We have to admit it. Programs are valuable tools for our convenience. But sometimes choosing the right program might be challenging if we don’t know exactly what we need. And there is such a wide variety that it makes things even more difficult. Many of us might occasionally need a program for one-time use. So, paying for it is not a viable option. Fortunately, many free and open-source alternatives fit the job. In this article, I will include five programs that might be useful if you ever need to. You can also check out our helpful portable apps and tools for alternative options.
KompoZer
If you need a free Dreamweaver alternative, KompoZer is your best bet. KompoZer is a wysiwyg HTML Web editor using the Mozilla Composer codebase. Although it hasn’t been updated since 2016, it could still do the job well. Free alternatives are almost non-existent. For basic editing, it is more than adequate. If you want, you can download its 2013 portable version from portableapps.com. For occasional use, portable apps are an excellent option.
XnConvert
Many photo-editing apps include bulk batch conversion and editing but usually come at a price. If you need a lightweight alternative, XnConvert is an excellent free option for personal use. It might require an extra learning curve, but you will soon master it. You can also download its portable version from portableapps.com, making it an even more versatile option.
IrfanView
IrfanView might be the most popular tool on this list. It is a lightweight graphic viewer that outperforms many other alternatives in simplicity and performance. It comes with various tools, such as lossless JPG rotation, and is free for personal use. As with the previous tools on this list, you can download its portable version from portableapps.com.
Notepad++
Notepad++ is a one-way development text editor and an excellent companion for a programmer. It is not so popular by chance. It is a full-featured editor that supports User-Defined Syntax Highlighting and Folding and PCRE (Perl Compatible Regular Expression), among other features. You can also download its portable version.
Frhed
Frhed is a free hex editor suitable for almost every user. Its portable version was used to strip down the malicious code in my relevant scam article, and it is available here as well.
To SumUp
These are only some alternative free options that might come in handy if you ever need their features for a project, etc. They might be free, but that doesn’t mean they can’t meet eye-to-eye with the paid competition. Some are free only for personal use, so keep that in mind. They are worth a spot in your toolbox, especially if you occasionally need them and don’t want to spend a fortune on a paid alternative. This is the way!
