Top 10 Free Software Sites
FreewareFiles.com top 100 free. software downloads. AVG AntiVirus Free v19.8. Use the AVG Anti-Virus System to reliably protect your computer. Top 10 Best Software Download Sites for PC Free (2019) Last Updated: April 2, 2019 April 2, 2019 by Ajit in Top List, Top Sites Top Software Download Sites for PC: Many of the really useful and necessary software that we use often come as a premium paid software and as regular non-commercial consumers, most of are not able to afford such software most of the time. Top 10 Best Torrent Sites That Still Work in 2019; January 11, 2019 Best Free Backup Software for Windows in 2019; January 11, 2019 Best Smartphones of 2019- Top 10 Mobile Phones; March 7, 2019 10 Cool & Best Gadgets for Men in 2019; May 22, 2018 Top 10 Best Spy Video Games of All Time. #7 DonationCoder. The Best Freeware, Donationware, Software Reviews, Discussions, and Shareware Discounts. So must try out this site for getting the free of the software in your windows Pc and also the software you get will be genuine. At the beginning of 2017 the torrent landscape looks quite different from a year ago. Update: List of top torrent sites of 2018 is now out. With the shutdown of KickassTorrents and Torrentz.eu.
Unless you have a company buying licenses for you, tools like Photoshop, Pro Tools, Maya, or even Windows can be a serious bite out of your wallet. Here are some more affordable options to those normally pricey apps that’ll help you stop fretting and get more done.
10. GIMP (Free, for Windows, macOS, and Linux)
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The first one’s a bit obvious. If you don’t have the money for Adobe Creative Cloud subscriptions, or never purchased a copy of Photoshop for yourself, the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP for short) is for you. It’s feature-rich, powerful (even moreso with the GIMPShop plugin), and with just a little work, can work pretty much exactly like Photoshop when you need it to.
How to Make GIMP Work More Like Photoshop
Over six months ago, I stopped using Adobe Photoshop and switched to the open source alternative,…
Read more ReadIf you have a little trouble getting started with it though, that’s okay—it can look a little daunting, but this cheat sheet full of shortcuts and tips can help you navigate it and get up to speed quickly. After all, it’s your favorite PhotoShop alternative for a reason. If you’d like more alternatives, Windows users can try Paint.net (free), and Mac users can check out the highly-acclaimedPixelmator ($30.)
Learn All the GIMP Keyboard Shortcuts with This Cheat Sheet
Like Photoshop, GIMP comes packed with a ton of keyboard shortcuts so you can work in the image…
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9. Libre Office (Free, for Windows, macOS, and Linux)
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Microsoft’s Office suite is the productivity standard in offices around the globe, but when it comes to your computer at home, if you don’t want to shell out for a license, or don’t have access to it through other means, you’ll still need something to work with—especially if you have to work with Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or PowerPoint presentations others send you. Enter Libre Office, our long-favorite alternative if you need a local, non-web-based office suite.
Battle of the Office Suites: Microsoft Office and LibreOffice Compared
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Libre Office has come a long way in recent years, too. What used to look very much like a stereotypical “design by committee,” utilitiarian suite of tools has now come into its own as a more than capable and elegant competitor to Office that can still open Office documents, edit them, and save them for seamless use by people using Office. And of course, it’s completely free.
LibreOffice Updates, Doesn't Look Like Crap Anymore
Windows/Mac/Linux: LibreOffice, has always been powerful enough to stand up against Microsoft…
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8. Inkscape (Free, for Windows, macOS, and Linux)
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Adobe Illustrator is a must-have if you work with vector graphics, build logos, or even format documents for print or other publication, but again, if you’re not down to shell out for Creative Cloud subscriptions, Inkscape has been a long-time favorite for, well, just about everything you can do in Illustrator without the bells and whistles that most people don’t actually bother using. Plus it’s free, open-source, and cross-platform.
Manipulate Vector Images with Open Source Inkscape
All platforms: Inkscape is an open source vector editing program. If you are looking for a free…
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Inkscape also has a large user community and tons of guides on its tutorials blog to help you get started with it and up to speed quickly if you need a little help. We discussed it more in detail in our guide to replacing Creative Suite with affordable apps, along with some alternatives if Inkscape doesn’t suit your fancy.
Build Your Own Adobe Creative Suite with Free and Cheap Software
Adobe's Creative Suite is one of the best software packs out there for professionals, but the…
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7. Blender (Free, for Windows, macOS, and Linux)
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If you’re interested in 3D modeling, 3D printing, or 3D animation, Blender is your tool of choice, at least to get started in the field. Sure, Maya and other tools like it are used in animation and modeling studios, but if you want to get started, or even model your own objects for 3D printing, Blender is the way to go.
The Best Free Resources for Getting Started With 3D Printing
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It can be a little tricky to make sense of at first, though, and our 3D modeling night school can help you get started. If that’s not enough for you, this free ebook from Wikibooks is another great tool to help you learn Blender.
Intro to 3D Modeling: The Complete Guide
We spent last week learning about the basics of 3D modeling using an application called Rhino 3D.…
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6. Avira (Free, for Windows) and Sophos (Free, for macOS)
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Make no mistake, there’s no replacement for good browsing hygiene and smart sense when it comes to what you click, what you download, and the sites you visit. However, it doesn’t hurt to have a good antivirus and/or combo antimalware tool on your computer at the same time, or especially on the computer of someone who may not have the same web street smarts you might have.
