Even if your budget is limited, there’s no reason to go without essential apps with free alternatives so readily available
There’s a very popular saying that says, ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch’. This rather cynical expression is a shorthand way of saying nothing comes for free and that you should expect to pay something, even if you don’t expect to. There’s always a catch, basically.
The thing is, although this is often true, when it comes to PC software, it’s not always the case. The freeware market for PC software is chock full of applications that are offered for nothing, and while you might expect these gratis options to be unable to compete with commercial software, you’d be wrong. This is far from the truth and, in actual fact, sometimes free alternatives can actually be better suited to a user than an expensive package. This isn’t just down to the lack of any cost, but the features. Some freeware easily keeps up with its commercial counterparts when it comes to functionality, and some feature improved designs, being easier to use, while granting the same results.
With this in mind, we wanted to showcase a number of free alternatives to commercial packages every PC user looking to save money should check out. We’re going to cover a wide range of software, so there should be something for everyone here. If you like to get something for free, read on. Please note, we’re not going to cover internet browsers, as all the major ones are free anyway, and as with all selections of software, we can’t cover everything, so don’t be afraid to have a look for yourself; you might be able to find even programs that suit you more.
Office Suites
OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org)
Definitely one of the best free alternatives to any commercial software, office suite or not, OpenOffice is a superb free package that contains everything you need, whether you’re a home or business user. It features all the modules you’ll find in the likes of Microsoft Office, only without the need to pay hundreds of pounds for the privilege.
It features a powerful word processor in the form of OpenOffice Writer, spreadsheet tool, presentation suite (OpenOffice’s version of PowerPoint), database package, image editor and much more. Basically, almost all of the aspects of MS Office are found here, and although Microsoft’s suite is still the most powerful, OpenOffice can meet the needs of almost any user, save for those who need the under-the-hood power of MS Office, which is a relatively small number, such as developers and large-scale users.
When it comes to cross-format support, OpenOffice is spot on, easily handling documents and files from other competing packages, including MS Office, so there shouldn’t be any problems working with others parties who may be using other formats of documents. You can open most formats, and OpenOffice can also save documents out in other formats, such as Word .doc files.
OpenOffice is the perfect ambassador for open-source software, as it has no strings attached and is constantly being worked on, with new updates and patches bolstering the suite. It’s also cross-platform, so it isn’t limited to Windows. It’s a truly excellent piece of software.
Microsoft Office Starter (www.microsoft.com)
If you’re a fully paid-up Microsoft fan but can’t afford the expensive MS Office suite or any of its various versions, maybe this will appeal to you.
Microsoft Office Starter is, as the name suggests, a starter package for the popular commercial suite. Unlike the full package, this only features two applications, both of which are cut-down. There’s a streamlined version of Word and PowerPoint, both with interfaces that feature ads, so there’s a bit of nagging to put up with.
The features are severely limited, so the package isn’t recommended for business use, but if you’re a home user who simply needs basic word processing, this should be fine. You have the benefit of the instantly recognisable GUI and integration within Windows, and it’s free.
If you need more power, however, you’ll need to look elsewhere or simply look to the previous entry here.
LibreOffice (www.libreoffice.org)
Like OpenOffice, this is a full office suite for free. It features word processing, databases, spreadsheets and a diagram tool. Each application is solid and offers all the features you’d expect. It’s all accessed via a useful central menu, and the GUI is standard, so if you’ve used any office software, Microsoft or otherwise, you’ll be at home here.
It can handle most common file types, including Microsoft variants, and can save files out in other formats too, so it’s easy to collaborate with others. All in all, it may not be as powerful as MS Office or OpenOffice, but it’s a very good office suite and one that’s easily capable of handling most tasks for the majority of users.
Thunderbird (www.mozilla.org)
Although there are few commercial emails tools that make any waves, with Microsoft Office’s Outlook being the most relevant, some people are looking for a good, non-browser option. If this is you, look no further than Thunderbird, arguably the best free, local email tool around.
Part of the Mozilla group of software, Thunderbird is a powerful and fully featured tool that functions just like Microsoft’s Outlook in many ways, and almost identically to the classic fan-favourite, Outlook Express. It’s a local email tool that can be set up to monitor multiple email accounts, downloading and storing messages and attachments locally on your PC instead of on a remote server (this can be changed, if you prefer remote storage, though) and work with personalised email addresses. Because it’s a local app, the interface is more customisable than web-based options, and it’s also faster and more responsive, with more room for user-preference.
There’s a useful address book, chat tool, powerful tabbed search, archiving tools and much more. If you work with a large amount of email, you’ll know how problematic web-browser clients can be. Working with a local client like Thunderbird makes this task far easier.
