Collections

Hand-picked lists for a job or a kind of team, with a note on why each tool made it.

• 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.10 tools+5
• 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.11 tools+6
• 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.9 tools+4
• 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 2026.7 tools+2
• Private AI you can run on your own computerThese tools run AI models on your own machine, so prompts need not leave it. They differ in licence, interface and hardware needs, so the notes state each one.5 tools
• Best free tools for startupsFor founders who want a working stack before there is a budget. One pick per common need, chosen for how far the free plan goes on the job, not for commission.8 tools+3
• Open source alternatives to Adobe Creative CloudA free, open source replacement for each main Creative Cloud app. The established pick comes first, then its storytold Craft app, built as a like-for-like take on that Adobe app. Each note says how finished it is. Most single Adobe apps cost US$22.99/mo on an annual plan.16 tools+11
• Free tools for remote teamsFor small distributed teams that need to talk, meet, plan and share without paying per seat. Each pick is chosen on how much its free plan covers, and the limit to watch is noted.7 tools+2
• Self-hosted tools you can run on your own serverFor teams that want their chat, calls, site and mailing list on infrastructure they control. Every tool here says on its own site that you can run it yourself. You handle the server, updates and backups.8 tools+3
• The Craft apps: a free, open source creative and office suitestorytold's Craft apps each rebuild one well-known paid program from scratch, all free and open source under MIT or Apache-2.0. They are young, so each note names the program it targets and how finished its developers say it is.14 tools+9