Free Tools I Use Regularly

Over my 30+ years as an IT network admin, server admin, developer, and consultant, I’ve seen tools come and go.
One thing has remained constant: my love for FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software).

Why?

• Transparency: You can see how it works.
• Community-driven: Built by people who care.
• Freedom: No vendor lock-in.

Whenever possible, I choose tools that are open-source and privacy-friendly.
Below is a curated list of my go-to free tools and services I use on a regular basis.
Where I use a paid service, I only recommend what I personally rely on—those are clearly marked and linked via my affiliates.

Affiliate Recommendations 💲

These are paid services that I trust and use daily.
Using my links helps support this blog at no cost to you.

• Proton for all things privacy 🆓💲
  Privacy-first email provider with calendars, VPN, and password manager, authenticator, chat bot and more. Free tier available.

• Email Marketing – MailerLite 🆓💲
  Simple, affordable email marketing with automation. Free plan for smaller lists.

• Password Manager – Keeper 💲
  Secure and cross-platform password management.

• Computer Backup – Backblaze 💲
  Unlimited cloud backup for your computer. Set it and forget it.

My Go-To Free Tools

Web & Utility Tools

• CloudConvert 🆓💲 – Convert files between almost any format (free tier with limits).
• Convert Case 🆓 – Quickly change text case styles.
• Dead Link Checker 🆓 – Ensure your websites don’t have broken links.
• Neat Reader 🆓💲 – Online ePub reader (free basic version).
• Image Cache & Resize (Weserv) 🆓 – Simple, fast image caching and resizing.
• ImgBB 🆓 – Free image hosting with easy sharing links.
• Internxt Send 🆓 – Send encrypted files securely.
• MailerTest 🆓 – Test email deliverability and spam score.
• Markdown Tables Generator 🆓 – Create Markdown tables easily.
• Namechk 🆓 – Check username availability across platforms.
• OpenResume 🐧 – Create an ATS-friendly resume with open-source tools.
• Use a Passphrase 🆓 – Generate strong, memorable passphrases.
• Password Pusher 🐧 – Share sensitive passwords via temporary links.
• Portable Secret 🐧 – Encrypt and share secrets in a portable file.
• Real Favicon Generator 🆓 – Generate multi-platform favicons for your site.
• Technical SEO Tools 🆓 – Free tools for audits, robots.txt, and more.
• Signature Hound 🆓💲 – Create beautiful email signatures (free limited plan).
• Social Share Preview 🆓 – Preview how your links look when shared on social platforms.
• Twitter Video Downloader 🆓 – Download videos from Twitter.
• Web Check 🆓 – Analyze a website’s performance, DNS, and security.
• Temp Mail 🆓💲 – Get a disposable temporary email address (basic free, premium available).

Legend

• 🆓 Free / Freemium
• 🐧 Open Source (FOSS)
• 💲 Paid / Commercial

Why These Tools Matter

• Productivity: They speed up everyday tasks.
• Reliability: Many of these tools have been in my personal toolkit for years.
• FOSS & Privacy Respect: I prefer tools that respect privacy and open standards whenever possible.

These tools reflect a philosophy I’ve had throughout my IT career:
Use the best tool for the job, share knowledge, and leverage open-source wherever possible.

What are your favorite free tools?