The Difference Between Antivirus and Anti-Malware (and Which to Use)
Antivirus is a confusing matter: it's called antivirus, but there are tons of other types of…
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For that reason, Avira is our pick for the best for Windows, and Sophos is our pick for the best for macOS when it comes to antivirus, and MalwareBytes when it comes to antimalware. If you prefer something else? We have more options. Bottom line, there’s absolutely no reason to pay for pricey antivirus or antimalware subscriptions, and free tools—despite some sleazy practices from some of late—do the same job without the bloat and cruft that comes with big names you might recognize from office computers everywhere.
Five Best Desktop Antivirus Applications
Good browsing hygiene and 'common sense' only get you so far on the internet. A good…
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5. LMMS (Free, for Windows, macOS, and Linux)
LMMS, formerly the Linux MultiMedia Studio, is a great, powerful, and free alternative to Apple’s Garageband, or even pricier, industry standard apps like Pro Tools. It probably won’t replace it if you’re looking to work professionally, but if you’re an amateur at home, this free, cross-platform tool is worth checking out.
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LMMS Turns Your Desktop into a Music Sequencing Monster
Windows/Linux only: LMMS puts a powerful set of music-making tools into one window, letting those…
Read more ReadAside from turning your computer into a music sequencing machine, whatever computer you’re using, it’s richly featured for multi-track editing in a way that Audacity, our favorite simple recording and audio editing tool, isn’t. From sequencing, composing, mixing, and editing to effects mixing and built-in instruments for effects, loops, and other sounds, it’s all there in LMMS.
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4. VirtualBox (Free, for Windows, macOS, and Linux)
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Virtualization isn’t just something for geeks to play with—it’s a great way to test out new tools and software and make sure it doesn’t wreak havoc on your computer. Virtualbox, free and cross-platform, may not strictly be the best or most efficient tool for the job, but it’s features and benefit-to-cost ratio is unmatched. It’s super powerful, and completely free.
How to Safely Test Software Without Messing Up Your System
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Our getting started guide to Virtualbox can help you with the basics if you’ve ever thought “man I wish I had a computer to test this one that wasn’t mine,” and our power user’s guide can help you out if this is all old hat to you. If you’re curious what you’re missing by using Virtualbox over a tool like Fusion or Parallels, check out our virtualization showdown comparing all three here.
The Beginner's Guide to Creating Virtual Machines with VirtualBox
Virtual machines can seem juuuuust a bit too geeky for most otherwise computer-friendly people.…
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3. DaVinci Resolve (Free, for Windows and macOS)
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It’s hard to find a video editing tool that’s both good and free, especially compared to common at-home tools like iMovie or professional-grade tools like Adobe Premiere. However, if you are looking for an alternative, DaVinci Resolve, which started life as a complex (and expensive) color grading tool, picked up video editing features a few years ago. Since then it’s earned a name for itself as being a comprehensive, solid alternative video editor that—while a little tough for beginners to climb into—is robust enough once you have the hang of it to replace other, more expensive tools. There’s a paid version if you do want to shell out for it, and a comparison between the free and paid versions here.
The Basics of Video Editing: The Complete Guide
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2. Linux (Free)
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Of course Linux deserves a spot on the list. Which distribution you use is, of course, entirely up to you—as is which desktop environment you choose—but if you’re moving from macOS or Windows to Linux, either for simplicity’s sake or because you don’t want to shell out for new licenses, or you just want to bring an old computer back to life, Ubuntu and Linux Mint are your two best options for getting the hang of things.
Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?
There's nothing like digging into your first Linux distribution, whether you're a…
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If you want to drop right into the deep end, Arch Linux is a favorite around these parts, but it’s not super newbie-friendly. Even so, we have a great guide on setting it up—and learning a lot about linux in the process. Also, make sure to check out our Lifehacker Pack for Linux for the essential, must-have tools to be productive and make the most of your new Linux installation.
Lifehacker Pack for Linux: Our List of the Essential Linux Apps
With so many flavors of Linux and the awesome apps in their repositories, finding the right app for …
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1. Google Drive (Free, Web-Based)
Finally, everyone knows—and probably uses—Google Drive, (formerly Google Docs, because Google.) We live and die by it around here at Lifehacker, and combined with Gmail, it’s fast, flexible, free, available on any computer that has a web browser, and it’s powerful to boot. Sure, it may not have some of the perks of a traditional desktop office suite, but there are ways around that.
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How to Make Google Drive Work Like a Desktop Suite
Google Drive, and the apps in it—Docs, Sheets, and Slides—are great for people looking for a simple …
Read more ReadCombined with the wealth of plugins, add-ons, and other tools that can supercharge Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and you have a pretty powerful set of tools that you don’t have to pay a dime to use. And we haven’t even discussed the cheat sheets, templates, and other tricks to make yourself a G Suite ninja yet, either.
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The Best Add-Ons for Google Drive
Yesterday, Google introduced add-ons for Google Docs and Sheets. These add-ons allow you to add all …
Read more ReadIllustration by Angelica Alzona. Additional images by Blender Foundation, Nemo, OpenClips, and Ase (Shutterstock), and Eduardo Quagliato.
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Lifehacker’s Weekend Roundup gathers our best guides, explainers, and other posts on a certain subject so you can tackle big projects with ease. For more, check out our Weekend Roundup and Top 10 tags.
Top 10 Free Software Sites For Laptop
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