The Best Free Tools in 2026
Our researchers reviewed official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation, to rank free tools on their core job, value for money and verified features. Because free tools span many kinds of software, compare each product’s intended use and the limits of its no-cost offering.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
VLC media player#1 of 339.4/10A free, open-source player for broad-format playback across desktop and mobile.
Free plan
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Runner-up
Visual Studio Code#2 of 339.3/10A free editor with coding tools and extensions for solo work through enterprise teams.
Free plan
-
Top-ranked free plan
7-Zip#3 of 339.2/10A free, open-source choice for archive creation, extraction, and command-line work.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 33 tools, best first
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Best forFree media playback across devices
A free, open-source player for broad-format playback across desktop and mobile.
- Open source
9.4/10★★★★★Visit VideoLAN -
Best forFree coding and extensible text editing
A free editor with coding tools and extensions for solo work through enterprise teams.
- Open source
9.3/10★★★★★Visit site -
Best forFree archive creation and extraction
A free, open-source choice for archive creation, extraction, and command-line work.
- Open source
9.2/10★★★★★Visit 7-Zip -
Best forFree multitrack audio editing and recording
A capable free desktop editor for multitrack recording, cleanup, and effects.
- Open source
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Audacity -
Best forFree video conversion and batch encoding
A desktop transcoder with batch queues, presets, subtitle tools, and configurable encoding.
- Open source
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit HandBrake -
Best forFree desktop recording and live streaming
A capable desktop capture and mixing toolkit for creators who want control without a software fee.
- Open source
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit OBS Studio -
Best forFree video editing, color, and audio post
A capable free post-production suite, with Studio adding higher frame rates, resolution and tools.
8.8/10★★★★☆Try DaVinci Resolve -
Best forPeople who want free browsing across devices
A free browser with tracking protection, sync, and extensions across desktop and mobile.
- Open source
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Firefox -
Best forPeople seeking free browsing with tracker blocking
Brave pairs privacy protections with familiar extensions and cross-device sync.
- Open source
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Brave -
Best forFree layer-based image editing
A capable free raster editor for layered desktop work, with no native RAW processing.
- Open source
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit GIMP -
Best forArtists seeking free digital painting and 2D animation
A free painting toolkit with configurable brushes, layered editing and 2D animation.
- Open source
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Krita -
Best forFree SVG and vector graphics editing
A capable desktop choice for SVG illustration, typography, and technical graphics.
- Open source
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Inkscape -
Best forFree 3D modeling, animation, and rendering
A free desktop suite covering modeling, animation, rendering, VFX, and video editing.
- Open source
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Blender -
Best forFree desktop slide presentations
A free desktop presentation tool with PowerPoint compatibility, PDF export and presenter controls.
- Open source
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit LibreOffice -
Best forFree desktop email and calendar management
A free email client that brings multiple accounts, calendar, and tasks together.
- Open source
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Thunderbird -
Best forFree password management with browser autofill
A free, local password manager with encrypted storage, passkeys, TOTP, and browser autofill.
- Open source
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit KeePassXC -
Best forFree local password storage on desktop
A capable free desktop vault for users who want local control and extensibility.
- Open source
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit KeePass -
Best forFree document creation and collaboration
A free, accessible word processor with real-time collaboration and Word/PDF support.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Google Docs -
Best forFree encrypted messaging and calls
Free encrypted messages, calls, and group chats, with optional paid media backups.
- Open source
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Signal -
Best forFree visual task tracking for small teams
A flexible visual task tracker with a useful free tier and paid views for growing workflows.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Trello -
Best forFree collaborative spreadsheets
A free spreadsheet tool for shared editing, Excel files, and offline access.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Google Sheets -
Best forFree cloud storage and file sharing
A capable free starting point with clear paths to more shared or business storage.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Google Drive -
Best forTeams wanting free chat organized into channels
A capable free team chat, with limited searchable history and app connections.
