Everyone likes a good deal. And deals don’t get better than free! The internet is one of the best things to happen to humankind, offering access to a wealth of knowledge that goes beyond the wildest dreams. There are a jaw-dropping 5.35 billion (with a ‘b’!) internet users around the world. But you’d be surprised how many people are not aware of the learning resources, archives, tools, and services that can be accessed by paying absolutely nothing online, with just the help of a phone or computer.
Sometimes, it takes a handful of well-intentioned strangers to open your eyes. One internet user sparked an informative thread on r/AskReddit after asking everyone to share their favorite free online things that everyone should know about. Scroll down for their tips, and make sure to take notes!
Cool Things That Are Free Online: 1.
Audacity -A powerful audio editor, ideal for music and podcasts.
Autodesk Fusion 360 -CAD/CAM software.
Bit Warden -Open-source password management service.
Blender – Free and open source 3D creation suite.
Cake Walk – music production software
Dark Table – Open-source photography workflow application and raw developer.
Dashlane -Cross-platform subscription-based password manager and digital wallet application.
Cool Things That Are Free Online: 2.
Merlin Bird ID by the Ornithology lab at Cornell University is like Shazam for birds. Just tap the microphone button and it’ll identify the sources of the chirping you hear around you.
Daily Trend Blog was interested to find out why some people are suspicious of free things compared to paid options. Marketing psychology expert Johnson shed some light on this. He explained that this happens due to a cognitive bias that’s known as ‘price-quality heuristic.’
“We instinctively associate higher prices with better quality. This bias is deeply ingrained in consumer psychology because, in many cases, paying more does lead to better materials, services, or experiences. When something is free, it can trigger doubt about its value or legitimacy. People might wonder, ‘If it’s free, is it really worth my time?’” he explained to us in an email.
Cool Things That Are Free Online: 3.
I built it because I heard horror stories about people making qr codes, only to find out later they had a “trial” and now were being forced to pay $30/month to have their codes work.I am a serial entrepreneur and have the skills so I just got to work building it.Users get 10 free dynamic codes that they can update even after printing them, and unlimited static codes(which cannot be updated because they have fixed data embedded in the code).
Cool Things That Are Free Online: 4.
Definitely Librivox. They host copyright free books which volunteers read out and record.
“On the other hand, we may see previously free services moving behind paywalls as consumer expectations shift. Social media platforms or free content websites could begin charging for ad-free experiences or exclusive content. We already see this with platforms like YouTube, which offers a premium service for those wanting to avoid ads or access special features,” he said.
The news isn’t immune to this either. “News outlets are another example—many previously free sites now offer paid subscriptions as they move away from ad-supported models. As digital advertising becomes less effective and users demand better, more tailored experiences, companies will likely push more essential features or content into the paid category. This shift reflects a broader trend of consumers paying for control and quality in their online experiences.”
Cool Things That Are Free Online: 5.
Libby is also a fantastic resource for borrowing digital books from your local library.
Some have mentioned language learning in this thread too and I want to add that Character AI does a decent job with learning through writing. You can listen to the voice speak it with you. You can ask AI any questions you have about anything pertaining to the language to fill in your knowledge gaps.
