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Looking for the best free Adobe Illustrator alternatives? Whether you're avoiding the Creative Cloud subscriptions or you don't like the software, we've compared the top-rated apps to replace Adobe Illustrator in your workflow.

Our team of expert reviewers have tested out all the best graphic design software and best digital art and drawing software, so we know what to look out for when choosing an alternative to Illustrator. For us, the open-source Inkscape is the best free Adobe Illustrator alternative for most people, particularly professional and semi-professional artists and designers.

But there are plenty more options to choose from - and these are our top picks.As part of our review process, we compared design tools, assets, workflows, and experiences to find the top alternatives to Illustrator for creating icons, logos, diagrams, charts, posters and website graphics.

Didnt click with Photoshop and Lightroom? Weve also tested the best Photoshop alternatives and the best Adobe Lightroom alternatives.

A feature-packed editor that's a true substitute for Illustrator

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Comprehensive toolkit

Excellent format support

Frequent updates

Performance can be sluggish

Open source vector graphics package Inkscape is staggeringly powerful, and is the bestfree Adobe Illustrator alternative for pro and semi-pro illustrators, graphic designers and web designers.

As well as the standard drawing and shape tools, Inkscape boasts a special spirals tool, a tool to create patterns and arrangements of clones, advanced object manipulation options, multiple filters (including bevels, textures, overlays and more), and some nifty fill settings. In short, theres very little Illustrator can do that Inkscape cant.

Because it's open source, its not only free to use but if you have the technical know-how you can even edit it and incorporate it into other software. And new features are being added all the time; the latest version brings mesh gradients, improved SVG2 and CSS3 support and new path effects to the party.

So whats the catch? Some users have complained that it performs slowly, although that does seem to depend on what device and operating system youre using. The best thing to do is just download it and give it a quick try; there's nothing to lose.

Read our full Inkscape review.

A browser-based vector editor that's as powerful as a desktop app

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux (in browser)

Good format support

Convenient browser extension

Easy to use

Keyboard shortcuts

Streamline design might not be for everyone

Boxy SVG is a free tool for creating scalable vector graphic files that runs as an extension in Google Chrome. It comes with a good range of basic tools, including pens, bezier curves, text, basic shapes, stroke and fill, layers, ability to add type, groups, transforms and paths.

The main selling point for Boxy SVG is the utter simplicity of its UI. It makes a virtue of paring down the experience of creating vector graphics to a fairly minimal set of options. These essentially restrict you to the kind of things that the SVG format is good at. As a result, its fast, easier to pick up than Illustrator, and the files it creates are clean and efficient.

As well as importing and exporting files in SVG and SVGZ format, you can also use Boxy SVG to import and export JPEGs and PNGs. Wonderfully convenient.

A sharp looking in-browser Illustrator alternative for stylish designs

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux (in browser)

Nothing hidden behind a paywall

Good choice of vector elements

Simple to use

Requires a free account to save work

Vecteezy is another free in-browser Adobe Illustrator alternative (the developer earns a crust selling premium illustrations, and its customers include the BBC, Amazon, McDonald's and Dell). You can import and edit SVG files, or create your own designs from scratch. There's a selection of shapes and ready-made clipart to choose from, and a huge array of typefaces for text-based designs.

Vecteezy also includes a pen tool for drawing freehand shapes and editing existing paths, plus a simple color-picker. It's all refreshingly simple to use, and even brand new users will grasp the fundamentals within a few minutes.

There are just a couple of points to be aware of: you'll need to create an account or log in using Facebook in order to save your work, and if you open a particularly large file, Vecteezy warns you that doing so might cause your browser to freeze. This is a risk with any similar web app though, and we appreciate Vecteezy being so up-front about it.

A smart, slimline vector editor for your browser

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux (in browser)

Intuitive interface

Easy to master

Interactive tutorials

Lacks some advanced features

Vectr is a free in-browser Adobe Illustrator alternative. It was originally available as a desktop application for offline use as well, but this has now been discontinued.

Don't let that put you off, though; Vectr is intuitive to use, with a shallow learning curve. Design software shouldnt bring people a sense of struggle, yet thats exactly how the troublesome design software we grew up on made us feel, says its developer, who has created this pared-back vector editor with accessibility in mind.

