The internet is the best and most diverse medium we have today, and everyone uses it daily for a variety of things. However, despite the record breaking number of users and advances and breakthroughs that are all around us, many still fail to realize just how great things are and how many free options there are. Subscriptions are increasingly being introduced across the board, and many platforms, services, products, apps, and programs require a monthly fee.
In this guide, we talk about 10 of the best free platforms and programs that everyone should and can use in their daily lives. Doing so will leave more time for you to have fun and entertain yourself, which is when the 10CRIC app comes into play to take the edge off.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. Office and Productivity – Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides)
- 2 2. Communication – ProtonMail
- 3 3. Cloud Storage – MEGA
- 4 4. Creativity and Design – Photopea
- 5 5. Learning and Skill Building – Khan Academy
- 6 6. File Management and Conversion – ILovePDF
- 7 7. Coding and Development – Replit
- 8 8. Security and Privacy – Bitwarden
- 9 9. News and Information – Feedly
- 10 10. Web Browsing – Brave Browser
1. Office and Productivity – Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides)
Google’s free office suite allows for real time collaboration, autosaves your work to the cloud, and supports exporting in Microsoft Office formats. Gone are the days when Microsoft Office was the only option, one that you had to pay a hefty license for both for home and business use. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are more than enough for any sort of work, studying, or private affairs. It is accessible from any device with internet access and requires no software installation. It is already a standard in many areas, but it needs to be used a lot more often.
2. Communication – ProtonMail
Need a secure, privacy focused email service for all of your needs? This is it. Based in Switzerland, the quality is guaranteed. It offers end to end encryption, there are no ads, and strong protection from data mining. These options make it ideal for personal or professional communication with privacy in mind, especially if you want to escape corporate oversight from the usual email services.
3. Cloud Storage – MEGA
This cloud service provides 20GB of free internet storage with end to end encryption, perfect for the usual stuff, but also some more private and sensitive data that you want to hide from others. MEGA emphasizes security and privacy and has a simple drag and drop interface for storing, sharing, and syncing files. Even if you do not have anything important to hide, using this free space is great in the rapidly digitalized world where storage is limited.
4. Creativity and Design – Photopea
Want Photoshop level tools, but without breaking a buck and doing it more easily? Here is a free, browser based photo editor that closely resembles Adobe Photoshop in layout and features. It fully supports PSD files and offers advanced editing tools without requiring downloads or sign ups. Perfect for on the go, time sensitive side projects or for users who do not care about advanced tools and need the basics for everyday touchups.
5. Learning and Skill Building – Khan Academy
Familiar with the go to learning and skill building solutions? Well, Khan Academy is similar, but better. It offers a comprehensive, ad free learning platform covering math, science, economics, history, and more. If you wanted a Duolingo type app for something other than languages, here is one that is great for all ages, with structured lessons, practice exercises, and video explanations.
6. File Management and Conversion – ILovePDF
PDFs are more important than anyone wants them to be, or believes they are. For a versatile online tool that lets you merge, split, compress, and convert PDF files easily, ILovePDF is the best option. It runs in the browser, requires no account for basic features, and is extremely user friendly. Simplicity galore.
7. Coding and Development – Replit
Replit is a collaborative, browser based coding environment that supports dozens of programming languages. It allows you to build, run, and host applications, and is great for beginners and advanced users alike. Getting down the basics has never been easier, so make sure to try it out if you suddenly need or want to learn the ropes.
8. Security and Privacy – Bitwarden
Think about how many platforms and services you use, and how many passwords and logins you have to remember. A free and open source password manager is a must in this day and age, one that securely stores login credentials and syncs across devices. Bitwarden is there for this, as it supports browser extensions and uses zero knowledge encryption, which means only you have access to your data.
9. News and Information – Feedly
It matters where you get your news these days, for more than one reason. Feedly is a customizable RSS feed reader that lets you follow news sources, blogs, and YouTube channels all in one place. It is a great way to streamline information intake and avoid algorithm driven news feeds and biases of certain pages.
10. Web Browsing – Brave Browser
And where exactly should you do all of this, or look for stuff on the whole? Well, the best free browser available. Brave is a fast, secure browser built on Chromium that blocks ads and trackers by default. It enhances privacy, reduces data usage, and offers features like built in Tor browsing and cryptocurrency based rewards for opting into privacy respecting ads. It is the browser to have, both on your PC and mobile.