Free & open source alternatives to paid software
116 free and open source apps that replace 40 well-known paid products, with the platforms they run on, the files they open, and the official ways to use the original for free.
What do you want to replace?
Photoshop6 alternativesPhoto editing
Microsoft Office4 alternativesOffice suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Microsoft Excel4 alternativesSpreadsheet
Microsoft Word4 alternativesWord processing
AutoCAD4 alternatives2D and 3D CAD drafting
Premiere Pro5 alternativesVideo editing
Illustrator5 alternativesVector design and logo
Canva5 alternativesTemplate-based design
Zoom4 alternativesVideo conferencing
Notion6 alternativesNotes, docs and task management
Adobe Acrobat6 alternativesPDF editing and conversion
TeamViewer5 alternativesRemote desktop
Slack4 alternativesTeam chat
Figma3 alternativesWeb and app UI design
Lightroom4 alternativesPhoto color grading and library management
ChatGPT4 alternativesAI chat assistantAll free apps
LibreOfficeOpen-source office suite that replaces Microsoft Office: Writer, Calc, Impress and Draw.Office & PDFOpen source
AffinityA professional design suite combining photo editing, vector and page layout in one app.Design & photo
ONLYOFFICE Desktop5,705Open-source office suite with a ribbon interface like modern Office.Office & PDFOpen source
WPS OfficeLightweight office suite from Kingsoft that looks almost identical to Microsoft Office.Office & PDF
Google Docs, Sheets, SlidesGoogle's browser-based office suite, free with a Google account.Office & PDF
AppFlowy78,427Open-source Notion-style app for notes, databases and task boards.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Penpot62,175An open-source, browser-based tool for designing web and app interfaces, Figma-style.Design & photoOpen source
Plane62,140Open-source project management tool, an alternative to Jira, Linear and Trello.Notes & teamworkOpen source
n8n209,797Zapier-style workflow automation with drag-and-drop steps, 400+ integrations and AI steps.Web & online business
PhotopeaA browser-based image editor whose interface closely mirrors Photoshop.Design & photo
InkscapeAn open-source vector editor for logos, icons, posters and vinyl cutting.Design & photoOpen source
Adobe ExpressAdobe's quick design tool, similar to Canva, for social posts, posters, background removal and short videos.Design & photo
Ollama186,318Runs open AI models (Llama, Qwen, Gemma, DeepSeek and more) on your own computer.AIOpen source
Open WebUI158,070Self-hosted ChatGPT-style interface for teams that connects to Ollama or vendor APIs.AI
Joplin57,074Open-source Evernote alternative with notebooks, tags, web clipper, to-dos and end-to-end encryption.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Excalidraw135,319Open-source, hand-drawn style whiteboard that runs in the browser.Office & PDFOpen source
FreeCAD35,243Open-source parametric 3D modeling for mechanical design, architecture (BIM) and 3D printing.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
RustDesk128,600Open-source remote desktop app and an alternative to TeamViewer and AnyDesk.PC utilitiesOpen source
BlenderA complete open-source 3D suite: modeling, sculpting, animation, photorealistic rendering and video editing.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
OpenProject17,109Open-source project management for organizations, with Gantt charts and agile boards.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Shotcut15,629A lightweight open-source video editor that opens most formats without converting them first.Video & audioOpen source
OpenShot6,754The easiest open-source video editor for beginners: drag and drop, trim, add titles and transitions.Video & audioOpen source
KdenliveAn open-source multi-track video editor with effects and transitions.Video & audioOpen source
Ardour5,414An open-source digital audio workstation (DAW) for multitrack recording, mixing, MIDI and VST/LV2 plugins.Video & audioOpen source
ScribusOpen-source desktop publishing for magazines, books, flyers and catalogs.Design & photoOpen source
DaVinci ResolveProfessional video software for editing, color grading, effects and audio, with a very complete free version.Video & audio
ClipchampMicrosoft's video editor, built into Windows 11 and also available in the browser.Video & audio
ObsidianNote-taking app built on local Markdown files that you link into a web of knowledge.Notes & teamwork
Stirling-PDF95,986Open-source PDF toolkit you host on your own server with Docker, with 50+ operations.Office & PDFOpen source
Syncthing90,209Syncs folders directly between your own devices, with no cloud in between and encryption in transit.PC utilitiesOpen source