While it lacks many of the advanced features of Illustrator, then, its got all the tools you need for basic vector editing - shapes, text, multiple layers and like - and what it does, it does very well. You can save all work you create in Vectr online, or export it in PNG, JPG, or SVG file formats. Vectr is a great choice for beginners, or just anyone needing to create a simple graphic with the minimum of fuss.

A straightforward Illustrator alternative for web developers

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux (in browser)

Works in your web browser

Clear interface

Vector and raster export formats

Fewer advanced tools than rivals

If your prime reason for wanting a vector graphics editor is to create SVG files for websites, then SVG-Edit may be all you need. You can use this free vector software within your web browser to create SVG images and edit existing ones.

SVG-Edit works in any modern browser, and offers a basic set of vector editing features including hand-drawing tools, shape tools, text tools and path tools. The tool is open source, which means that new features are being added all the time by contributing developers. Its built on HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript with no server-side functionality, so if you wish you can download and modify the code to make your own version.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure youre buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

We put the question to Klaus Vossen, Senior Product Manager for CorelDraw . How to go about choosing the best graphics design software for to reach creative nirvana.

Heres what to look for:

1. Comprehensive tools to speed up your workflow When choosing design software, its important to decide on something that offers everything you need to express your creative vision all in one application. Look for a product that not only offers powerful tools for vector illustration, multi-page layout, and typography, but photo editing too.

2. High-quality bitmap-to-vector conversions Designers are often tasked with converting low-resolution bitmaps to vector images, making this a key feature to look for in your design software choice. Some applications use artificial intelligence to process a low-resolution bitmap image and turn it into a vector file which can then be scaled up to a much larger size without losing quality. This is arguably one of the most important tools youll need in professional graphics design, particularly if you work with large-scale printing.

3. Dependable color management If printing is a large part of what you do, youll want to make sure your software includes dependable color management tools so you dont end up with any unwanted surprises when your work comes back from the printer. When embarking on your vector illustration journey, take some time to understand color palettes, color proofing, and color profiles to make the best possible images. Professional-level color management can provide an accurate representation of color throughout the entire process.

4. Professional output format capabilities Professional output formats let you send images to printers and embroiders, or to share digital files with clients and colleagues. Choose a program that offers extensive file support to ensure you can use your files across multiple applications that may be part of your day-to-day work. If youre working with design files and building your brand, its worth investing time into vector graphic design, which has plenty of practical applications. Select a professional tool that can address all your graphics needs with a variety of output formats so you can work faster and smarter than ever before.

When testing the best Adobe Illustrator alternatives, we start by assessing what features the best free drawing software has in comparison to Adobe's premium tool.

We dive into UI design, making sure users can easily navigate through the apps and create the designs so vivid in their imaginations. Even the most advanced digital art tool should have clear documentation to guide users so they can master the tool.

We also assess what extra tools and features are available - or where restrictions or limitations are evident.

Finally, we make sure that free really means free. Users shouldn't face hidden charges or subscriptions - any fees and upgrades must be clearly signposted.

Read how we test, review, and rate on TechRadar.

Read the original here:
Best free Adobe Illustrator alternatives of 2024 - TechRadar

Jun 23, 2024 18:00:00

Many people have had the experience of storing important data on storage devices such as HDDs and SSDs, only to have the HDD or SSD suddenly break down and lose all of the data. Of course, it is important to back up data on a regular basis, but it is also important to check the health of the storage device you are using as your main storage device. ' CrystalDiskInfo ' developed by

CrystalDiskInfo - Crystal Dew World [en] https://crystalmark.info/en/software/crystaldiskinfo/

Visit the official CrystalDiskInfo page and click 'Download.'

The download links for each edition will be displayed, so this time click on the regular version 'ZIP (XP~)'.

You will be redirected to the SourceForge page, where a ZIP file download will automatically begin. At the time of writing, the latest version of CrystalDiskInfo is 9.3.1, and the ZIP file size is approximately 7.38MB.

Unzip the downloaded ZIP file using the standard Windows function or free software such as

When you start CrystalDiskInfo, it will show you information about the storage drives assigned to your PC. Below is the information for a Toshiba HDD connected to a PC I've been using for about 7 years.