Image Editors
Gimp (www.gimp.org)
By far the most popular freeware alternative to big name editors like Photoshop, Gimp (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is an opensource editor that boasts a huge amount of power and is actually more powerful than a lot of other commercial apps. It’s another open source package that’s in constant development and is cross platform.
As an editor, it features all the advanced tools you’d expect to find in any decent commercial package, including full support for layers, a wide range of photo touch-up tools, transformation, programming algorithms and much more. Rest assured, this is much more than a simple image editor, and even the most advanced artist will be happy with what’s on offer. If there’s something missing, though, Gimp also supports extensions, so more functionality can be added, should it be needed.
Adobe Creative Suite 2 (www.adobe.com)
Although this is more than just an image editor, a major component of the suite is the hugely popular Photoshop. Being CS2, this suite isn’t exactly current, of course, and it consists of older versions of many of Adobe’s products, but even these will usually outperform most alternatives, such is the power behind Adobe’s suite, especially Photoshop. There are more powerful programs available, as this is an older program now, but it’s still a very good application.
So popular is Photoshop, the name has become a verb. The package is used by people of all abilities and suits almost any image editing task, from touching up images and photos, to creating works of art from scratch. Getting this for free, even an older version, is a real boon, as Photoshop commands very high prices.
We should mention that this deal wasn’t initially offered as a free package, but only to those with an existing license, as Adobe deactivated the activation servers for the package and had to do this for legacy users. However, at the time of writing, Adobe made the suite and serial keys available on its own website, so you can freely download it.
Paint.net (www.getpaint.net)
This is a very good image editor that offers quite a lot of power, without the complex interface and more confusing setup of the likes of Gimp or Photoshop. As the name implies, it’s designed as a more powerful variation of the standard Windows editor, Paint. By this, we mean it’s a far more advanced app that features plenty of tools for any home image editor who needs to perform everyday tasks. Advanced users can also find use for it, as it’s great at doing simple tasks that other editors may be overkill for.
Like other open-source editors, it’s updated regularly, so there are tweaks and refinements always being added. The interface is clean, and although it lacks the power of other editors, for most users this is the ideal editor in terms of approachability and learning curve.
Video Editors And Converters
Avidemux (avidemux.org)
If you’re not after a full video editor, but simply need a tool for cutting, filtering or encoding, Avidemux will be a good pick. It doesn’t have the complex power of a fully fledged editor, but its simple interface handles the core functions such as trimming video very well, and it’s easier to do so here than in a more complex program. Sometimes, you just need that simple touch.
The app supports a wide range of video types, and it can export to various formats too. As an encoder, it’s also very useful and incorporates a bitrate calculator as well as a range of format schemes for common tasks.
Pazera Free MP4 to AVI Converter (www.pazera-software.com)
Pazera Free MP4 to AVI Converter is more than the name suggests. It’s a video converter than can actually handle a very wide range of conversions, more than just MP4 and AVI. It’s very easy to use; all you need to do is drag and drop your videos into the program and select the conversion settings. The program will take care of the rest.
To make things easier, there’s a range of presets, such as DVD, XviD, H.264 and more, and these profiles include a wide range of audio codecs and settings. It’ll even work on files not specifically supported by the app, so it’s worth experimenting if you need to convert a file that doesn’t play on a specific device.
VirtualDub (www.virtualdub.org)
One of the older freeware video packages available, VirtualDub is nonetheless still a fine option for those looking for a decent free editing package. It’s an editor, video capture tool and processor all in one, and it can capture video from various sources, including webcams, digital cameras or any other device connected to your PC.
The editor is fairly flexible, although it may lack some of the more advanced features more up-to-date packages include. The tool can work with audio tracks too, and it can do this without having to alter the actual video, and there are some decent compression routines. It’s a great free editor and is especially good for those just getting into editing, who need to learn without having to spend a lot of cash.
Audio Editing
Audacity (www.audacityteam.org)
Yes, we had to include it, didn’t we? It may be a usual suspect, but there’s a reason Audacity always finds its way into the best freeware collections and that’s because it’s simply great. Compared to other, more accomplished editors, Audacity may seem a little simple, but under this misleading appearance is very easy to use and deceptively powerful, and it can work with all major audio types, apply effects, touch up poor recordings and more.
Cutting, copying and pasting audio is simple enough, thanks to the traditional waveform interface, and you can record audio directly into the app for editing or simply to save it out. There’s a customisable spectrogram mode, audio analysis and various plugins. Overall, an essential free audio app.