OBS Studio79,148The world's most widely used open-source app for screen recording and live streaming.Video & audioOpen source
AFFiNE74,313Open-source workspace that combines documents, a freeform whiteboard and databases, with local-first storage.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Vaultwarden70,410A lightweight rewrite of the Bitwarden server that you host for your family or company.PC utilitiesOpen source
Motrix57,964Open-source download manager built on aria2, handling HTTP, FTP, torrents and magnet links.PC utilitiesOpen source
Odoo Community55,631Open-source business suite: online store, point of sale, inventory, purchasing, CRM and basic accounting.Web & online businessOpen source
Rocket.Chat46,375Open-source team chat platform that also handles customer support.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Jan45,578Open-source AI chat app that runs models locally and can also use vendor APIs when you need a stronger model.AIOpen source
Logseq45,513Outliner-style note app with daily journals and two-way links, stored as files on your device.Notes & teamworkOpen source
ShareX40,798An open-source screen capture and recording tool for Windows.Video & audioOpen source
PostHog40,696Open-source product analytics suite: traffic, funnels, session replay, A/B tests and surveys.Web & online businessOpen source
Umami39,982Lean open-source web analytics without cookies, easier to read than Google Analytics.Web & online businessOpen source
Mattermost39,557Open-source, self-hosted Slack alternative with channels, direct messages, threads, voice calls and bots.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Nextcloud37,441Self-hosted open-source cloud storage and an alternative to Google Drive and Dropbox.PC utilitiesOpen source
Medusa37,126Open-source commerce platform for developers (Node.js) with a separate admin and storefront.Web & online businessOpen source
Jitsi Meet30,210Open-source video meetings with no 40-minute cap: open a link and you're in.Notes & teamworkOpen source
KeePassXC29,847Open-source password manager that keeps everything in one encrypted file on your computer, no cloud needed.PC utilitiesOpen source
Plausible29,793Privacy-friendly open-source web analytics, free to self-host as the Community Edition.Web & online businessOpen source
Zulip26,190Open-source team chat that organizes messages by topic, so conversations don't get buried like in Slack.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Activepieces25,423Open-source (MIT) automation tool as easy to use as Zapier, with many integrations and AI steps.Web & online businessOpen source
listmonk24,194Very lightweight open-source newsletter tool that manages lists of up to millions of subscribers.Web & online businessOpen source
Node-RED23,823Open-source visual programming tool for IoT and factories that links devices to web services and databases.Web & online businessOpen source
Matomo22,013Open-source Google Analytics alternative: pageviews, sources, goals and e-commerce.Web & online businessOpen source
Wekan21,159Open-source, self-hosted Trello-style kanban board.Notes & teamworkOpen source
AB Download Manager19,055A newer (2024) open-source download manager with a modern interface and multi-connection speed-up.PC utilitiesOpen source
Audacity18,992An open-source audio recorder and editor for cutting, noise reduction, boosting voices and converting formats.Video & audioOpen source
Mailspring17,998Clean, open-source email client with fast search and a unified inbox for several accounts.Office & PDFOpen source
Sumatra PDF17,957Very lightweight open-source PDF reader for Windows.Office & PDFOpen source
NanaZip16,185A 7-Zip fork rebuilt for Windows 11 that fits into the new right-click menu.PC utilitiesOpen source
Seafile15,435Self-hosted open-source file sync and sharing, known for being fast and light with large libraries.PC utilitiesOpen source
Bitwarden14,177Open-source password manager whose free plan stores unlimited passwords on unlimited devices.PC utilitiesOpen source
Element13,640Open-source, end-to-end encrypted chat app built on the Matrix protocol.Notes & teamworkOpen source
darktable13,408An open-source RAW photo manager and editor in the spirit of Lightroom.Design & photoOpen source
Mautic10,951Open-source marketing automation: email, segments, lead scoring and nurture campaigns.Web & online businessOpen source
KritaAn open-source digital painting app built for illustration, comics and frame-by-frame animation.Design & photoOpen source
LMMS10,624An open-source music production app in the style of FL Studio.Video & audioOpen source