The upper left corner displays 'health status' and 'temperature.' Health status is rated in four levels: 'normal,' 'caution,' 'abnormal,' and 'unknown.'

The items displayed on the upper right side are 'Firmware,' 'Serial Number,' 'Interface,' 'Supported Transfer Modes,' 'Drive Letter,' 'Supported Standards,' 'Supported Functions,' 'Buffer Size,' 'Rotation Speed,' 'Number of Power-Ons,' and 'Usage Time.' 'Rotation Speed' is the number of rotations per minute of the magnetic disk, and is only displayed for HDDs. 'Number of Power-Ons' and 'Usage Time' are the total number of times the storage has actually been used.

The SMART information is displayed at the bottom. Each item in the SMART information is displayed with an 'ID', 'item name', 'current value', 'worst value', 'threshold value', and 'raw value'. The 'ID' and item name are not necessarily the same for all HDDs, but will vary depending on the product and manufacturer. The current value is the value at the time of inspection, and the worst value is the lowest value ever. And the threshold value is the data below which it is determined that the HDD may be faulty. The raw value is the SMART information data displayed in hexadecimal.

Below is a CrystalDiskInfo test of the Samsung external SSD '

See the original post here:
This is how to view the long-established free software 'CrystalDiskInfo' that shows the health status and SMART ... - GIGAZINE

The best antivirus software helps protect your Windows computers and the data stored on them against malware and other online threats. While Microsofts own Windows Defender may be good enough to keep your PC free from viruses, it cant match the extra features you get with paid antivirus software.

All of the Windows antivirus programs on this list have their own malware-detection engines. However, its the features and the included extras that help justify their higher price. Likewise, you can also get the best free antivirus software for your PC for a taste of what these paid antivirus programs offer.

These are the best antivirus programs weve tested and reviewed along with some free antivirus software options halfway down this page. If you want even more features like a VPN and password manager in one package, youre going to want to check out the best internet security suites. At the same time, you can also get Mac antivirus software and Android antivirus apps to keep your other devices safe online.

Best overall

The best antivirus overall

Norton 360 Deluxe combines excellent malware protection with loads of extra features like backup software, a password manager, a VPN and more. It can get expensive but you get everything together in one subscription.

Read more below

Best value

2. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus

The best antivirus value

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus offers very good malware protection with lots of useful extra features like a password manager, Wi-Fi scanner, a hardened browser and more. It also has a light system impact during active scans for viruses.

Read more below

Best features

3. Kaspersky Total Security

The best antivirus for features

Kaspersky Total Security provides excellent malware protection with lots of useful features like a firewall, backup software, parental controls, a password manager and more. Its VPN is limited but software for your Mac as well as Android and iOS apps are also included with your subscription.

Read more below

Best for big families

The best antivirus for big families

McAfee has improved its malware protection over the years and it's a great choice if you want to protect lots of machines on a budget. It also includes a password manager as well as protection for multiple platforms.

Read more below

Best for banking

5. Trend Micro Maximum Security

The best antivirus for banking

Trend Micro has very good malware protection as well as a password manager and secure browser for banking. It also includes dark web scans and a VPN.

Read more below

Best performance

6. ESET Smart Security Premium

The best antivirus for performance

ESET provides very good protection with very little impact on system performance. It also includes file encryption, a password manager and parental controls.

Read more below

Load the next 1 products...

Best for simplicity

The best antivirus for simplicity

Sophos offers decent malware protection at an inexpensive price. It also encrypts keyboard data and includes parental controls as well as webcam protection.

Read more below

Almost everything you could ever need

Anti-theft: No

Backup software: Yes

Firewall: Yes

Game mode: Yes

Hardened browser: No

Parental controls: Yes

Password manager: Yes

Ransomware rollback: No

Webcam protection: Yes

VPN: Unlimited

Excellent malware protection

Parental controls, backup software, online storage, password manager, webcam protection, unlimited VPN

LifeLock identity protection with top tiers

Heavy slowdown during full scans

Can get expensive

All of Norton's antivirus products offer excellent malware protection, and the once-heavy system-performance load is much lighter. The number of extra features each program has varies, but the sweet spot in the lineup is Norton 360 Deluxe.

