which is great on multi-monitor setups.
MSRP Free
Shotcut Review
Best Free Game Recording/Streaming Software
Streamlabs OBS
Windows, Web, iOS, Android
Stream your video gaming with Logitech’s Streamlabs Open Broadcasting System(Opens in a new window) (aka SLOBS) directly to YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook. You can even switch between gameplay and your webcam to make some commentary. There may be a learning curve because of the power it wields, but you can find plenty of help online.
$0.00
at Streamlabs
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Video Player
VLC media player
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
The premier way to watch just about any video, no matter the video’s weird codec, VLC media player(Opens in a new window) has features including auto-rotating smartphone videos taken at the wrong orientation and resuming playback from where you stopped. Seriously, VLC plays back anything on all desktop platforms, and it guarantees no ads, tracking, or spyware. (For more, read How to Play DVDs in Windows 10.)
MSRP Free
$0.00
at VideoLAN Organization
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Communication Software
Best Free Messaging Software
Discord
4.5
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Xbox, PlayStation
Millions of people worldwide use Discord for text, voice chatting, and video chatting—mainly while kicking one another’s arses in online games or watching gameplay streams on Twitch or Caffeine. Even Microsoft wanted to buy it. You can spend a monthly ($9.99) or annual ($99.99) fee to go premium for better video/audio quality and to upload larger files.
Per Month, Starts at $9.99
Visit Site
at Discord
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Discord Review
Best Free Remote Access
TeamViewer
4.5
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, browsers
PCMag’s top pick for software that can control of other computers is TeamViewer(Opens in a new window). Almost everything you need is free for personal use: desktop sharing, file transfers, and chatting with remote users. The setup couldn’t be easier. Take control of a remote PC over an internet connection with the app, or use a browser (including Chrome OS) with the TeamViewer (Opens in a new window)extension. A caveat: Remote-access tools can be abused, so don’t turn one on unless you’re on the phone with the person you’re allowing access to. And make sure to turn it off after you’re done.
Per User, Per Month, Starts at Free
Visit Site
at TeamViewer
See It
(Opens in a new window)
TeamViewer Review
Best Free Writing and Design Software
Best Free Writing Tool (Screenwriters)
Trelby
Windows, Linux
Do you fancy yourself a budding screenwriter but lack the funds for high-end tools such as Final Draft? Trelby(Opens in a new window) does a fine job of helping you format correctly, remember character names, and import and export to formats used in Hollywood.
$0.00
at Trelby
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Writing Tool
yWriter
3.5
Windows, macOS, iOS
The highly structured interface of yWriter can help a budding or experienced novelist get a real handle on their story and the characters who may be trying to overtake it. The program is full of stats on what you have written, giving you a data-driven writing experience. This program doesn’t have the depth of Scrivener, but it does have a much lower price—it’s free, or you can make a donation.
MSRP Free
Visit Site
at yWriter
See It
(Opens in a new window)
yWriter Review
Best Free World-Building Tool
Shaxpir
Windows, macOS
Pronounced how you’d probably guess, Shaxpir(Opens in a new window) is like a simplistic version of our top-rated Scribner, with an “everyone” free tier that is very useful, although pros may consider the $7.99 a month subscription with extra features. For no charge, you get the full manuscript builder, world-building notebook, progress tracker, offline use, and cloud backup.
Best Free Entertainment Software
Best Free Maps Software
Google Earth Pro
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
As if high-end software that lets you virtually fly across the globe isn’t cool enough—especially as it has all the same features as its online/mobile sibling, Google Maps—Google Earth Pro(Opens in a new window) for the desktop is totally free. It includes advanced features such as high-resolution printing, distance measuring, and global guided tours. Although it also comes in web and mobile versions, the desktop version is the only one that lets you view satellite images of the moon and Mars. It also has star maps.