Mp3DirectCut (mpesch3.de1.cc/mp3dc.html)
If you’re interested in working with MP3s primarily, this app will be of interest. It’s a focused tool that allows users to trim and edit MP3 files. It does this non-destructively and also allows the normalisation of audio, along with a smattering of effects.
CD/DVD Burners And Image tools
CDBurnerXP (cdburnerxp.se/en/home)
If you just need a solid, straightforward disc burning tool, this should suffice. Able to burn CD, DVD and even Blu-ray and HD-DVD (in the unlikely case you have any), CDBurnerXP is a flexible tool that can also work with images, such as .iso and it can also be used to create both data and audio discs. It can rip audio discs, and features WAV normalising and MP3 encoding. Some of this is pretty standard stuff, of course, but sometimes you need a simple program that does the job well. This is one such tool, which comes with plenty of extras.
Ashampoo Burning Studio Free (www.ashampoo.com)
Ashampoo’s full disc burning suite has been around for some time, and it’s always offered a fully featured selection of disc burning tools that easily compete with commercial apps of this type. It can work with all types of disc, including Blu-ray, and it handles all sorts of image types.
The interface is simple and easy to use, based on different tasks you can execute with the suite, and it can also convert a wide range of file formats, such as audio conversion between MP3, WAV, FLAC and WMA. You can bulk copy discs, utilise backup features and create burning projects. It’s a powerful suite for a free option, and it one that comes highly recommended.
ImgBurn (www.imgburn.com)
The name of this free app says it all really. This is a program all about image burning, and using it you can quickly and easily burn various types of image to disc, including a wide range of types, such as .iso, .bin, .img and more. It can work with all kinds of disc and even has features that deal with dual-layer DVDs, so you can get the most out of your media’s available space.
As well as burning images, it can also be used to create images, making it a great all-round tool for working with images of data, whatever they may be, and doubling up as a decent backup tool.
BurnAware Free (www.burnaware.com)
This is another disc burning suite that caters for most types of user, from simple disc burning and authoring tools to options for backups and image manipulation. Like Ashampoo and commercial tools, it’s a complete studio and one that can handle most tasks. It can also work with DVD file structures, burning full DVDs complete with menus. If you need to create a bootable .iso image, this is covered too. All this is wrapped up in a simple, straightforward interface.
Daemon Tools Lite (www.daemon-tools.cc)
One of the most popular free tools around when it comes to working with disc images, Daemon Tools is seen by many as the de facto image mounting application – and for good reason. It’s a simple, minimalist application that can mount and run multiple disc images using virtual drives. It does this while using fewer resources than a lot of competing applications and, although you can buy a more powerful version of the program, the free package, Deamon Tools Lite, is perfect for home users.
Web Design
Aptana (www.aptana.com)
This is an open source web development tool that’s based on Java. It’s cross-platform, supporting Windows, Linux and Mac, and it supports a range of common languages, including the likes of Ruby on Rails. As well as standard web development duties, it can also produce applications for the iPhone.
It’s a powerful, tool and its support of multiple languages makes it useful for most designers looking for a decent free tool. It also opens the door for mobile app development, which can only be a good thing in this day and age. Sadly, the interface isn’t exactly user-friendly, and it doesn’t even include a spell check. There’s also no support for RSS, Atom or Xpath. However, despite the flaws, this is still a good option.
OpenBexi (sourceforge.net/projects/ob-htmlbuilder)
Open Bexi is a little different from a lot of editors. It makes use of drag and drop to create web pages, with users dropping widgets onto the project. These widgets include text, images, audio and more. It’s designed to make creating web pages easier for newcomers with little programming experience, and it includes an FTP function, so uploading created content can be done with no need for extra software. Server-side scripting is also supported.
Microsoft Expression Web (www.microsoft.com)
Now available as a free app, Microsoft’s application is basically the company’s version of the popular Dreamweaver, so it features a lot of the same tools, as well as sharing a similar design. There’s full support for W3C, as well as excellent disability functions.
As this is a Microsoft tool, and one that follows a similar style to Dreamweaver, any users with a passing familiarity with either of these two company’s apps will be at home here. That’s good, because Microsoft doesn’t actually support the program if you’re a free user, and only those who bought it prior to the free release are given help. If this doesn’t bother you, though, you’ll find this suite to be very accomplished.
Kompozer (www.kompozer.net)
Based on Mozilla, this is a powerful open-source editor that really does push towards Dreamweaver levels of power. It’s a true WYSIWYG editor for Windows that can handle almost any web design task, except server-side scripting, which it doesn’t support.
