Software directory

Last reviewed

29 well-known apps for everyday jobs, most of them free and open source. One line each on what they do.

Security and privacy

  • Cryptomator

    Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS · Free desktop, open source

    Encrypts files before they go to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or other cloud storage.

  • Have I Been Pwned

    Web · Free

    Checks whether your email address has turned up in a known data breach.

  • uBlock Origin

    Firefox and other browsers · Free, open source

    Blocks ads, trackers and many malicious sites in your browser.

  • VeraCrypt

    Windows, Mac, Linux · Free, open source

    Creates encrypted drives and containers, and can encrypt a whole USB stick or disk.

Password managers

  • Bitwarden

    Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, browsers · Free plan, open source

    Stores your passwords and syncs them across your devices and browsers.

  • KeePassDX

    Android · Free, open source

    Opens and edits KeePass password files on Android, with no account needed.

  • KeePassXC

    Windows, Mac, Linux · Free, open source

    Keeps your passwords in an encrypted file on your own computer, with no cloud account.

Backup

  • Clonezilla

    Runs from USB on most PCs · Free, open source

    Makes an exact copy (image) of a whole disk for backup or moving to a new drive.

  • Duplicati

    Windows, Mac, Linux · Free, open source

    Makes encrypted, scheduled backups to an external drive or cloud storage.

  • Rescuezilla

    Runs from USB on most PCs · Free, open source

    A point-and-click way to image, restore or clone a whole disk.

  • restic

    Windows, Mac, Linux · Free, open source

    A fast, encrypted backup tool for people happy to use the command line.

  • Time Machine

    Mac (built in) · Free

    The Mac's built-in backup to an external drive, with older versions of your files.

System and hardware info

  • CPU-Z

    Windows, Android · Free

    Shows your processor, memory and motherboard details.

  • CrystalDiskInfo

    Windows · Free, open source

    Reads the health and temperature of your hard drives and SSDs.

  • HWiNFO

    Windows · Free for personal use

    Lists your PC's hardware in detail and shows live temperatures, speeds and power.

  • MemTest86+

    Runs from USB on most PCs · Free, open source

    Tests your computer's memory (RAM) for faults.

Battery health

  • AccuBattery

    Android · Free, with paid extras

    Estimates your phone battery's remaining capacity from how it charges.

  • BatteryInfoView

    Windows · Free

    Shows a laptop battery's design capacity, current full charge capacity and wear.

  • coconutBattery

    Mac · Free, with paid extras

    Shows battery health and charge cycles for your Mac, and for a connected iPhone or iPad.

  • Windows battery report

    Windows (built in) · Free

    Running "powercfg /batteryreport" saves a report with your laptop battery's capacity history.

File transfer

  • KDE Connect

    Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS · Free, open source

    Links your phone and computer to share files, links and notifications.

  • LocalSend

    Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS · Free, open source

    Sends files between nearby devices on the same Wi-Fi, with no account or cloud.

  • Syncthing

    Windows, Mac, Linux, Android · Free, open source

    Keeps folders in sync between your own devices, without a cloud service.

  • WinSCP

    Windows · Free, open source

    Copies files to and from servers and NAS boxes over SFTP and FTP.

Media

  • Audacity

    Windows, Mac, Linux · Free, open source

    Records and edits audio.

  • HandBrake

    Windows, Mac, Linux · Free, open source

    Converts videos to other formats and smaller sizes.

  • OBS Studio

    Windows, Mac, Linux · Free, open source

    Records your screen and camera, or streams them live.

  • VLC

    Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS · Free, open source

    Plays almost any video or audio file.

USB drives

  • Rufus

    Windows · Free, open source

    Makes bootable USB sticks, for example to install Windows or Linux.

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