Free software is useful, but also unreliable. The best freeware poses no threat to your computer if it’s from a trusted source and you check it out — but there’s a plethora of malware out there. It could be spyware (gathering information without your knowledge) or adsware (bombarding you with pop-ups) or even viruses (corrupting the data on your PC).
One of the main ways to avoid being struck with these dangerous software is to stay away from websites that host pirated software or other copyrighted files. It’s also an excellent idea to keep your antivirus and antimalware software up-to-date.
FileHippo: A carefully curated list of the most current versions of popular apps and games, plus instructions for installation and opinions. The site also has comprehensive back catalogs of the older app versions.
PortableAppz A collection of applications that you can run from the cloud drive or on your desktop. The website has everything from games to photo editing software and office apps.
Cleanup: A great freeware that lets you clean Windows and browser history, including third party programs. It can help you empty the recycle bin, erase search history, clean up URLs and erase system log files.
Open-source Software You can locate the most reliable software on community-driven websites such as Github or SourceForge. Linux and LibreOffice are two popular examples. This type of software doesn’t mean it’s free, but it’s typically less expensive than proprietary programs and allows you to make modifications or improvements to the code if you’d like.
