Write and cite
Write and cite
There are a variety of free and open source word processors available for you to use as alternatives to Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
- LibreOffice: entire suite of free, open source tools for writing, presentations, editing, and spreadsheets
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Notion: free note-taking tool that allows you to collaborate with teams and keep everything in one place
- Available for Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows
- Simplenote: free, simple note-taking tool
- Available for Android, in-browser use, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows
- WPS Office: entire suite of free tools for writing, presentations, editing, and spreadsheets
- Available for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Zotero: free, open source citation management tool
- Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Check out our Zotero research guide for more
Audio, video, and design
Audio and video
- Audacity: free, open source audio software
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Free Music Archive: freely downloadable, royalty-free music
- OBS Studio: free, open source screencasting and streaming tool
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- OpenShot: free, open source video editing software
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Shotcut: free, open source video editing software (note: it has a steep learning curve)
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- TechSmith Capture: free screen capturing and recording tool
- Available for Mac and Windows
- VLC Media Player: free, open source media player
- Available for Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows
Graphic design and images
- Canva: free online graphic design tool
- Gimp: free, open source image editing tool
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Inkscape: free, open source graphics editor
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Krita: free, open source online painting program
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Pexels: Free stock photos; all openly licensed and downloadable
- Pixabay: High quality stock photos and videos
- Unsplash: A growing collection of high-quality, freely usable images with Creative Commons licenses. Several institutions, such as the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library, have added historical photos to Unsplash’s collections.
Browsers, messaging, and privacy
Browsers
- Brave: free, open source browser with privacy protections and other services such as free, secure video calling
- Firefox Focus: free browser with pre-installed security and privacy protections
- Tor: free, open source private browser
- Available for Android, iOS,
Email and messaging
- ChatSecure: free, open source encrypted messaging app for iOS
- Signal: free, open source encrypted messaging app
- Available for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Thunderbird: free, open source email client
- Available for Linux, Mac, and Windows
- Tutanota: free encrypted and private email client
- Wire: free, open source encrypted messaging tool
Privacy and security
- Bitwarden: free, open source password manager
- Available for Android, in-browser use, iOS, Linux, Mac, and Windows
- DuckDuckGo: a search engine that doesn’t track you
- HTTPS Everywhere: browser add-on that encrypts and makes your browsing more secure
- KeePass: free, open source password manager
- Available for Windows; variations of KeePass (such as KeePassXC) are available for other systems and devices
- Privacy Badger: free, open source privacy tool and ad blocker; works on several common browsers
- uBlock Origin: free, open source privacy tool and ad blocker; works on several common browsers
