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The best free software that's completely safe (we've checked)
Discover how to save money with brilliant free office software, photos editors and more – plus how to stay safe when downloading
You could easily spend hundreds on software every year now that many developers have switched to annual or monthly subscriptions.
Microsoft 365 Personal, for instance, costs £60 a year for an individual subscription. Adobe’s Photoshop is £22 a month. We've also seen paid-for antivirus software that can cost as much as £90 every year in renewal fees.
But here's the good news – there are excellent free equivalents for all these programs and more. Below, we explore the best free software and explain how to avoid data-grabbing malware.
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Be careful when installing downloaded files. Many dodgy websites peddle illegal ‘cracked’ versions of paid-for tools and these can be stuffed with malware.
- Only download software from trusted sources – get into the habit of only using HTTPS websites (look for a padlock icon in your URL bar). These sites encrypt data between your device and the site, adding a layer of security. While not foolproof, this is a good sign of trustworthiness.
- Be careful when you click a download button on a website – a common technique among disreputable software makers is to disguise adverts as fake download buttons to trick you into installing unwanted software.
- Keep your security software updated – the best antivirus software will spot and block malicious or unwanted downloads.
Office software
LibreOffice
- At a glance: An offline office suite with word processing, spreadsheets and presentations.
- Available from: libreoffice.org
Built by a worldwide community of hundreds of developers and released as open-source software, LibreOffice is a great example of the high-quality free tools currently available.
This is a fully featured office suite, with its key components being Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets) and Impress (presentations). Into the bargain, you also get Draw (for creating vector graphics and flowcharts), Base (for building and managing databases), and Math (for formula editing).
LibreOffice also has the advantage of being a traditional installable program and can be used offline, unlike free cloud-based office tools (more on that shortly). And LibreOffice’s files are compatible with Office files, so you can open and edit these, even if you don’t have Word or Excel installed.
Google Docs
- At a glance: A cloud-based word processor that lets multiple users work on the same document simultaneously.
- Available from: google.com/docs
Unlike LibreOffice, Google Docs is cloud-based, so you don't need to download any files to your PC – just visit the URL above with a Google account. If you want to access documents from your phone, you can grab the free Google Docs app.
You can control the permissions for every document that you type up or import (Microsoft Word files are supported). For example, you can invite other users to collaborate or add comments and suggestions to the copy. Changes are automatically saved, too, so you can revisit older versions of the text if needed.
Other handy features include spelling and grammar checks, the ability to convert a document to a PDF, and custom add-ons – including AI-powered suggestions for your copy.
Take steps to keep your personal information hidden from prying eyes – learn how to keep your data safe when using public wi-fi.
Microsoft 365 (free version)
- At a glance: A free productivity suite that bundles in 5GB of cloud storage.
- Available from: microsoft.com
Another cloud-based service that can be accessed via any web browser. It provides free word processing, spreadsheet and presentation tools – simply log in with your free Microsoft account to get started.
Microsoft 365 is convenient as, like Google Docs, it comes with a small amount of cloud storage and can be accessed from any device with an active internet connection. A free account gets you 5GB of space (via OneDrive), which is more than enough for most people just using the tool to type up documents.
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Photo editing
Paint.net
- At a glance: A free editing tool with support for layers, filters and airbrushing.
- Available from: getpaint.net
Paint.net was originally designed as an unofficial replacement for the very basic Microsoft Paint tool that comes built into Windows, so the interface should feel familiar.
That said, the program provides a powerful set of features, some of which are usually reserved for expensive paid programs, such as a clone brush (for removing unwanted elements from your photos), support for layers and unlimited levels of undo. It also has a range of special effects and filters for you to play around with.
Note that the Microsoft Store app version of Paint.net isn’t free.
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)
- At a glance: A Photoshop alternative that lets you remove unwanted objects from images.
- Available from: gimp.org
GIMP is an open-source photo editor and an alternative to consider if you don't want to pay for Adobe Photoshop. It offers a slightly more advanced set of image-editing tools than Paint.net, but also represents a steeper learning curve.
