replace costly subscriptions with free alternatives to popular programs.
by beth ziesenis
app of the week
february is free and open source software (foss) month! we nerds celebrate the programmers and developers who share their creations so that we all benefit.
more apps of the week: make your computer a clean slate | recycle and repurpose old devices | enlist ai for more productive meetings | keep teams on task with project management apps | apps to put your affairs in order | app of the week: celebrate black business month | app of the week: cheap flights | help your clients save money | time to upgrade your spreadsheets | app of the week: secretly stash cash | easy apps for increasing client engagement with video | app of the week: grow your business knowledge and career skill sets | app of the week: upgrade your resume | app of the week: end procrastination |
see all: apps of the week here |
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to celebrate, check out these free open-source options that hold their own against the well-known paid versions.
most of these apps have also been ranked in techradar’s best open software of 2023, so happy testing!
audacity – 
open-source audio editing tool: highly rated by users looking for basic auditing tools or getting started on podcasts. audacity was ranked six out of 10 with 4.5 stars because it supports direct streaming, works with almost all audio files and is expandable with plugins. however, audacity does not currently have a mobile app.
gimp
– adobe photoshop-like image editor: though users say gimp can also take a bit of time to learn (like photoshop), it is lauded for its customizable interface. gimp was ranked number three with five stars for its advanced editing tools and the ability to add layers, filters and masks.
keepass
– free password manager: passwords can be stored in an encrypted database, which can be unlocked with one master key. with three stars, keepass was ranked number seven for its two-factor authentication and for being completely portable (it can be stored on a usb drive), but keepass lost some points for being basic. however, this is worth trying for those who prefer simple (and free).
libreoffice
– microsoft office’s free competitor: this program garnered the number one rating, and it’s easy to see why. “with support for documents, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, diagrams and mathematical formulae,” libreoffice is better a preserving microsoft file formats. with a full set of office apps and many templates, libreoffice earned a 4.5-star rating. its downside? libreoffice is not cloud-based in a world that is increasingly so.
scribus – free desktop publishing tool and microsoft publisher alternative: launched in 2001, scribus is one of the most popular desktop applications available. it supports professional publishing features like cmyk colors, spot colors, vector drawing tools and the ability to support multiple file types.