Disk analysis tool with treemap views, duplicate file detection, and cleanup actions. Works offline and ad-free on Windows as an open-source project.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Windows
+2
- +61
This is a list that prefers open-source and lightweight Windows applications. A few partially open-source or proprietary applications may be added if there are no great alternatives.
Read the descriptions, as I wrote most of them, which gives advice on similar apps or other things to take into account.
Comment at the bottom if you believe anything should be updated or have any questions.
WinAudit is an inventory utility for Windows computers. It creates a comprehensive report on a machine's configuration, hardware and software. WinAudit is free, open source and can be used or distributed by anyone.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Windows
Free command-line tool for recovering lost partitions, repairing non-booting disks, supporting multiple file systems and converting disks to basic format.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- Haiku
+1
DMDE (DM Disk Editor and Data Recovery Software) is a data recovery and disk management tool for Windows, macOS, Linux and DOS.
Cost / License
- Freemium
- Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- MS-DOS
Free, user-friendly disk cloning and imaging software, boots from USB for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Supports Clonezilla backups and virtual machine images.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Linux
+6
For backing up your entire system.
Alternatively, check Hasleo, the only good free option currently to backup and restore to any new computer with different hardware.
Media
Cross-platform, free media player supports multimedia files, DVDs, streaming, offers hardware acceleration, 4K, lossless audio, and more.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Windows Mobile
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- BSD
- HUAWEI AppGallery
- iPad
- AppImageHub
- Apple Watch
- Snapcraft
- Google Chrome
- Apple TV
- Flathub
- PortableApps.com
- F-Droid
- Kindle Fire
- Haiku
- Android TV
- OpenAPK
- Homebrew
- Chocolatey
- Xbox
+4
Open-source media player.
Alternatively, SMPLayer, better performance than VLC, and easy subtitle support. You can also easily fine-tune the picture and audio. SMplayer:
SMPlayerOr for lower resource usage, use the CLI, MPlayer:
MPlayerOr a lightweight option for playing large music folders on shuffle, MPC-HC:
MPC-HC
A fast, secure, and minimalist C++ image viewer for Windows. It's a single ~82 KB executable with zero telemetry and broad image support.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Windows
Free e-book manager offering library management, multi-format conversion, syncing to devices, news download as e-books, built-in viewer, editor, and privacy.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- Self-Hosted
- Flathub
- PortableApps.com
- Homebrew
- Haiku
+3
Robust, open-source ebook manager, editor, and converter.
Command line program that's a
youtube-dl fork that downloads videos from YouTube and over 1000 sites. The main focus of this project is adding new features and patches while also keeping up to date with the original project.Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- Linux Mobile
- Termux
- Haiku
Tenacity is an easy-to-use, privacy-friendly, FLOSS, cross-platform multi-track audio editor/recorder for Windows, macOS, Linux and other operating systems.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Flathub
- Haiku
- FreeBSD
Open-source audio editor. It is a fork of audacity that respect privacy more.
Alternatively, Audacity:
Audacity
Intuitive multi-track video editor with robust hardware-accelerated support; offers chroma key, color grading, and extensive audio/video format compatibility.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- KDE Plasma
- Snapcraft
- Flathub
- Flatpak
+2
An alternative to Premiere Pro. Not as good as Premiere yet though.
Alternatively, Shotcut:
Shotcut
An open-source multithreaded video transcoder, HandBrake compresses and converts digital media, supporting MP4, MKV formats, and offers hardware-accelerated conversion.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- Snapcraft
- Flathub
- Haiku
- Flatpak
Open-source video converter. Not really necessary if you have a good editor like Premiere Pro. But it works well.
A completely free and open-source desktop image editor faithfully replicating classic Adobe Photoshop with 1:1 native PSD/PSB compatibility.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
+3
Convenience/Other
FreeFileSync is a folder comparison and synchronization software that creates and manages backup copies of all your important files. Instead of copying every file every time, FreeFileSync determines the differences between a source and a target folder and transfers only the...
Cost / License
- Freemium
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Flathub
- PortableApps.com
- Chocolatey
+7
Open-source application that lets you automatically back up to another location, such as a wireless hard drive or a cloud folder. I use it to back up a veracrypt vault to the cloud.
Alternatively, Rsync:
rsyncAlternatively, to sync between devices rather than folders or drives, Syncthing:
Syncthing
A GUI for Rclone, with additional features including batch file generation, auto cloud setup, and saved file/folder paths.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Windows
- Linux
+1
Rymdport (formerly wormhole-gui) is a cross-platform application that lets you easily and safely share files, folders, and text between devices. The data is sent securely with end-to-end encryption using the same protocol as
Magic Wormhole.Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Flathub
- FreeBSD
You can use this to easily share files between devices. Portable, open-source, free, and easy to use.
Alternatively, for syncing folders, OnionShare:
OnionShare
Syncthing: Syncthing
Shell is a context menu extender that lets you handpick the items to integrate into Windows File Explorer context menu, create custom commands to access all your favorite web pages, files, and folders, and launch any application directly from the context menu.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Windows
+7
Customize your context menu.
Alternatively, proprietary but much easier to set up, Easy Context Menu:
Easy Context Menu
Locate files and folders by filename on Windows instantly, displaying all items on NTFS volumes and mapped network drives. Supports 19 languages.
Cost / License
- Free
- Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Windows
You can completely replace Windows Search with this and Wox together.
Wox:
Wox Launcher
Hourglass is the most advanced simple countdown timer for Windows. Just enter a time in just about any format, and hit Enter.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Windows
A timer to replace Window clock app.
Portable app that is only 1mb in size for timer. Open-Source
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
A nice, lightweight text expander. Better than any copy and paste tool. Safer than storing clipboard history. Very lightweight.
Alternatively, Beeftext:
Beeftext
Lintalist (more robust and complicated, written in AutoHotKey): 
Lintalist
AutoHotKey (more robust & complicated, and not lightweight): 
AutoHotkey
SpeedCrunch is a free, fast, high precision open source algebraic calculator with an intuitive interface and many features, such as variables, syntax highlighting, functions, persistent input history & more.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- PortableApps.com
+2
Since you are getting rid of all your proprietary Windows software, use this instead of your disabled Windows calculator.
Open-source, ad-free torrent client offering a polished user interface, integrated multi-site search, RSS support, remote web control, and cross-platform availability.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- AppImageHub
- Snapcraft
- Flathub
- PortableApps.com
- Haiku
- Cloudron
+2
Stable and well-regarded torrenting app.
Alternatively, Transmission:
TransmissionThere are also torrent plugins for browsers. Brave, for example, has one out-of-the-box that is suitable for downloading one item at a time.
Write a comment if you disagree with an app, or if something no longer works. Sometimes "discontinued" apps are just apps that are simple and don't need much upkeep.
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