{"id":3287,"date":"2008-07-04T22:52:11","date_gmt":"2008-07-04T17:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=3287"},"modified":"2026-10-21T15:14:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T09:44:05","slug":"5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Must-Have Free Software Picks: 2008 vs 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In 2008 guest author Manpreet Singh picked five free programs he felt nobody could afford to miss: MobileMe, PixelCryptor, LogMeIn Free, OpenOffice and iSpring. Most of those names have since disappeared or changed, but the jobs they did still matter. Here is our updated list of <strong>must-have free software<\/strong> for 2026: one modern, free tool for each of the original five jobs, plus what happened to the originals.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-67755\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-free-software-2026.webp\" alt=\"Best free software - red gift box with a green ribbon\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-free-software-2026.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-free-software-2026-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-free-software-2026-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-free-software-2026-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-free-software-2026-768x403.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> For the same five jobs in 2026, use iCloud or Google Drive to sync files and contacts across devices, VeraCrypt to encrypt sensitive files, Chrome Remote Desktop to reach your PC from anywhere, LibreOffice as a free office suite, and iSpring Free to turn PowerPoint slides into shareable HTML5 courses. All have free versions for personal use.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af4f983117e1\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af4f983117e1\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#5_must-have_free_software_picks_for_2026\" >5 must-have free software picks for 2026<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#1_Sync_across_devices_iCloud_or_Google_Drive_replaces_MobileMe\" >1. Sync across devices: iCloud or Google Drive (replaces MobileMe)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#2_Encrypt_private_files_VeraCrypt_replaces_PixelCryptor\" >2. Encrypt private files: VeraCrypt (replaces PixelCryptor)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#3_Access_your_PC_remotely_Chrome_Remote_Desktop_replaces_LogMeIn_Free\" >3. Access your PC remotely: Chrome Remote Desktop (replaces LogMeIn Free)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#4_Free_office_suite_LibreOffice_replaces_OpenOffice\" >4. Free office suite: LibreOffice (replaces OpenOffice)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#5_Share_presentations_online_iSpring_Free\" >5. Share presentations online: iSpring Free<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#What_happened_to_the_2008_picks\" >What happened to the 2008 picks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#How_to_download_free_software_safely\" >How to download free software safely<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#Is_LibreOffice_really_free\" >Is LibreOffice really free?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#What_replaced_LogMeIn_Free\" >What replaced LogMeIn Free?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#Is_MobileMe_still_available\" >Is MobileMe still available?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/07\/5-free-softwares-you-cant-afford-to-miss\/#What_is_the_best_free_encryption_software\" >What is the best free encryption software?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_must-have_free_software_picks_for_2026\"><\/span>5 must-have free software picks for 2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Sync_across_devices_iCloud_or_Google_Drive_replaces_MobileMe\"><\/span>1. Sync across devices: iCloud or Google Drive (replaces MobileMe)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>MobileMe promised to update your email, contacts and calendar once and push the changes to your iPhone, Mac and PC. It was a paid service at $99 a year, and Apple shut it down on June 30, 2012, replacing it with iCloud.<\/p>\n<p>Today <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icloud.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>iCloud<\/strong><\/a> does this free for Apple users with a starter storage allowance, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/drive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Google Drive<\/strong><\/a> and your Google account sync files, contacts and calendars across Android, iPhone and any browser. Windows users also get OneDrive built in.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Encrypt_private_files_VeraCrypt_replaces_PixelCryptor\"><\/span>2. Encrypt private files: VeraCrypt (replaces PixelCryptor)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>PixelCryptor had a clever idea: use a picture as the key to encrypt your files. It has not been updated in many years. For serious protection, use <a href=\"https:\/\/veracrypt.io\/en\/Home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>VeraCrypt<\/strong><\/a>, a free, open-source tool that creates encrypted containers or encrypts whole drives on Windows, macOS and Linux. Windows Pro editions also include BitLocker, and Macs have FileVault for full-disk encryption.