It includes a password manager that works on all major platforms, unlimited VPN service, dark-web personal-data monitoring, parental controls and up to 50 GB of online storage space. Two other offerings, Norton 360 Premium and Norton 360 Platinum, give you more online storage and expand the antivirus and VPN coverage to 10 and 20 devices, respectively.

If you want full-on identity protection, Norton offers three bundles with varying degrees of LifeLock service and even more online storage. Their subscription prices run well into the triple digits, but still cost less than if you were to buy the identity protection, password manager, cloud-backup storage and antivirus software separately.

Unlike some of the other best antivirus software makers, Norton doesn't offer a file shredder, file encryption or secure web browser with any of its products. Yet every other digital-protection service you could possibly ask for is included with at least some of its bundles.

Read our full Norton 360 Deluxe review.

The best value antivirus software currently available

Anti-theft: No

Backup software: No

Firewall: No

Game mode: Yes

Hardened browser: Yes

Parental controls: No

Password manager: Yes

Ransomware rollback: Yes

Webcam protection: No

Virtual keyboard: Yes

VPN: Limited upsell

Wi-Fi scanner: Yes

Very good malware protection

Lots of useful extra features

Light system impact with active scans

Heavy background system impact

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is our top choice among entry-level antivirus products. It has very good, if not perfect, malware-detection scores. Its active scans don't add much to the background system impact, but that background load is a bit heavy.

It also offers the most value, with a secure browser with a virtual keyboard, a Wi-Fi network scanner, a file shredder, protection against encrypting ransomware and Bitdefender's web-privacy software features often found only with pricier antivirus packages.

The midrange Bitdefender Internet Security adds parental controls, webcam protection and a two-way firewall, while Bitdefender Total Security tops off the lineup with an anti-theft feature for laptops, a system optimizer and licenses for Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac and Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android.

A fourth product, Bitdefender Premium Security, is basically Total Security with unlimited VPN usage, a cross-platform password manager and priority tech support.

But the best deal is the Bitdefender Family Pack, which puts Total Security on up to 15 devices for (a frequently discounted) $120 per year.

Read our full Bitdefender Antivirus Plus review.

Excellent protection with plenty of useful extra features

Anti-theft: Yes

Backup software: Yes

Firewall: Yes

Game mode: Yes

Hardened browser: Yes

Parental controls: Yes

Password manager: Yes

Ransomware rollback: Yes

Webcam protection: Yes

Virtual keyboard: Yes

VPN: Limited upsell

Wi-Fi scanner: Yes

Excellent malware protection

Stalkerware protection

Password manager, parental controls

Limited VPN usage

Microphone protection hard to enable

Read more:
The best antivirus software 2024: Free and paid options - Tom's Guide

The best free text-to-speech software makes it simple and easy to improve accessibility and productivity in your workflows.

Best free text-to-speech software of 2024: Quick Menu

In the digital era, the need for effective communication tools has led to a surge in the popularity of text-to-speech (TTS) software, and finding the best free text-to-speech software is essential for a variety of users, regardless of budget constraints.

Text-to-speech software skillfully converts written text into spoken words using advanced technology, though often without grasping the context of the content. The best text-to-speech software not only accomplishes this task but also offers a selection of natural-sounding voices, catering to different preferences and project needs.

This technology is invaluable for creating accessible content, enhancing workplace productivity, adding voice-overs to videos, or simply assisting in proofreading by vocalizing written work. While many of todays best free word processors, such as Google Docs, include basic TTS features that are accurate and continually improving, they may not meet all needs.

Stand-alone, app-based TTS tools, which should not be confused with the best speech-to-text apps, often have limitations compared to more comprehensive, free text-to-speech software. For instance, some might not allow the downloading of audio files, a feature crucial for creating content for platforms like YouTube and social media.

In our quest to identify the best free text-to-speech software, we have meticulously tested various options, assessing them based on user experience, performance, and output quality. Our guide aims to help you find the right text-to-speech tool, whatever your specific needs might be.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure youre buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Best free text-to-speech software overall

Built-in OCR

Choice of interfaces

Browser extension

Dyslexic-friendly font

Cloud-based

Limited free voices compared to paid plans

Natural Reader offers one of the best free text-to-speech software experiences, thanks to an easy-going interface and stellar results. It even features online and desktop versions.