$0.00
at Google Earth
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Social Media Software
TikTok Windows
Windows, iOS, Android, Web
You probably think of TikTok as a mobile-only phenomenon. But not only can you access the video wonderland on the desktop at TikTok.com(Opens in a new window) to see your For You page, there’s also a well-done app for it right in the Windows Store. TikTok Windows won’t work with your webcam, but you can use it to upload video you edit to perfection with desktop video tools. It’s all free but has ads for support—just like on the mobile versions, they show up looking like videos you might want to see.
$0.00
at Microsoft Store
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Imaging Software
Best Free File Viewer and Converter
Faststone Image Viewer
Windows only
View, manage, and compare your images with this fast and intuitive freebie. FastStone Image Viewer(Opens in a new window) supports a slew of image formats, including RAW image formats from specific digital camera manufacturers. It has companion apps for screenshots and photo resizing.
$0.00
at FastStone
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Graphics Software (Vector Editing)
Inkscape
3.0
Windows, macOS, Linux
Adobe Illustrator is the high bar of vector image editing, but it has a premium price to match. You can still get cross-platform Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) image creation with the free Inkscape. You’ll have to work a little harder to learn it, but it may be exactly what a talented (but cash-strapped or subscription-shy) artist needs.
MSRP Free
Visit Site
at INKSCAPE
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Inkscape Review
Best Free Graphics Software (Bitmap Editing)
Paint.net
Windows only
Is Paint.net(Opens in a new window) a perfect replacement for Photoshop? Nothing is as powerful as Adobe’s program, but at this price—free—Paint.net comes close. For any minor (and even some major) picture manipulation, it’s fast, comprehensive, and easy to use.
Visit Site
at paint.net
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Productivity Software
Best Free PDF Reader
Foxit PDF Reader
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
Just about any browser can read a PDF. But Foxit PDF Reader(Opens in a new window) is free not just for reading but also for annotation collaboration on files (at least with the Windows version; other versions may be more limited). You can send PDF files and even update the contents after the fact, thanks to the cloud. (For more, read How to Convert PDFs to Word Documents and Image Files.)
$0.00
at Foxit
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Office Suite
LibreOffice
3.0
Windows, macOS, Linux
There aren’t many free office suites, and only one is a download for the major desktop operating systems. The open-source LibreOffice, now in version 7, suffers a bit in the polish department, lacks collaboration features, and sports an overstuffed toolbar interface that might remind you of Microsoft Office a decade ago. But it’s powerful nevertheless, and it easily converts and imports files from other systems. It comes with a word processor (Writer), a spreadsheet component (Calc), a presentation program (Impress), a vector drawing program (Draw), and even a full database (Base) and math-formula editor (Math). And it’s all utterly free.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at LibreOffice
See It
(Opens in a new window)
LibreOffice Review
Best Free Note-Taking App
Microsoft OneNote
4.0
Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web
Once just a part of Microsoft Office, the sublime OneNote has become a free, standalone powerhouse for note-taking across all the major OSes. It still works with Office, syncs data across all platforms, and has full online access via Office.com, with storage on OneDrive. That’s why it’s our Editors’ Choice pick for note storage.
Per Year, Starts at $69.99
Visit Site
at Microsoft Store
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Microsoft OneNote Review
Best Free Text Editor
Notepad++
Windows only
Notepad++(Opens in a new window) is nothing like the anemic Notepad most Windows users grew used to over the decades. This free download has tabs, color-coded nesting text, WYSIWYG printing, and support for macros. It’s a must for hand-coders or any writer who wants a minimalist interface.
$0.00
at Notepad++
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best To-Do List for Everyone
Todoist
5.0
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
This is our favorite to-do list app, ever. We give the paid version a full five-star review, but even the free version is fantastic. The Todoist interface is simple perfection no matter what platform you use it on—even wearables and via email (turning messages into tasks). The free version gives you five projects with five collaborators on each, working across 300 possible tasks, supports uploads of 5MB files, and keeps a one-week active history.
Per Month, Starts at Free
$5 Per Month
at Todoist
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Todoist Review
Best Power-User Note Taker
Obsidian
4.0
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Another place to put all your notes? Obsidian’s got a learning curve, but once mastered, it’s the best note-taker you’ll find as a power user. The free version is available for personal use—it lacks only support and sync options, but you can get around the sync by storing your Obsidian Vault in a spot where a cloud service backs it up.