WooCommerce10,582Open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress that powers a large share of self-built online stores.Web & online businessOpen source
Kanboard9,947Very lightweight open-source kanban board written in PHP, with WIP limits and charts.Notes & teamworkOpen source
BigBlueButton9,271Open-source virtual classroom with whiteboard, breakout rooms, polls and recording.Notes & teamworkOpen source
PrestaShop9,248French open-source e-commerce platform, strong at managing large, multilingual product catalogs.Web & online businessOpen source
draw.io9,244Open-source diagramming tool for flowcharts, org charts, network diagrams, BPMN and UML.Office & PDFOpen source
Anytype9,060Notion-style app for notes and personal knowledge, end-to-end encrypted.Notes & teamwork
PeaZip8,094Open-source archiver with a clean interface that opens more than 200 formats, including on Mac.PC utilitiesOpen source
Standard Notes6,706Open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes app with free sync across unlimited devices.Notes & teamworkOpen source
GIMPThe longest-running open-source image editor, able to handle most Photoshop work.Design & photoOpen source
LibreCAD6,566Open-source 2D drafting software with commands and layers close to AutoCAD, working with DXF files.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
Redmine6,073Long-established open-source project management and issue tracker, widely used by software companies.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Linux MintThe most Windows-like Linux distribution, with a browser, LibreOffice and media players preinstalled.PC utilitiesOpen source
R + RStudioThe R statistics language plus the RStudio Desktop editor, both free.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
PDFsam Basic4,661Open-source desktop tool to merge, split, rotate and extract PDF pages.Office & PDFOpen source
7-ZipThe best-known open-source archiver: extracts .rar, .zip, .7z, .iso and more, with AES-256 passwords.PC utilitiesOpen source
RawTherapee4,281An open-source RAW processor known for strong noise reduction, sharpening and color.Design & photoOpen source
QCAD1,925A compact, easy-to-use 2D CAD app.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
GanttProject1,119Lightweight open-source Gantt chart tool, enough for small and mid-sized project plans.Office & PDFOpen source
JASP1,017Point-and-click open-source statistics software similar to SPSS.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
Taiga859Open-source agile project management with Scrum, Kanban, user stories and sprints.Notes & teamworkOpen source
Proton Pass816End-to-end encrypted password manager from Swiss company Proton.PC utilitiesOpen source
jamovi800Open-source spreadsheet-style statistics built on R, with a point-and-click interface close to SPSS.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
Paint.NETA lightweight Windows image editor, far more capable than Paint yet easier than GIMP.Design & photo
digiKamAn open-source manager for large photo collections, with tagging, face recognition and duplicate finding.Design & photoOpen source
LunacyA desktop UI design app from Icons8 that opens Figma (.fig) and Sketch files and works offline.Design & photo
Snipping Tool & Xbox Game BarTwo screen recorders already built into Windows, no install needed.Video & audio
ocenaudioA lightweight audio editor that previews effects in real time as you adjust them.Video & audio
Waveform FreeA free DAW from Tracktion with unlimited tracks and VST plugin support.Video & audio
GarageBandApple's free music app for Mac, iPhone and iPad.Video & audio
Sweet Home 3DOpen-source interior design software: draw a floor plan, drag in furniture and see it in 3D instantly.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
GNU PSPPOpen-source statistics software modeled on SPSS that also accepts familiar SPSS syntax.CAD, 3D & statisticsOpen source
PDF24 CreatorFree PDF toolbox from Germany: compress, merge, split, convert to Word, OCR, sign and password-protect.Office & PDF
Dorabot PDF toolsFree PDF tools from Dorabot that run in your browser with no sign-up.Office & PDF
ThunderbirdOpen-source email client from Mozilla, the makers of Firefox.Office & PDFOpen source
eM ClientModern Outlook-style email client with calendar, tasks, contacts and Exchange support.Office & PDF
ProjectLibreOpen-source project planner similar to Microsoft Project, with Gantt charts and critical path.Office & PDFOpen source
Google KeepGoogle's free quick-notes app for lists, reminders, photos and voice notes that you can share with others.Notes & teamwork