It features a built-in FTP, CSS editor and an HTML validation tool, and it can work easily with forms and has multiple templates. The HTML it produces supports all major browsers, so you shouldn’t run into any major compatibility problems, and you shouldn’t need large-scale debugging of your projects. It’s not quite as fast or powerful as Dreamweaver, and it lacks some advanced options, but for a free alternative, you’ll find few as good.
Antivirus
AVG (free.avg.com/au-en/homepage)
Possibly the most popular free anti-virus app around, AVG is a hugely popular download that easily competes with the commercial crowd in terms of features and in some tests, also in terms of effectiveness.
Like all anti-virus apps, it has a full resident virus scanner, as well as a host of extras, such as remote protection via a mobile device, Mac and Android support, browser security for harmful links and a useful, straightforward interface. It lacks some features, which are reserved for the paid version, but the core tools included in the free download are more than enough for general use.
AVG is a little more resource hungry than some other scanners, though, so if you prefer a lower footprint from your security software, you may want to choose a different program.
Bitdefender (www.bitdefender.com)
With a very low resource footprint, Bitdefender is a good choice for those who don’t want to give over too much of their system to security. The scanner is small and can run in the background, with little to no intrusion on your daily PC use. It has a ‘zero configuration’ setup and is ready to go without any need to set it up, and there are no ads to nag you.
As for effectiveness, Bitdefender is one of the best free scanners around. It boasts solid performance against threats, and its resident scanner gives you a good level of protection, while updates happen automatically in the background. The developer claims its one of the best options for gaming, due to its silent nature, and that its security outperforms its rivals. Although labs tests of anti-virus software usually shows different results from test to test, it’s clear that Bitdefender is always one of the better options.
Avast! (www.avast.com)
Another big player in the free anti-virus market, Avast has quickly become a firm favourite with users. This is thanks to its solid protection, of course, but also its clean, straightforward interface, relatively small system footprint and constant updates that keep the app on top form.
The free version lacks a lot of the features of the paid incarnation, but it still includes a solid virus shield, browser security and a password manager. The browser extensions in particular are very useful, able to keep you safe from dodgy websites and to monitor downloaded files. However, be aware that these have been known to cause some problems with browsers. This isn’t unique to Avast, though, and other security software can have the same problem, so don’t be put off trying Avast because of this, because you’ll find it’s a very good AV tool.
Firewalls
ZoneAlarm (www.zonealarm.com)
There no reason beating about the bush here. ZoneAlarm is not only the longest-serving free firewall, but it’s also the best in many ways. Although it’s had its ups and downs and many users have moved on to other options, when it comes to lab tests on actual technical functionality, it boasts some of the best protection around, able to defeat various kinds of attack and remain operational after attempts to disable it.
It runs very quietly, with minimal pop-ups, because it can automatically retrieve program definitions from a large database in order to create rules for you, not bothering you with alerts. It even offers some basic anti-virus protection, although this isn’t the reason you should pick it. Simply put, if you’re looking for solid protection, you’ll be happy with ZoneAlarm.
Comodo Firewall (www.comodo.com)
Comodo Firewall is another great free security tool and one that some would say betters ZoneAlarm. Like ZoneAlarm, Comodo is a solid firewall that’s resistant to attack and bypass attacks and it also feature anti-virus protection. It also includes a hardened browser, secure DNS lookups and boasts a sandbox tool. These features make Comodo a favourite of more technical users, but the more casual may want to stick with the more straightforward firewall apps.
TinyWall (tinywall.pados.hu)
Speaking of straightforward, there’s TinyWall. This is a basic, no-frills firewall that focuses on the one main task and doesn’t cram in extras that get in the way. While this may sound counterproductive and a firewall with more features may appeal more, don’t be put off. TinyWall may be simple, but it offers a great level of security that’s perfect for users who just want an app to sit there and protect them with no fuss.
It does this by working alongside the Windows firewall, and although simple, the protection works and is perfect for nontechnical users.
Encryption Tools
AxCrypt (www.axantum.com)
This open-source encryption tool is one of the most useful options for users who value their privacy. Although it’s not able to encrypt whole volumes, it’s a great file encryption tool that’s integrated within the Windows shell.
From the Windows context menu you can quickly encrypt any file with its 128-bit AES encryption. As well as simple encryption, files can be encrypted for a set period, after which time they’ll automatically decrypt, and you can work with files that will decrypt while in use and encrypt when not. It’s a very flexible and fast system, with encryption taking little time, and the whole program is less than 1MB in size.
The 128-bit encryption isn’t as strong as some, though, so in this regard, the protection isn’t as solid, but it’s still secure for most users, and the Windows shell integration makes it very easy to use.