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Obsidian
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Obsidian Review
Best Programming Environment
Visual Studio Code
Windows, macOS, Linux, web
Need to write some code? Use VS Code from Microsoft(Opens in a new window). It has everything you’d want in a coding environment, from plug-ins to great organization. And it’s easy to get started with this program, even though you have to do a little setup to tweak it to perfection. And the price is great.
Best Free Security Software
Best Free Password Manager
Bitwarden
5.0
Windows (including a Microsoft Store app), macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, browser extensions
You’ll see many password managers out there, and a few of them have a free tier, but none is so completely free as the fully open-source Bitwarden Free. (You can pay for extra features, if you want them.) The free version has unlimited password storage and full sync across all your devices. It even includes a full multi-factor authentication app. (For more, read our guide to the Best Free Password Managers.)
MSRP Free
Bitwarden Review
Best Free Secure Browser
Brave
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Do you want to stop the trackers watching you online dead in their digital tracks? Going incognito on a standard browser isn’t enough. You need to use a full-on privacy browser, one that blocks the cookies and especially the fingerprinting of your whole browser and computer. Brave(Opens in a new window) is one of a slew of them with a rating for strong protection from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, but it also adds in advanced protection against fingerprinting. (For details, read The Best Private Browsers.)
MSRP Free
$0.00
at Brave
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Utilities
Best Free Backup and Synchronization Software
IDrive
4.5
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
You now get 10GB free from IDrive to back up files from all your devices, an upgrade from the original 5GB. If that’s enough capacity for you, you’ll find this service more than up to your needs. It’ll even back up your photos and videos from Facebook. That’s why it’s a PCMag Editors’ Choice award winner for backup services suitable for remote workers.
Per Year, Starts at $79.50
$15.90 For First Year
at IDrive
See It
(Opens in a new window)
IDrive Review
Best Free File Recovery and Deletion
Recuva
3.5
Windows only
Recuva (say it out loud) is a must on the tool belt of any techie: It’s the key to helping recover a lost file. It’s easy to understand, but note: It should really be installed before you lose a file. It’s a portable application, too, so you have the option to run it from a USB thumb drive.
MSRP Free
Starting at $59.95/Year
at Wondershare
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Recuva Review
Best Free File Transfer Program
Teracopy
Windows, macOS, Android
Sure, Windows itself copies files between folders and drives just fine. But TeraCopy(Opens in a new window) can take over that job and make it sing—it’s faster, and the interface for making copies is better looking. Plus, it provides more information and feedback, and it can even recover from transfer errors.
$0.00
at Code Sector
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Best Free Screen Capture
Microsoft Snip
Windows only
Even those with modest screen-capture needs would say the old Snipping Tool in Windows was lacking. Now Windows 10 and 11 users have Windows Snip & Sketch, an evolutionary leap akin to protoplasm turning into hominids—albeit still lacking things like video and voice capture. Still, the ability to annotate a screengrab will make all the difference versus what was available before. (For more, read The Best Screen Capture Apps.)
MSRP Free
Best for Screen Video Capture
Screencast-O-Matic
4.0
Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Want to capture more than a still image? Screencast-O-Matic will do it, bridging between underpowered screenshots and overpowered full-screen video capture. You can pay more if you want the latter. But the free-to-use-forever tier will take still shots, up to 15 minutes of video of your screen (with a watermark), and share to social. The mobile apps will sync your capture files.
Per Month, Starts at $4.00
$4/Per month
at Screencast-O-Matic
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Screencast-O-Matic Review
Best Media Viewer and Annotator
IrfanView
Windows
Well over a quarter century old now, IrfanView(Opens in a new window) has long been letting people view, edit, and organize media and more on Windows—the current version supports Vista all the way up to 11. The list of file format types you can click on and view and annotate instantly is long, the ease of use is legendary. And it’s utterly free for personal use.