Google MeetFree video meetings with a Google account, right in the browser with nothing to install.Notes & teamwork
Microsoft Teams (free)Free version of Teams for individuals and small groups, with chat and video meetings for up to 100 people.Notes & teamwork
Windows 11 built-in extractorSince version 23H2, Windows 11 opens .rar, .7z and .tar.gz files right in File Explorer.PC utilities
Free Download ManagerFree download accelerator with multi-connection downloads, pause and resume, and torrent support.PC utilities
UltraViewerFree, lightweight remote desktop tool for Windows, commonly used for IT support and helping colleagues.PC utilities
AnyDeskLight, fast remote desktop software that is free for personal use.PC utilities
Chrome Remote DesktopGoogle's free remote desktop service, used through the Chrome browser.PC utilities
Quick AssistBuilt into Windows 10 and 11, it lets someone view or control your PC using a 6-character code.PC utilities
UbuntuThe most popular Linux distribution for desktops and servers.PC utilitiesOpen source
Zorin OSLinux distribution made for people switching from Windows, with a Windows 11-style layout.PC utilitiesOpen source
MakeOnline automation service (formerly Integromat) where you build workflows on a visual diagram.Web & online business
BrevoEmail marketing service (formerly Sendinblue) whose free plan sends 300 emails a day to unlimited contacts.Web & online business
LM StudioDesktop app for finding, downloading and chatting with open AI models on your own computer.AI
LanguageTool15,236Open-source spelling and grammar checker for English and about 30 other languages.Office & PDFOpen source
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Alternatives to paid software
🎨 Design & photo
Photoshop6 alternativesPhoto editingIllustrator5 alternativesVector design and logoLightroom4 alternativesPhoto color grading and library management
CorelDRAW4 alternativesGraphic design and print
InDesign3 alternativesPage layout and publishingCanva5 alternativesTemplate-based designFigma3 alternativesWeb and app UI design🎬 Video & audio
Premiere Pro5 alternativesVideo editing
CapCut5 alternativesShort-form video editing for TikTok and Reels
Bandicam3 alternativesScreen recording
Audition3 alternativesAudio recording and editing
FL Studio4 alternativesMusic and beat production📄 Office & PDF
Microsoft Office4 alternativesOffice suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)Microsoft Word4 alternativesWord processingMicrosoft Excel4 alternativesSpreadsheet
PowerPoint4 alternativesPresentationAdobe Acrobat6 alternativesPDF editing and conversion
Outlook3 alternativesEmail and calendar
Microsoft Visio3 alternativesDiagramming and flowchart
Microsoft Project4 alternativesProject planning and scheduling📐 CAD, 3D & statistics
AutoCAD4 alternatives2D and 3D CAD drafting
SketchUp3 alternatives3D modeling for architecture and interiors
SPSS5 alternativesStatistical analysis🗂️ Notes & teamwork
Notion6 alternativesNotes, docs and task management
Evernote5 alternativesNote-taking
Trello4 alternativesKanban board
Jira4 alternativesIssue tracking and software project managementSlack4 alternativesTeam chatZoom4 alternativesVideo conferencing🧰 PC utilities
WinRAR4 alternativesFile compression
IDM (Internet Download Manager)3 alternativesDownload managerTeamViewer5 alternativesRemote desktop
Google Drive, Dropbox3 alternativesCloud storage and file sync
LastPass, 1Password4 alternativesPassword manager
Windows3 alternativesOperating system🛒 Web & online business
Zapier4 alternativesWorkflow automation
Google Analytics4 alternativesWeb analytics
Mailchimp3 alternativesEmail marketing
Shopify4 alternativesE-commerce platform🤖 AI
FAQ
Is it legal to use these free apps?
Yes. Every app here is offered free of charge by its own developers or is open source. We only link to official download pages, never to cracked or pirated software.
What is the difference between open source and free?
Open source code is public: anyone can use it, including businesses, and the community can keep developing it. Freeware only costs nothing while the code stays closed. Freemium means a lasting free plan with paid tiers for more features.
Why not just use a cracked version?
Cracked software often ships with malware that steals passwords and bank logins or mines cryptocurrency, gets no security updates, and exposes businesses to licensing claims.
Where does the data come from?
Dorabot writes and checks every entry against the official website of each app. GitHub stars, last commit and the Health score are pulled automatically from GitHub; screenshots are of each official homepage. Spotted a mistake or want to suggest an app? Let us know.