GIMP, Pixlr and Canva are free alternatives for photo editing.

 9 free software copycats that work better than the real expensive programs



GIMP, Pixlr and Canva are free alternatives for photo editing.

 (Photo: Getty Images)

There are more features and tricks hiding in your Mac or PC than most people will ever know. You can do even more if you know the right software to download.

If you’re relying on your computer’s built-in spell check to catch all your grammar mistakes, for example, it’s time to upgrade.Here are five stellar options to make you sound smarter. I have used one for 223 weeks straight.  

With everything else we shell out cash for online, you don’t always want to pay for programs. If you need to save a little cash, I’ve got your back. First, check this list of simple ways to save money on streaming, cable and internet bills each month.

Round out the savings with this list of full-featured programs that work just like popular software everyone else uses:

1. Let’s start with the basics: Office software

When it comes to productivity software, Microsoft Office is the gold standard. Unfortunately, it's also expensive. Yes, there are some ways to get a discount if you genuinely need the Microsoft version. Tap or click here for tricks to get it free or cheap.

A great no-cost alternative is LibreOffice. This open-source office suite is especially great because its creators continually update it. You’ll get six programs, including Writer, Impress, and Calc, which work just like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, respectively.

LibreOffice allows you to edit documents created in the official MS Office and save new files in Office formats, too. Someone on the receiving end of your .docx file won’t know you used a program other than Word to save it.

Tap or click here for direct download links for Mac and PC.

2. Or try TextMaker

FreeOffice TextMaker is another solid Microsoft Office alternative. It’s handy when you need to open .doc and .docx files. Unlike other free word processing programs, it offers a spell check feature in 58 languages. Like Word, you can insert tables, pictures, and drawings.

You can even create EPUB e-books. That’s convenient for aspiring authors who don’t want to shell out cash for another program.

Tap or click here to download FreeOffice TextMaker.

Want more options?7 free alternatives to Microsoft Windows

3. Open and edit spreadsheets, too

Another great offering from FreeOffice is PlanMaker, a free Excel alternative. Open and edit XLS and XLSX files from Excel or export your worksheets as PDFs.

It can go beyond the basics, too, with more than 430 computing functions. It comes loaded with templates compatible with Microsoft Excel 2019, too.

Tap or click here to download FreeOffice PlanMaker.

You can edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations for free with Google Drive, too.Tap or click for 15 tips and tricks power users rely on.

4. Can’t afford Photoshop? You’re not alone

Designed for advanced users, GIMP is a professional photo editor almost identical to Adobe Photoshop. The open-source software has been around, and loved, since the ’90s. You’ll get access to many Photoshop tools, including advanced filters, text settings and layers.

And hey, you won’t have to shell out $10 (or more) a month for Photoshop anymore.

GIMP is available for Windows, macOS and Linux. Tap or click here for a direct download link and more info.

5. Or try this photo editor that runs in your browser

Sometimes you want a solid program without downloading anything. That's where Pixlr comes in. This photo editing software runs in your browser; it’s compatible with Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

Pixlr includes advanced tools like drawing and photo filters, but it’s handy for easy cropping and resizing features, too. Unlike some other browser-based options, it opens nearly image format. That includes PSD (Photoshop documents), PXD, JPEG, PNG, WebP, and SVG.