You'll find plenty of user options and customizations. The first is to load documents into its library and have them read aloud from there. This is a neat way to manage multiple files, and the number of supported file types is impressive, including eBook formats. There's also OCR, which enables you to load up a photo or scan of text, and have it spoken to you.

The second option takes the form of a floating toolbar. In this mode, you can highlight text in any application and use the toolbar controls to start and customize text-to-speech. This means you can very easily use the feature in your web browser, word processor and a range of other programs. There's also a browser extension to convert web content to speech more easily.

The TTS tool is available free, with three additional upgrades with more advanced features for power-users and professionals.

Read our full Natural Reader review.

Best free text-to-speech software for custom voices

Excellent file format support

Lots of voices to choose from

Can create audio files

Bookmarking tools

There are a couple of ways to use Balabolka's top free text-to-speech software. You can either copy and paste text into the program, or you can open a number of supported file formats (including DOC, PDF, and HTML) in the program directly.

In terms of output, you can use SAPI 4 complete with eight different voices to choose from, SAPI 5 with two, or the Microsoft Speech Platform. Whichever route you choose, you can adjust the speech, pitch and volume of playback to create a custom voice.

In addition to reading words aloud, this free text-to-speech software can also save narrations as audio files in a range of formats including MP3 and WAV. For lengthy documents, you can create bookmarks to make it easy to jump back to a specific location and there are excellent tools on hand to help you to customize the pronunciation of words to your liking.

With all these features to make life easier when reading text on a screen isn't an option, Balabolka is the best free text-to-speech software around.

For more help using Balabolka, see out guide on how to convert text to speech using this free software.

Best for beginners to text-to-speech conversion

Quick and simple to use

Exports in WAV and MP3 formats

Good range of input formats

Panopreter Basic is the best free text-to-speech software if youre looking for something simple, streamlined, no-frills, and hassle-free.

It accepts plain and rich text files, web pages and Microsoft Word documents as input, and exports the resulting sound in both WAV and MP3 format (the two files are saved in the same location, with the same name).

The default settings work well for quick tasks, but spend a little time exploring Panopreter Basic's Settings menu and you'll find options to change the language, destination of saved audio files, and set custom interface colors. The software can even play a piece of music once it's finished reading a nice touch you won't find in other free text-to-speech software.

If you need something more advanced, a premium version of Panopreter is available. This edition offers several additional features including toolbars for Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer, the ability to highlight the section of text currently being read, and extra voices.

Best free text-to-speech word processor extension

Integrates with Microsoft Word

Customizable voices

Speaking dictionary

A little unattractive

Microsoft Word only

Developed by the University of Edinburgh, WordTalk is a toolbar add-on for Word that brings customizable text-to-speech to Microsoft Word. It works with all editions of Word and is accessible via the toolbar or ribbon, depending on which version you're using.

The toolbar itself is certainly not the most attractive you'll ever see, appearing to have been designed by a child. Nor are all of the buttons' functions very clear, but thankfully there's a help file on hand to help.

There's no getting away from the fact that WordTalk is fairly basic, but it does support SAPI 4 and SAPI 5 voices, and these can be tweaked to your liking. The ability to just read aloud individual words, sentences or paragraphs is a particularly nice touch. You also have the option of saving narrations, and there are a number of keyboard shortcuts that allow for quick and easy access to frequently used options.

A great choice for converting text from websites to speech

Converts text from the clipboard

Good file format support

Voices are quite expensive

Windows only

Despite its basic looks, Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader has more to offer than you might first think. You can open numerous file formats directly in the program, or just copy and paste text.

Alternatively, as long as you have the program running and the relevant option enables, Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader can read aloud any text you copy to the clipboard great if you want to convert words from websites to speech as well as dialog boxes that pop up. One of the best free text-to-speech software right now, this can also convert text files to WAV format.

Unfortunately the selection of voices is limited, and the only settings you can customize are volume and speed unless you burrow deep into settings to fiddle with pronunciations. Additional voices are available for an additional fee which seems rather steep, holding it back from a higher place in our list.

As you might expect, some free versions of TTS software do come with certain limitations. These include the amount of choices you get for the different amount of voices in some case. For instance, Zabaware gives you two for free, but you have to pay if you want more.

However, the best free software on this list come with all the bells and whistles that will be more than enough for the average user.

