[[Check also this article about free software]] — update: 13.12.2024
Go legal, go free!
Are you searching for a legal set of apps, but without crashes, problems or wasting or time? Have you already tried all the free software available and you aren’t satisfied?
These are the best cheaper or FREE alternatives that I found. My selection is here for you and I am open to suggestions.
Above all for architects and designers:
2D CAD
first choice: a reseller license of Autocad. If not possible, look the alternatives below:
my choice for Windows: Nanocad and Zwcad
Unluckily they are not compatible with Mac, but their features and characteristics are the same of Autocad. The process of migration would be extremely easy. Nanocad has a stronger support forum and community in case of doubts-bugs and so on. While in terms of paying, it depends on the offer of that time. In 2018 Nanocad was more convenient, now ZWcad is more convenient because the license is permanent.
my choice for Mac: iCADMac
Only paid version, but it costs much less then Autocad – about 800 € for the permanent version. Very very similar to Autocad.
I tried Librecad, Qcad, Freecad and their functioning is very dissimilar from Autocad: it is ok if you work alone and without previous versions of cad to recover or work on and expeting great compatibility.
3D MODELLING
my choice: Blender
since render engines are not very cheap, and free ones for Rhino are not very good (I tried…), I made some attempts to learn opensource apps. I tried Unreal Engine but I felt lost… while a different story happened with Blender, which I started to love and it is very complete. You can be very precise also if you learn the right tips (see the section above!).
GRAPHICS SUITE
my choice: Affinity
Adobe Suite is one of the best, or simply the best. We all agree. But Affinity surprises me a lot! It is very compatible, beautiful and logical. You won’t miss Adobe!
PLUS:
pinga (for windows) – for reducing big size images with a click without loosing quality (more effective than affinity also)
darktable: for developing HDR / raw images with few clicks
lightsthot: for easy screenshots with the possibility to easy and fastly modify them with comments
EDITING VIDEO
my choice: Da Vinci Resolve
I am in love with it. Other words are un-necessary, you have to download it if you are searching for a freeware.
RECORDING SCREEN
my choice: OBS Studio
you can record your screen and place above it the recording of the webcam. Extremely easy and powerful.
OFFICE SUITE
my choice: Microsoft Office
yes, the most famous could be the cheapest. How? There are a lot of legal license-resellings on online shops. It is perhaps the most used software worldwide, so it isn’t so strange. You have to check the characteristics and the comments, and you could obtain a license for very few euro!
Struggling a little bit.. read this article.
MAINTENANCE
(FOR WINDOWS)
my choices for antivirus: Avast or windows pre-installed apps
my choices for uninstall: Revo Uninstaller
my choice for backup: EaseUS todo backup
All of them have their own free version or paid one.
Disclaimer: this is a fast collection of links, that I found very useful for my work and I want to suggest. Feel free to suggest me other samples!
In that you can find: gratis, free software to download