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever you use, pair it with strong, unique passwords. A password manager helps; see how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2021\/09\/print-lastpass-passwords-list\/\">export and back up your LastPass passwords<\/a> if you use one.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Access_your_PC_remotely_Chrome_Remote_Desktop_replaces_LogMeIn_Free\"><\/span>3. Access your PC remotely: Chrome Remote Desktop (replaces LogMeIn Free)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>LogMeIn Free let you control your home PC from anywhere with a click. LogMeIn discontinued the free version in January 2014, pushing users to paid plans.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/remotedesktop.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Chrome Remote Desktop<\/strong><\/a> is the simplest free replacement: install it on your computer, sign in with your Google account, and connect from another computer or your phone. For more options, see our list of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/08\/pc-remote-access-software\/\">best PC remote access software<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Free_office_suite_LibreOffice_replaces_OpenOffice\"><\/span>4. Free office suite: LibreOffice (replaces OpenOffice)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>OpenOffice was the free alternative to Microsoft Office in 2008. Most of its developers later moved to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.libreoffice.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>LibreOffice<\/strong><\/a>, which is actively developed and opens and saves Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. It includes Writer, Calc, Impress and more, and can export to PDF. If you work mostly online, the free web versions of Google Docs or Microsoft 365 are also good options.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Share_presentations_online_iSpring_Free\"><\/span>5. Share presentations online: iSpring Free<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The original pick converted PowerPoint slides to Flash. Flash is long gone, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ispringsolutions.com\/ispring-free\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>iSpring Free<\/strong><\/a> is still around as a free PowerPoint add-in. It now turns slides into HTML5 courses with quizzes that you can share by link or upload to a learning platform. For simple sharing, PowerPoint and Google Slides can also publish a presentation to the web.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_the_2008_picks\"><\/span>What happened to the 2008 picks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>MobileMe:<\/strong> shut down in 2012 and replaced by iCloud.<\/li>\n<li><strong>PixelCryptor:<\/strong> no longer maintained; use VeraCrypt or your system&#8217;s built-in encryption.<\/li>\n<li><strong>LogMeIn Free:<\/strong> discontinued in 2014; LogMeIn now sells paid remote access.<\/li>\n<li><strong>OpenOffice:<\/strong> still downloadable, but LibreOffice gets far more frequent updates.<\/li>\n<li><strong>iSpring:<\/strong> the free version survives, now with HTML5 output instead of Flash.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_download_free_software_safely\"><\/span>How to download free software safely<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Get programs only from the official website or your device&#8217;s app store.<\/li>\n<li>Watch installers for bundled toolbars or extra offers, and untick them.<\/li>\n<li>Check that the software still receives updates before relying on it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Want more? See our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/09\/free-small-softwares\/\">best small free software for Windows<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_LibreOffice_really_free\"><\/span>Is LibreOffice really free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. LibreOffice is free and open source for home and business use.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_replaced_LogMeIn_Free\"><\/span>What replaced LogMeIn Free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>LogMeIn ended its free plan in 2014. Chrome Remote Desktop is a popular free alternative for personal use.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_MobileMe_still_available\"><\/span>Is MobileMe still available?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. Apple closed MobileMe in 2012 and moved users to iCloud.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_best_free_encryption_software\"><\/span>What is the best free encryption software?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>VeraCrypt is a widely used free, open-source choice. BitLocker (Windows Pro) and FileVault (Mac) are built-in alternatives for whole-drive encryption.<\/p>\n<p><em>Originally written by guest author Manpreet Singh, who wrote about the web, tech news, blogging and productivity. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2008 guest author Manpreet Singh picked five free programs he felt nobody could afford to miss: MobileMe, PixelCryptor, LogMeIn&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":67755,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[44],"class_list":["post-3287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-apps","tag-guest-posts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3287"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67759,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3287\/revisions\/67759"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}