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While there are many great commercial programs out there, there's always a free alternative to any software you can think of.

Although they may not all do everything you want, many free programs come very close to their commercial counterparts.

The following are the top ten alternatives to the most popular software in the world.





1. OpenOffice

OpenOffice is a free alternative to Microsoft Office. OpenOffice includes all of the same tools that perform exactly the same tasks, only under different names. OpenOffice may take some time getting used to, but if you already know how to use Microsoft Office, OpenOffice should be a breeze.

2. DropBox

DropBox is a free alternative to the many cloud-based storage platforms that charge you to store your files. DropBox is easy to use and can be accessed from any computer or Internet-enabled device in the world. Dropbox gives users 2 GB of storage for free, but users can purchase 200 GB for $20/month if they like.

3. GIMP

GIMP is a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop. GIMP is capable of all of the same tasks as Photoshop, but never asks you to pay for anything. In addition to its feature-rich interface, GIMP also includes many of the same identical tools that Photoshop has, allowing those who are familiar with Photoshop to easily switch to this free alternative.

4. Security Essentials

MS Security Essentials, provided by Microsoft, is an antivirus package that contains many different tools that compete with the leading antivirus programs, such as Norton, Kaspersky, and McAfee. Security Essentials includes a real-time shield, spyware detector, antivirus scanner, and regular scans at predetermined times. Like the other software alternatives listed here, MS Security Essentials is completely free.

5. Easeus Todo Backup

Easeus Todo Backup is a free backup software that allows users to backup their files to an online storage account that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Just like platforms that require you to pay for these services, Easeus Todo Backup also lets users to automatically backup new files that are created after a backup has been performed in order to save the maximum amount of data in the event of a catastrophic loss.

6. Express Accounts

Express Accounts is a free alternative to QuickBooks. Although Express Accounts doesn't have quite as many features as QuickBooks does, it is still a very powerful account software. Express Accounts allows users to keep track of their budgets, income, expenses, and even to-do lists from one simple user interface.

7. VirtualBox

VirtualBox is a free software that can be used on Mac, Windows, or Linux to emulate any of the other operating systems. This means that VirtualBox can be installed on a Windows computer in order to use a Mac program, or vice versa.


8. WinAmp

Winamp is a free alternative to iTunes that allows users to save a copy of their music, documents, videos, and other media on their iPod, Android, or Blackberry device. Although most people use WinAmp so they don't have to buy music from the Apple Store, it can also be useful to businesses that depend on mobile devices to playback and/or transfer media.

9. Express Encoder SP2

Express Encoder, a video recording software that allows users to record videos of their computer screen, has been available for quite some time. However, the original version of Express Encoder had a 10-minute limit on videos before users had to purchase the professional edition. Microsoft's latest version of the software, Express Encoder SP2, however, has no such limit.

10. Mozilla Thunderbird

Mozilla Thunderbird is a free alternative to Microsoft Outlook, allowing users to organize their email accounts from multiple providers in one spot. Like Outlook, Thunderbird allows users to switch between different accounts by simply clicking on them in the left-hand panel.

Which alternatives do you use?

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This is a guest post by Kole McRae for Web Design Toronto