In a context where technology is becoming increasingly expensive, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving up hardware prices, while many previously free applications now require users to pay to access their most useful features.
Some popular and expensive apps don't actually deliver commensurate value, largely thanks to the massive marketing budgets of large companies.
In fact, there are many excellent free alternatives, some even better than the expensive apps they were designed to replace.
Here are some excellent free apps that will help you easily forget about the expensive competitors.
LibreOffice
If you frequently write, work with spreadsheets, or create presentations, you're probably familiar with Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. These are the industry standard suites, developed over decades with a wide range of features to meet the needs of even the most demanding users. However, over time, these applications have become increasingly complex and difficult to use.
If you're not satisfied with Microsoft's applications but still need professional features, LibreOffice might be the ideal choice. It's free, open-source software that allows you to get work done on both Mac and PC, and is a great alternative to Microsoft's suite.
LibreOffice is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and surpasses Office in many important aspects. With its open-source nature, anyone with programming skills can contribute to the project, creating a rich library of user-developed extensions, such as the MLA formatting tool for academic papers.
Jellyfin
A private multimedia server is the ideal solution for those who want to stream their multimedia content across multiple devices. Plex, one of the most well-known brands in this field, allows users to stream content legally.
With its attractive design and user-friendly interface, Plex allows users to quickly set up and operate servers, even in a short amount of time. However, some of Plex's most appealing features are locked behind a fee barrier. In particular, the company significantly increased its prices last year.
A popular alternative to Plex is Jellyfin, which works on multiple platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, and LG webOS. Jellyfin is completely free and open-source, with many user-contributed applications available for download, offering greater flexibility than Plex. Jellyfin provides separate versions for music , books, comics, as well as movies and TV shows.
Open Broadcaster Software (OBS)
Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is one of the most popular free open-source applications, allowing users to record and stream video live. OBS not only offers many superior features compared to paid software like StreamYards, but it is also more widely used than those products.
In fact, the popular paid streaming software Logitech Streamlabs is built on the OBS platform, with the paid plan only charging for additional features.
OBS is in a favorable position, receiving funding from major players in the gaming and entertainment industry such as Logitech, Nvidia, AMD, Intel, and YouTube. This allows OBS to continue developing without facing the financial pressures that many other open-source developers face.
The OBS user community is enthusiastic and diverse, with a wide range of plugins to meet the needs of many content creators.
HandBrake
Adobe Media Encoder is a popular software, particularly useful for those working with Adobe Premiere due to its integrated features. However, its interface can be challenging for new users and it often comes with a rather expensive paid software package.
For those seeking a free and open-source solution, HandBrake is a worthwhile option. This software is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, and stands out for its granular control over the transcoding process and impressive compression ratios.
Although it doesn't utilize the GPU as efficiently as some paid software, HandBrake's output quality is still very good. HandBrake's biggest strength is its ease of use.
Users don't need to be an expert in digital video; simply drag and drop the file, then press the button to start the encoding process. The software will automatically select the appropriate settings, or users can customize them to their liking from the list of available settings.
VLC media player
If you own a large collection of digital media such as movies, TV shows, or music, you may have had difficulty finding software compatible with many different file formats. The default media player applications on Windows or Mac computers often cannot play files they don't recognize.
VLC Media Player, from the non-profit organization VideoLAN, stands out as an ideal solution. It's a completely free and open-source media player, boasting the most robust codec support on the market.
This means that, unless the file is irretrievably corrupted, VLC can play virtually any format. Whether you get video encoded in AV1, HEVC, or MKV format, VLC can handle it with ease.
In addition to playing local video, VLC also supports DVD, Blu-ray, and CD playback, receiving and playing network streams—a useful feature for those who own a home server—as well as streaming Internet television and displaying live webcam feeds.
VLC Media Player is now available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android (including Google TV), and iOS, offering users flexibility and convenience in enjoying their favorite media.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/5-ung-dung-mien-phi-tot-hon-phan-mem-dat-tien-ar1004344.html
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