Free Software for Students

by Lori Gracey February 22, 2018

written by Lori Gracey February 22, 2018

While the adage “You get what you pay for” is definitely true, I am still a fan of free. And for cash-strapped school districts, free software may make the difference in whether a student has access to tech tools or not. With that in mind, here are some software programs that are so good, students will definitely find them useful. Most of them are available on a variety of computer platforms. And, as of today, they are all free. (By the way, I did not include more well-known free software such as the Google Suite, OneNote, etc.)

2D/3D/Art/Drawing/Creating

Blender (3D drawing)
Darkflow (photo workflow like Lightroom)
DraftSight (CAD software for 2D designs)
Fusion 360 (3D CAD/CAM software from Autodesk)
Gimp (image editing)
Inkscape (vector art software)
IrfanView (photo editing)
Krita (painting program)
OpenSCAD (3D model scripting software)
Stud.io (LEGO building simulator)

Flowchart/Diagram Creator

Draw.io (online diagram software)

Foreign Language

Duolingo (learn a wide variety of foreign languages)

Game Design

Unity (game design software)

Math/Science

Cymath (online math problem solver)
Desmos (online graphing calculator)
GeoGebra (online graphing calculator)
Mathway (online help for basic math, algebra, pre-algebra, calculus, pre-calculus, trigonometry, statistics, linear algebra, chemistry, and graphing)
Solar System 3D Simulator (as the name says; only available for Windows)
Space Engine (space exploration simulator)

Music Creation/Audio Recording

Audacity (audio editing software)
LMMS (Let’s Make Music Studio)
MuseScore (music notation software)
R Project (statistical software)

Utility

Cold Turkey Blocker (free version runs in your browser and helps you focus on your work with no online distractions)
f.lux (day/night cycle on the monitor’s brightness and color)
KeePass (password manager)

Video Creation/Editing

Handbrake (video converter)
OBS Studio (video recording and live streaming)

Writing/Citation Creation

LaTex (document preparation for scientific and technical writing; great for math and science papers)
Zotero (reference manager)

What other free software programs or online tools would you recommend for students? Please add them to the comments section below.

Lori Gracey

Lori Gracey currently serves as the executive director of the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) and is responsible for training technology directors, administrators, curriculum supervisors, librarians, and teachers across the country. Since 2009, she has led TCEA in membership and revenue growth, helped to pay off their building and purchase a new, larger building, and implemented new conferences, partnerships with other associations, and professional development opportunities for members and non-members. She serves more than 75,000 members and oversees a staff of 20. Lori has served on the board of the Texas Society of Association Executives and SXSWedu, and she has served as the Regional Program Chair for the ISTE 2017 and 2021 Convention in San Antonio. Lori has 28 years of experience in education, with 22 years as a curriculum and technology director.

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