What do you need to do?
Describe the job in your own words. We’ll show you the software that does it best, free, open source or paid, with an honest verdict on each.
How we recommend software
- Ranked by fit, never by commission
- Free and open source shown next to paid
- Prices checked on the official site
Head to head
All 89 comparisons- Sublime Text vs Notepad++Notepad++ is free and Windows-only; Sublime Text is paid but runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Pi-hole vs AdGuard HomeBoth are free, self-hosted DNS ad blockers; Pi-hole is Linux and Docker focused, AdGuard Home adds built-in encrypted DNS and per-client filtering options.
- Bitwarden vs VaultwardenBitwarden is the official service and software; Vaultwarden is an unofficial, Bitwarden-compatible server you host yourself.
- Dropbox vs SyncthingDropbox is a hosted sync and storage service; Syncthing is free open-source software that syncs between your own devices with no central server.
- ONLYOFFICE vs LibreOfficeBoth are free office suites; ONLYOFFICE adds self-hosted and cloud editing, LibreOffice has six desktop tools including Base and Draw.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro vs Stirling-PDFAcrobat Pro is a paid Adobe subscription; Stirling-PDF gives you 60+ PDF tools for free, with paid Team and Enterprise tiers for organisations.
Browse by job
All categories
Collections
All collections- Free Windows apps worth installingSmall, free tools that cover everyday jobs Windows doesn't handle well on its own. Every one is free with no subscription, and all but Everything are open source.
- Self-hosted apps to run on your own serverApps you install on a home server, NAS or rented server so your photos, passwords and files stay with you. All are free and open source. The trade-off is the same for each: you install, update and back them up yourself.
- Privacy tools for everyday lifeTools that keep your messages, email, browsing, passwords and files private. Every one publishes its source code. Claims about logging and audits are the vendors' own; we link to their pages so you can check them.
- Best free AI toolsOne free plan per job: chat assistant, images, voice, writing, meeting notes, slides and coding. Each note names the limit on the free plan, as listed on the vendor's own pages in October 2026.
Guides
All guides- How to choose a VPNTwo very different tools are both called a VPN. Here is how to tell which one you need, and when Proton VPN, Mullvad, Tailscale or WireGuard fits.
- How to block ads on every device at homeA browser blocker covers one device; a network blocker covers your whole home, including phones, TVs and game consoles. Here is how Brave, Firefox, Pi-hole and AdGuard Home compare.
- Self-hosting at home: where to startRunning your own photo backup, media server or password vault is easier than it sounds, but each app is yours to update and back up. Here is a sensible order to start in.
- Which AI assistant should you use?A plain comparison of ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity and Le Chat (now Mistral Vibe) by free plan, price and platforms, plus options for keeping data on your own computer.
One new comparison, every week
Two tools side by side with our verdict, in one short email. Unsubscribe any time.