GNU Privacy Guard (www.gnupg.org)
This is actually based on PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) and is an open source version of the popular encryption platform. Therefore, it offers a very high level of security with powerful encryption that supports various types of encryption methods and ciphers, and it can protect anything from a single file, all the way up to an entire volume – local or external media.
PGP is very popular for a reason, and that’s because it’s a very strong form of encryption software, and this open-source variant of it is one of the best free options around.
BitLocker (www.microsoft.com)
Although this isn’t technically freeware, as it comes as part of Windows (7 Ultimate and Enterprise, 8 Pro and Enterprise and Windows Server 2008 upward), it’s still already present on your system if you have one of these operating systems, and it’s also prized by many users for being strong and dependable, not to mention easy to use.
It can encrypt an entire volume with ease, and features both 128 and 256-bit AES encryption. Additionally, it can encrypt drives into a virtual state, which can be opened and worked with, while retaining the security. Various authentications are supported, including passwords, PINs and USB keys.
The software has come under fire from conspiracy theorist in the past, who claim the software has a backdoor put there by Microsoft for third parties, such as government agencies, to access. Microsoft has denied this, of course, but there’s really no solid proof either way, so this fact may colour your opinion of the tool.
7-Zip (www.7-zip.org)
Yes, 7-Zip is a file archive and compression tool, but did you know it also features a very useful encryption function? It does, and because there’s a good chance you already have 7-Zip on your PC, you can make use of it right away.
Within the application lies a simple encryption tool that can lock down your archived data with 256-bit AES encryption. It can handle files, folders or even volumes. As it’s 7-Zip, encrypted files are very portable ,and this makes it a great tool for those who need to send sensitive data to others. It’s even free for commercial use. This makes 7-Zip a surprisingly good and recommended encryption tool.
Backup
EaseUS Todo Backup Free (www.todo-backup.com)
EaseUS ToDo Backup has become one of the most popular free tools for securing data, and it includes all the features you’d expect to find in a typical program of this type, even commercial ones. The usual things are included, such as scheduled backups, disc image creation, disk cloning and more. Alongside this, the app features goods extras, such as a smart backup that can automatically check folders for new data to back up, and it can save data to cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive.
The level of power on offer here is impressive, almost rivalling paid-for apps. Tasks like incremental backups, network throttling, bootup recovery and a built-in rescue environment all add to the appeal, and although it’s a little more complex than some, it can be as simple or complex as you like.
AOMEI Backupper Standard (www.backup-utility.com)
If it’s simplicity and ease of use you’re after, AOMEI Backupper is for you. This tool’s striking interface is not only attractive, but it also keeps the program well ordered and straightforward. Everything on offer here is delivered with simplicity in mind, and there are no complex menus or settings to worry about.
What you get here is a solid backup solution that features manual and scheduled backups, disk cloning, image creation and a rescue disc feature. Even new PC users will find the program easy to operate, and although it may lack advanced features, it’s perfectly suitable for casual home use.
Areca Backup (www.areca-backup.org)
Areca Backup is a more advanced tool that’s designed to cater for a more technical user. Alongside all of the standard backup features, Areca offers archive file support, powerful file filters, network backup, FTP functionality and even encryption. This is all crammed into an admittedly fiddly interface that isn’t kind to less technically proficient users, but the extra toys should please advanced users.
Of particular note has to be the backup tech the app uses, which can monitor files and back up only the modified content. This grants a far speedier backup system and one that uses far fewer system resources.
PDF tools
CutePDF Writer (www.cutepdf.com)
Although it can’t actually edit PDF files as such, CutePDF Writer is still one of the most popular free PDF tools available as it can create PDFs from most file types, thus giving users an easy and free way to utilise the popular fixed document type.
It does this by functioning as a virtual printer, which ‘prints’ out PDF files from whatever you enter into it. CutePDF appears as a printer within Windows and applications, and by selecting it as your printer, you can create PDF files by outputting to a specified location. It’s simple and easy to use, and the PDFs it creates are spot on.
PDFedit (pdfedit.cz/en/index.html)
Most of the free PDF ‘editors’ you see online are not actually that. Instead, many of these allow users to annotate PDF files. The actual content of the document can’t be changed. There are web-based services that offer this option, but if you want to do it yourself, you’ll really need to spend hundreds of pounds on Adobe’s full Acrobat program (not to be confused with the free Acrobat Reader, which can also annotate PDFs). However, there is an interesting option in the form of PDFedit.
This is a work-in-progress, open-source tool which now has a beta version for Windows (it was previously Unix-based). It can actually open and edit a PDF file. It’s still early days, so it’s buggy and not exactly inviting at this stage, but as a program that can save you a lot of money, it’s well worth keeping an eye on.