Hello! Free applications have become extremely popular. Especially thanks to the introduction of different monetization systems. These systems in most cases use advertising to generate revenue. However, there are also cases where these applications offer optional services or products that are paid for. As a result, they may be able to do without advertising in whole or in part. In any case, the popularization of this type of product has had a very positive impact. Indeed, we can find many options and of great quality. On the other hand, quality is essential for them to be competitive. However, the user experience they offer is also key for them to become more interesting and attractive options. Especially for the user. All this motivated us to draw up a list with the 10 must-have free applications for Windows 10.
Free applications. Is it a good option?
When choosing a free application, it is normal to encounter doubts. For example, imagine you are hesitating between two file decompression applications. In fact, both offer a simple and easy-to-use interface. However, one of them has a less invasive advertising model that makes the experience more comfortable. Obviously, you will end up opting for the latter, provided that both have the same level of quality.
Certainly, having many free applications to decide from is an excellent thing. On the other hand, it also has a downside. Indeed, this makes it quite difficult to differentiate between those that are really worthwhile and those that are not. That is another main reason for approaching the writing of this post. We want to guide you to know the 10 must-have free applications for Windows 10.
Ten free applications for Windows that you shouldn’t miss out on.
File compression and decompression: 7-Zip
It is a veteran that, frankly, needs no introduction. It is true that Windows can work natively with certain types of compressed files. However, it does so at a basic level. Consequently, eventually, it is essential to have a tool capable of decompressing in different formats.
7-Zip is one of the best free applications for Windows because it does just that. That is, it can compress and decompress using numerous formats. In addition, it is very light and easy to use, and it is not intrusive at all. Therefore, we can use it without having to deal with unwanted advertising or any kind of annoyance. Its interface can be improved, but it is intuitive, so we can’t say anything bad about it. This one of the must-have free applications for Windows 10.
Music streaming: Spotify
This is undoubtedly the best application to play free music streaming. It has a very neat interface. In addition, it offers a considerable variety of musical styles and songs. It certainly covers different eras. Therefore, it is an interesting option for both younger and older users.
For its monetization, it uses advertising. Certainly, it can be a bit annoying at times. However, it is worth the sacrifice for all the good things it offers. For example, all the music it puts on our device and the little space it occupies (about 200 MB). It is also a very intuitive and easy to use tool. Consequently, it is one of the best free applications available in its class. Certainly, some advocate the use of YouTube. But eventually, it also uses advertising and can display ads for several minutes’ duration. Moreover, if we can’t skip them because we are doing something else, we will be condemned to listen to them. In addition to bandwidth consumption.
Editing PDF files: PDFescape
Working with PDF files can be a bit tricky. Especially, if we have to perform editing tasks. Indeed, these tasks usually require the use of premium versions of applications that in their free model only allow you to view text. Fortunately, with PDFescape we have this problem solved. There are two versions of this application. The online version, which allows us to edit PDF files that weigh a maximum of 10 MB and have less than 100 pages. On the other hand, there is the Windows application, which in its free version offers numerous functions. For example, the creation of PDF files from more than 300 file types, printing and viewing.
Culture and learning: Wikipedia
Wikipedia has become the most popular and widely used encyclopedia in the world. Moreover, it has been a fundamental tool to achieve the democratization of access to culture and knowledge. It was born as a dream of having an almost infinite source of wisdom, instantly accessible and free of charge to anyone in the world. This regardless of their social position or economic level. We can say that it has fulfilled its mission.
We can use it in its online version. However, it also has a dedicated application that is totally free and open source. In addition, it does not use advertising. On the other hand, and puts at our disposal more than 40 million articles in more than 300 languages. I think with these credentials, it is easy to understand why it is one of the best free applications of its kind. It can be downloaded directly from the Microsoft Store.
Games & Entertainment: Steam
More than one may have been surprised to see Steam on this list of best free apps. However, it deserves to be on the list. This app is much more than a digital game store. In fact, we will have access to a gigantic community of PC gamers, and we will also be able to download and enjoy many free games.
Similarly, we have the guarantees and security offered by Steam, and the promotions held periodically. Thanks to them, we can get games that are usually paid for completely free. With the addition that we will never encounter unwanted advertising or invasive actions.
Remote management and use of computers: TeamViewer
The management and use of remote equipment has become a very useful solution to get out of many situations. Thanks to this type of tools, we can access those contents or files that we have forgotten to take with us. We can also help family and friends who have problems with their computers, even if we cannot be present in person.
TeamViewer is one of the most veteran applications within the management and use of remote computers. In addition, it remains one of the best because it is free and effortless to use. Additionally, it presents a high degree of maturity, and it does not matter the operating system of the computer to which we want to connect remotely. That is, it has a high degree of maturity and also does not matter the operating system of the computer to which we would like to connect remotely.
Web browsing and Internet: Chrome
I understand that everyone has their own favorite browser. Therefore, it is very likely that this is the most controversial choice in this list. But undoubtedly, ultimately, Chrome is one of the best free applications in its category. This browser is very fast, has a basic and intuitive interface. Additionally, it allows you to install numerous extensions and has a wide range of advanced features that will make your life easier.
It is certainly not the perfect option. Its resource consumption (RAM above all) is high. However, it makes up for it by offering excellent performance and a high level of features.
Office automation and work: LibreOffice
Microsoft Office is one of the most widely used office automation solutions worldwide. Sadly, to enjoy its full potential, it is necessary to make a significant outlay. If we cannot, or do not want to, spend money on such a tool, no problem. In fact, thanks to LibreOffice, we can enjoy a very complete office ecosystem without spending a penny.
LibreOffice has splendid maturity, is stable and supports most of the files and formats used in Microsoft Office. Besides, it has a great variety of tools that will allow us to edit texts, work with spreadsheets, create presentations and much more. It is also important to note that its requirements are very low. Consequently, we can use this suite on computers with few resources without any problem.
Cloud storage: Google Drive
Cloud storage has become a popular solution for backups that are completely immune to local issues. For example, if we back up to the second storage unit of our PC, we may be spared from a failure on the first unit. However, we still run a significant risk if a general failure occurs that affects both drives.
Backing up to the cloud completely gets rid of this issue. In addition, thanks to Google Drive we can access one of the best platforms that exist. Both for performance and for functions and features. Just by downloading the application and start using it, we can enjoy a total of 15 GB of free storage. Which is enough to save those photos that matter so much to us.
Image editing: Paint.NET
Editing images can be a bit complicated. Especially, if we are just starting out and don’t have the slightest idea of what we are doing. Luckily, there are free applications that offer a simple and intuitive interface. They also offer basic editing tasks in a matter of seconds, even if you are inexperienced. We can affirm that this is one of the must-have free applications for Windows 10.
In this respect, Paint.NET is one of the best tools of its kind. In fact, it greatly surpasses the classic Paint that comes with Windows. At the same time, it is not overloading, i.e., it does not overwhelm the user with a huge amount of confusing and unhelpful options. If you’re looking for something superior, GIMP should be your choice. We can say that it is one of the best free open-source applications out there. Very well, this way we have completed the count of the 10 must-have free applications for Windows 10. Bye!