SAPI stands for Speech Application Programming Interface. It was developed by Microsoft to generate synthetic speech to allow computer programs to read aloud text. First used in its own applications such as Office, it is also employed by third party TTS software such as those featured in this list.

In the context of TTS software, there are more SAPI 4 voices to choose from, whereas SAPI 5 voices are generally of a higher quality.

Many free TTS programs give you the option to download an audio file of the speech to save and transfer to different devices.

MP3 is the most common audio format, and compatible with pretty much any modern device capable of playing back audio. The WAV format is also highly compatible too.

The main difference between the two is quality. WAV files are uncompressed, meaning fidelity is preserved as best as possible, at the cost of being considerably larger in size than MP3 files, which do compress.

Ultimately, however, MP3 files with a bit rate of 256 kbps and above should more than suffice, and you'll struggle to tell the difference when it comes to speech audio between them and WAV files.

When selecting the best free text-to-speech software is best for you depends on a range of factors (not to mention personal preference).

Despite how simple the concept of text-to-speech is, there are many different features and aspects to such apps to take into consideration. These include how many voice options and customizations are present, how and where they operate in your setup, what formats they are able to read aloud from and what formats the audio can be saved as.

With free versions, naturally you'll want to take into account how many advanced features you get without paying, and whether any sacrifices are made to performance or usability.

Always try to keep in mind what is fair and reasonable for free services - and as we've shown with our number one choice, you can get plenty of features for free, so if other options seem bare in comparison, then you'll know you can do better.

Our testing process for the best free text-to-speech software is thorough, examining all of their respective features and trying to throw every conceivable syllable at them to see how they perform.

We also want to test the accessibility features of these tools to see how they work for every kind of user out there. We have highlighted, for instance, whether certain software offer dyslexic-friendly fonts, such as the number two on our list, Natural Reader.

We also bear in mind that these are free versions, so where possible we compare and contrast their feature sets with paid-for rivals.

Finally, we look at how well TTS tools meet the needs of their intended users - whether it's designed for personal use or professional deployment.

See original here:
Best free text-to-speech software of 2024 - TechRadar

The best free word processor makes it simple and easy way to type up and edit documents on your PC, without needing to subscribe to a paid-for service.

Best free word processor of 2024: Quick menu

However, while there are some good, free word processing programs out there, they tend to not have so many features as paid-for software.Even when they do, there can be compatibility issues with moving document formats between software platforms, especially when importing to Microsoft Word.

Here were looking at the very best word processors that can be used offline (particularly useful for distraction-free writing), but there are also several excellent browser-based tools to consider if you'd rather do your writing online.

These then are the best free word processors and alternatives to Microsoft Word, that will provide a reliable platform for you to work from, at home or in the office.

We've also featured the best Microsoft Office alternatives.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure youre buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

All-singing, all-dancing word processors for any text-based work

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Excellent format compatibility

Document template galleries

Support for plugins

No ads or paywalls

LibreOffice is a fork of Apache OpenOffice, and the two offer very similar word processing apps, but LibreOffice receives more frequent updates and has a more lively userbase, so we're inclined to lean in its favor.

The word processor, Writer, is a feature-packed analog of Microsoft Word, packed with all the tools you could need for any text-based work.

The two versions of Writer include wizards and templates for common document types, such as invoices and letters, and its easy to create your own templates for future use as well. The word processors also work together with the other office software in their respective suites so you can use Base to create a bibliography, for example.

Both word processors support all the most popular file formats, and can export documents to PDF without the need for additional software. If youre looking for a word processor that can stand in for Microsoft Word, either of these two will be a perfect candidate.

Read our full LibreOffice review.

A word processor with cloud storage and support for all text files

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Interface almost identical to Word

Excellent file format support

Free cloud storage

If youve used a modern version of Microsoft Word, therell be no learning curve when you switch to Writer the word processing component of WPS Office Free.

This free word processor looks and behaves almost exactly like its premium counterpart, and even has its own equivalent of OneDrive, offering 1GB free cloud storage.

Its selection of pre-installed templates gives you everything you need for common document types, and you can easily create your own for bespoke tasks. Its compatible with every text file format you can think of, including current and legacy versions of Microsoft Word dating back to Office 97.

