Find the best free alternatives to paid software

A browser editor that opens and saves PSD files with nothing to install.

Layers, masks and filters for advanced photo retouching.

Digital painting and illustration with professional-grade brushes.

Offline word processor that opens and saves DOCX.

Real-time collaborative editing in the cloud with your Google account.

Very Word-like look with strong DOCX compatibility.

Formulas, pivot tables and macros with compatible XLSX files.

Cloud spreadsheets with real-time collaborative editing.

Lightweight, accurate spreadsheet built for statistical analysis.

Offline presentations compatible with PPTX.

Cloud presentations for real-time group work.

Ready-made visual templates for presentations; some features need a paid plan.

Collaborative documents with end-to-end encryption; no account required.

Collaborative editing in Office formats; you can self-host it.

Offline word processor that opens and saves DOCX.

Offline spreadsheets with formulas and pivot tables.

Encrypted collaborative sheets edited in the browser.

Excel-like spreadsheets with XLSX support.

Offline presentations compatible with PPTX.

Presentation editor with PPTX compatibility.

Simple encrypted presentations written in Markdown.

Encrypted cloud storage with a limited free plan.

Cloud storage with encryption and a free plan; free space is limited.

Your own cloud: files, calendar and documents under your control.

Cinema-grade editing, colour and audio in a very complete free version.

Multitrack editor with proxies and effects; stable for long projects.

Lightweight cross-platform editor with support for many formats.

SVG vector graphics with pen, node and trace tools.

Collaborative interface and vector design built on web standards.

Fast, simple in-browser SVG editor for logos and icons.

Merge, split, compress and convert PDFs with no sign-up.

50+ PDF tools you can run on your own server.

Split, merge and rotate PDFs from the desktop, without uploading files.

High compression, opens RAR and ZIP, and shows no nags or ads.

Comfortable interface, encryption and support for 200+ formats.

7-Zip fork built into the Windows 11 context menu.

Notes, databases and boards you can host yourself.

Local Markdown notes linked together; only sync is paid.

Outline notes with bidirectional links and data on your own disk.

Free, ad-free email, calendar and contacts client.

Encrypted email with a free plan, based in Switzerland.

Modern email client; advanced features are paid.

Browser video calls with no account and no time limit.

Built for online classes, with whiteboard, recording and rooms.

Meetings integrated with Gmail and Calendar; the free plan limits duration.

Non-destructive RAW development and professional colour management.

Very fine control over RAW development, with multiple demosaicing algorithms.

Organises large photo libraries with tags and basic editing.

Record screen and camera or stream live, with no watermarks.

Quick screenshots and screen recordings on Windows, with hotkeys and GIFs.

Edit and assemble your recordings with titles, cuts and transitions.

3D animation, simulation and compositing in a single program.

Node-based compositing and visual effects built into Resolve.

Node-based compositor for visual effects, with OpenFX plugins.

Parametric 3D modelling for engineering and architecture.

Lightweight 2D technical drawing that works with DXF files.

Browser-based 3D CAD; the free plan makes your designs public.

Pattern sequencer very similar to FL Studio, great for making beats for free.

Complete free DAW mixing classic editing with a clip launcher, close to Ableton Live.

Light and highly customisable, with no track limits or cut-down features; loved for its price.

A familiar desktop for Windows users and easy to install.

The distribution with the most documentation, support and software.

Mimics Windows' look; the Core edition is free.

Browser-based design and prototyping, open source with real-time collaboration.

UI design editor with built-in icons and illustrations, compatible with Sketch files.

SVG vectors to lay out screens, icons and logos at no cost.

Professional layout for brochures and magazines, with print-ready PDF.

Lay out posters, reports and portfolios with templates; some features need a paid plan.

Free vector, photo and layout app; needs a free Canva account and the AI features are paid.

Statistics with simple menus, clear output and Bayesian analysis included.

SPSS-style spreadsheet with analyses and charts that update instantly.

Free GNU alternative to SPSS, with similar menus and compatible syntax.

Syntax almost identical to MATLAB for numerical computing and matrices.

Numerical computing with Xcos, a graphical simulation environment comparable to Simulink.

Fast language for science and data, with MATLAB-like matrix syntax.

Flowcharts, UML and diagrams, in the browser or as a desktop app.

Technical drawing and diagrams with PDF export.

Diagrams and graphs with automatic layout of the elements.

Project management with Gantt charts and compatibility with Microsoft Project files.

Planning with Gantt and boards; the free Community edition is installed on your own server.

Gantt charts with dependencies and export to PDF and image.

Team messaging on the open Matrix network, with end-to-end encryption.

Topic-based chat, ideal for study groups; host it yourself or use their cloud.

Voice and text servers widely used by class groups; paid upgrades are optional.

Markdown notes with Evernote import; syncs with your own cloud.

End-to-end encrypted, open source notes; the free plan syncs across devices.

Local Markdown notes; the official Importer plugin brings in your Evernote notes.

Your own cloud to sync and share files, under your control.

Syncs folders directly and encrypted between your devices, with no third-party cloud.

Encrypted cloud with a free plan to share files; free space is limited.

Apple's free music studio, with instruments and loops included.

Professional open source DAW; the ready-to-run version is pay-what-you-want from US$1, or build it free.

Free DAW for multitrack recording, MIDI and mixing.