Every year at this time, PCMag takes a look at what is worth installing on your PC— software that's totally free that does the job as well as, if not better, than the big boys. That's not to say programs from Microsoft, Adobe, and hundreds of other developers aren't worthwhile, but you should always be aware of your options, especially when they're free.
With that in mind, we're here again to gather the best of the freebies. First, we re-examined our picks from last year's story (The Best Free Software of 2010) to ensure they're still worth installing and that they're still freeware. Of course, we also took a look at all of the great free software announced in the last 12 months.
The list is primarily productivity apps for Windows users (mainly Vista and Windows 7, with some XP tools)—the kind you download and install to your hard drive. However, we make frequent note of other places the apps can run:
Mac: Indicates there's a free version that also works on MacOS (Check out our Best Free Mac Software 2010 for a more comprehensive list.)
Linux: Indicates that a version is available for the various distros of the free operating system.
Web: Indicates that the app has a complimentary version online. (We'll be bringing you a Best Free Web Apps story soon.)
Mobile: This means there's a version for a smartphone. (Want more phone apps? See our Top 100 Free Apps for Your Phone 2010 story.)
Portable: This denotes that you can put the app on a USB drive and run it on a Windows computer without having to do a full installation. You can find out more about them at PortableApps.com.
Did we miss any great no-cost programs? Let us know about your favorite freebie in the comments below.
Yes, you can jump to your favorite category. Check out the table below our slideshow, use the table of contents to the right, or click here to get started.
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