Must-Have Free Apps for Every PC

Setting up a new PC or refreshing an old one? You don’t need to break the bank with paid software. In 2025, there are dozens of free apps that outperform premium counterparts — whether you’re a student, freelancer, content creator, developer, or just a casual user.

We’ve handpicked the ultimate list of free PC apps that are safe, powerful, and actively updated — no bloatware, no trials, and definitely no hidden charges.

Let’s dive into the essential free software every Windows PC user should install in 2025.

💼 Productivity Apps

1. LibreOffice – The Best Free Microsoft Office Alternative

Microsoft Office is great, but it’s not cheap. LibreOffice gives you a full suite: word processor, spreadsheet editor, presentation maker — all without cost.

• Includes: Writer (Word), Calc (Excel), Impress (PowerPoint)

• Supports all MS Office file types

• Regular updates & open-source

🔗 libreoffice.org

2. Notion – All-in-One Workspace

Notion is a game-changer for organizing your life. Combine notes, tasks, calendars, and wikis — all in one place.

• Syncs across desktop and mobile

• Ideal for students, teams, and solopreneurs

• Free plan gives more than enough

🔗 notion.so

3. SumatraPDF – Lightweight PDF & eBook Reader

Ditch Adobe’s heavy reader. SumatraPDF is lightning-fast, open-source, and handles PDFs, EPUBs, MOBIs, CBZs and more.

• Portable version available

• Minimalist UI with no ads

• Perfect for older PCs or low RAM

🔗 sumatrapdfreader.org

🌐 Web & Security Essentials

4. Brave Browser – Speed + Privacy + Built-In Ad Blocker

Chrome is fast, but Brave is faster — and more private. It blocks trackers, ads, and saves your bandwidth.

• Built-in VPN (premium)

• Earn crypto via Brave Rewards

• Chromium-based, supports Chrome extensions

🔗 brave.com

5. Proton VPN (Free Plan) – Unlimited VPN Without Logging

Most “free VPNs” either throttle you or sell your data. Proton VPN is an exception — unlimited data, no logs, and based in Switzerland.

• Works on Windows, macOS, Android

• Free plan has access to 3 countries

• No ads, no bandwidth limits

🔗 protonvpn.com

6. Bitwarden – Secure Password Manager

Bitwarden is the best free password manager out there — open-source, secure, and feature-rich.

• Generate, store, autofill passwords

• Browser extensions for all major browsers

• Cloud sync or self-hosted options

🔗 bitwarden.com

🎨 Design, Photo & Video Tools

7. Krita – Pro-Level Digital Art Software

Used by illustrators and animators worldwide, Krita is a free alternative to Photoshop and Procreate.

• Supports drawing tablets

• Animation tools included

• Perfect for comics, concept art, and more

🔗 krita.org

8. GIMP – Free Photoshop Alternative

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is robust enough for photographers, designers, and hobbyists.

• Layers, masks, plugins, and batch editing

• Supports PSD files

• Open-source and highly customizable

🔗 gimp.org

9. DaVinci Resolve – Hollywood-Grade Video Editing

A monster of a tool — DaVinci Resolve gives you color grading, effects, editing, and audio post-production for free.

• High learning curve, but worth it

• Supports 4K exports on free version

• Widely used in the film industry

🔗 blackmagicdesign.com

🎵 Media & Entertainment

10. VLC Media Player – Plays Literally Anything

Still the king. VLC plays every video/audio file format you throw at it.

• No ads, no codecs needed

• Stream YouTube or network files

• Convert media formats too

🔗 videolan.org

11. MusicBee – Organize Your Local Music Library

MusicBee is one of the best local music players — for people who still own music instead of streaming it.

• Auto-tagging, lyrics, skins, and podcast support

• Syncs with mobile devices

• Clean, customizable UI

🔗 getmusicbee.com

12. Audacity – Free Audio Editing Software

Whether you’re podcasting, editing music, or removing noise from a video, Audacity delivers.

• Multi-track editing

• Audio effects, plugins, and noise reduction

• Still completely free

🔗 audacityteam.org

🧹 System Utilities

13. Everything – The Fastest File Searcher on Windows

Forget Windows Search — “Everything” indexes your entire PC and finds files in milliseconds.

• Lightweight and blazing fast

• Great for large HDDs or servers

• No ads, no clutter

🔗 voidtools.com

14. ShareX – Advanced Screenshot & Screen Recorder

More powerful than Snipping Tool and even better than paid tools.

• Record screen, GIFs, scrolling screenshots

• Tons of editing and annotation options

• Upload to Imgur, Dropbox, or custom servers

🔗 getsharex.com

15. Rufus – Create Bootable USB Drives

Setting up a new Windows or Linux machine? Rufus is the best tool for flashing ISOs to USB drives.

• Tiny, portable, no install required

• Supports legacy and UEFI boot

• Works with Windows, Ubuntu, and more

🔗 rufus.ie

🧠 Bonus Picks for Specific Use-Cases

For Developers

• Visual Studio Code – Best code editor for every language

• Postman – API testing made easy

• Docker Desktop – Containerize everything (now with a free personal use tier)

For Remote Work

• Zoom – Still relevant in 2025

• Slack – For startups and teams

• Trello – Visual task management

For Gamers

• Steam – Game library and mod support

• MSI Afterburner – GPU overclocking and monitoring

• OBS Studio – Game streaming and recording

📊 Quick Recap: Core Essentials for Every PC in 2025

🧠 Don’t Pay for What You Don’t Need

In 2025, the software market is flooded with freemium junk. But if you know where to look, you can run a fully-optimized, ad-free, secure, and powerful PC without spending a dime.

Whether you’re a power user or casual browser, these free tools will help you work faster, stay protected, and get more done — all without bloated installs or license headaches.