WPS Office Writer is supported by discrete ads, which can be removed by upgrading to the premium version, but theyre barely noticeable and no features are locked behind a paywall. Overall, WPS Writer is very impressive, and in our opinion its the best free word processor available to download today.

WPS recently launched a free PDF to Word converter as well, which is a great companion to its word processor.

Read our full WPS Office Free review.

Free online word processing with sharing and collaboration features

Convenient sharing and editing through Google Drive

Excellent support options

15 GB of free storage

Mobile app lacks a few features

Formatting issues

Not as good as Microsoft Word

When it comes to free word processing, Google Docs may seem like one of the most obvious choices, and has the advantage of saving your work automatically so you dont have to worry if your connection fails.

Its also a good choice for collaborative working, and means you dont have to upload work to a separate cloud storage service.

However, it has a limited selection of templates, theres no way to import content from other Google applications, it suffers from the formatting issues when importing mentioned above, and any online tool is going to be surrounded by distractions like social media.

Read our full Google Docs review.

The ideal word processor for first drafts, with no fussy formatting

Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux

Blocks out distractions

Timers and alarms

Auto-save function

If you simply want to hammer out some words without worrying about formatting, you could just use Windows built-in Notepad app, but FocusWriter is full of clever tools that will help you maximize productivity without ever getting in the way.

As the name implies, FocusWriter blocks out all distractions so you can give that all-important first draft your full attention. In normal use, all you see is a blank page toolbars are only visible if you move your mouse pointer to the edge of the screen but theres a killer feature in Focused Text, which fades everything into the background except the current paragraph or sentence.

FocusWriter also features alerts that are triggered at certain times, or when youve reached a predefined word count, so you dont need to worry about watching a counter (as you would in Microsoft Word). This also makes FocusWriter a good tool to use in tandem with the Pomodoro Technique, which involves working hard for a period of time thats long enough for you to work productively, but not so long that you become fatigued.

Its not great for editing, but for productivity, FocusWriter is hard to beat.

Read our full FocusWriter review.

Another great looking word processor, but watch your file formats

Operating system: Windows, Mac, Linux

Can export to EPUB format

Prints multiple pages per sheet

Opens password-protected files

Doesn't support DOCX files

TextMaker the word processing element of SoftMaker FreeOffice is good looking, and comes with several handy templates for creating letters and other everyday documents. The selection isnt as extensive as some of its rivals, but you can also make new designs for future use and save them in TMV format.

All the features youd expect from a modern word processor are present and correct, including advanced formatting options, the ability to create databases for managing bibliographies and footnotes, and a function for tracking changes to collaborative projects.

The only real drawback of TextMaker is its inability to save your work in DOCX format (though you can open and edit these files with no difficulty). This feature is limited to the premium version of SoftMaker Office.

Read our full FreeOffice review.

Productivity-focused word processing with quick shortcuts

Operating system: Windows

Distraction-free interface

Supports markup

Handy keyboard shortcuts

Only works with TXT files

WriteMonkey is another no-frills word processor designed to help you maximize your output without fussing with editing and formatting. Its not intended for documents like letters or CVs, but is great for committing early ideas to paper (or screen) so you have the raw material to develop later.

Unlike FocusWriter, which is compatible with all the most common text formats (including Microsofts DOC and DOCX), WriteMonkey only works with TXT files, so youll have to convert any works in progress before opening them. WriteMonkeys hidden controls are trickier to navigate, too everything is accessed via a large right-click menu, or a vast collection of keyboard shortcuts.

That said, if youre happy to commit those shortcuts to memory, youll find WriteMonkey faster to use than toolbar-based alternatives.

We also like the ability to look words up in Wikipedia, Google Images, Poetry.com, Answers.com, and many others without opening a browser winder manually and leaving yourself open to the temptations of Twitter and Facebook.

WriteMonkey is a portable app, so theres no need to install it just extract all the downloaded files to a removable drive or cloud storage service and fire it up by running the file WriteMonkey.exe.

Read our full Writemonkey review.

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When deciding which free word processor to download and use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms may only provide basic options. That means if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, free and budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.

To test for the best free word processor we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, especially looking at how it worked with different file formats. The aim was to push each software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

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Best free word processor of 2024 - TechRadar