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Slack -
Best forFree notes, wikis, and simple databases
A flexible free workspace for organizing notes, shared knowledge, and simple databases.
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Notion -
Best forFree collaborative design and prototyping
A free collaborative design workspace, with paid plans for larger libraries and controls.
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Figma -
Best forFree open-source interface design
A free, open-source design tool with responsive layouts, prototypes, and team collaboration.
- Open source
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Penpot -
Best forFree visual brainstorming and workshops
A capable free whiteboard for workshops, with a three-board limit.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Miro -
Best forFree video meetings and screen sharing
A flexible meeting service with a useful free tier and paid plans for larger groups.
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Zoom -
Best forFree PDF edits with design assets
A free PDF editor that pairs document changes with Canva’s design library and collaboration tools.
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Canva -
Best forTeams seeking free, self-hosted collaboration
A broad collaboration suite for teams that want file sharing and communication under one roof.
- Open source
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Nextcloud Hub -
Best forFree desktop video editing
A capable free editor for local multitrack work, capture, grading, and high-resolution export.
- Open source
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Shotcut -
Best forFree relational databases and lightweight apps
A flexible free database for small workloads, with a 1,000-record limit per base.
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Airtable -
Best forIndividuals with basic file sync and sharing needs
A straightforward free sync and sharing plan, limited to 2 GB and one user.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Dropbox
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Open source | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VLC media player | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | Visual Studio Code | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.3 |
| 3 | 7-Zip | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.2 |
| 4 | Audacity | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.1 |
| 5 | HandBrake | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.0 |
| 6 | OBS Studio | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.9 |
| 7 | DaVinci Resolve | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 8 | Mozilla Firefox | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.7 |
| 9 | Brave Browser | Yes | $59.99 one-time | Yes | 8.6 |
| 10 | GIMP | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.5 |
| 11 | Krita | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.4 |
| 12 | Inkscape | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.3 |
| 13 | Blender | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.2 |
| 14 | LibreOffice Impress | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.1 |
| 15 | Mozilla Thunderbird | Yes | Free | Yes | 8.0 |
| 16 | KeePassXC | Yes | Free | Yes | 7.9 |
| 17 | KeePass Password Safe | Yes | Free | Yes | 7.8 |
| 18 | Google Docs | Yes | $7/user/mo | 7.7 | |
| 19 | Signal | Yes | $1.99/mo | Yes | 7.6 |
| 20 | Trello | Yes | $5/user/mo | 7.5 | |
| 21 | Google Sheets | Yes | $7/user/mo | No | 7.5 |
| 22 | Google Drive | Yes | $1.99/mo | No | 7.4 |
| 23 | Slack | Yes | $7.25/user/mo | 7.2 | |
| 24 | Notion | Yes | $10/user/mo | No | 7.1 |
| 25 | Figma | Yes | No | 7.0 | |
| 26 | Penpot | Yes | $7/user/mo | Yes | 6.9 |
| 27 | Miro | Yes | $8/user/mo | 6.8 | |
| 28 | Zoom Meetings | Yes | No | 6.7 | |
| 29 | Canva PDF Editor | Yes | No | 6.6 | |
| 30 | Nextcloud Hub | Yes | Yes | 6.5 | |
| 31 | Shotcut | Yes | Free | Yes | 6.4 |
| 32 | Airtable | Yes | $20/user/mo | No | 6.3 |
| 33 | Dropbox Basic | Yes | 6.2 |
Head-to-head All 28 comparisons →
- VLC media player vs Visual Studio Code
- VLC media player vs 7-Zip
- VLC media player vs Audacity
- VLC media player vs HandBrake
- VLC media player vs OBS Studio
- VLC media player vs DaVinci Resolve
- VLC media player vs Mozilla Firefox
- Visual Studio Code vs 7-Zip
- Visual Studio Code vs Audacity
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How we rank free tools
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update