You can customise the interface to suit your needs, which means your most-used tools can live in their own dedicated space. There's also layer support, photo enhancement tools for removing unwanted objects and a host of custom brushes to give your work a unique look.
If you're dealing with an image that needs a hit of colour, you can manually bump up the saturation levels. You can try GIMP on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Wondering whether a MacBook will suit you? Go to best MacBooks to find out more and to see the best prices from reputable retailers.
Pixlr Express
- At a glance: a browser-based editor with templates, AI plugins and a collage maker tool.
- Available from: pixlr.com
The free version of Pixlr Express allows you to edit up to three images per day.
Either drag and drop a photo from your yellow File Explorer folder, or click Open Image and browse for a photo you want to edit. If you see a message about resizing your image, choose Ultra HD – this is the maximum resolution Pixlr Express currently allows.
Once the picture is uploaded, you can use the tools on the left to adjust your image, add effects, text and more. Once you’re done, click the Save button to download the edited version of the image back to your PC, choosing JPG as your file format when prompted.
Many free mobile apps are genuinely great, but some devious apps are designed to harvest your data, drain your device’s battery or worse.
- Use official app stores – avoid installing apps from external sources and instead stick with your device’s official app store. Apps from these official stores are checked for malware.
- Check the name and maker – before you install any app, check its name is spelled right and it’s published by the real company.
- Read the permissions – some apps request excessive permissions such as your location data, or access to your contacts. Find out what data each app collects by checking the Data safety (Google Play) or App Privacy (Apple App Store) section of their app store page.
- Be wary of reviews – negative ratings and reviews on app store pages make it easy to spot a shoddy app. Be skeptical of apps with a large number of five-star ratings.
- Watch out for auto-renewing subscriptions – some apps offer a free trial period but require you to sign up for a subscription first. We would be hesitant to do so, as it’s easy to forget to cancel your subscription before the trial period runs out.
Security software
As part of our rigorous security testing, we've been hands-on with plenty of popular free and paid-for antivirus programs including:
- Avast Free Antivirus – it's somewhat light on features, but as long as it gets the basics of security and anti-phishing right, it could be an excellent choice.
- Norton 360 Deluxe – this comes pre-installed on many laptops and it's a popular pick. It can be very expensive when you renew, though, which is why we've put it to the test.
- Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Windows – this software runs silently in the background and aims to keep you shielded from malware-ridden websites.
Our expert says:
'To ensure your data remains hidden from prying eyes, we attack free and paid-for antivirus software with tens of thousands of threats – including viruses, ransomware and phishing attacks.
'Which? members know which free antivirus software is safe to trust. In fact, the best free antivirus in our tests offers protection against malicious software that's just as strong, and in some cases even stronger, than paid alternatives.'
Callum Pears, Which? antivirus expert
Even more free tools
- Microsoft PC Manager – we’ve tried a preview version of this free maintenance utility and reckon it’s well worth installing once it’s widely available. It contains a selection of useful tools for cleaning up your PC, boosting performance and checking your system’s health.
- DuckDuckGo – If privacy is important to you, consider switching to a browser that lets you search the web anonymously, while blocking other companies from attempting to track you online and more.
- Calibre ebook manager – this open-source e-book manager is a great way to keep your digital library organised. You can use it to consolidate e-books from different locations, convert to and from various e-book formats and backup your collection.
- Audacity – this brilliant program is perfect for anyone looking to use their computer to record or edit audio files. You can use it to digitise tapes and LPs, record voice notes, create music and more.
- Thunderbird – Microsoft recently replaced its built-in Windows Mail and Calendar apps with a new Outlook app. If you’re not a fan, you could consider this free, open-source replacement email client, from the makers of the Firefox browser.
- VLC Media Player – it can be annoying when you try to play a media file, only to find it’s not in a format that your computer can understand. VLC is the answer to this. It’s a free ‘universal’ media player with built-in compatibility for a vast range of file formats.
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Additional reporting by Tom Morgan.
