While there are many places on the net to download gratis software, they're not all safe. Lots of sites accept advantage of people looking for gratuitous downloads to hitting you lot with malicious ads, fake virus warnings, or even tampered files.

While good antivirus software volition protect you from the worst sites, it's better to avert shady free download sites altogether and stick to trustworthy freeware resources. Let's expect at some of the best and safest sites for downloading Windows software.

In add-on to full general reputation and personal experience, nosotros used URLVoid to bank check website safety. This tool checks sites confronting dozens of security software blacklists. Every website here scored at least a 41/43 (meaning that all only 1 or 2 scanners found the site to be clean).

i. Official Software Websites

Before we go into the sites that offer lots of different Windows software, information technology's worth remembering that the safest place to download near pop software is ofttimes correct from its official website. If y'all're looking to download a browser, security suite, media app, or similar, you lot can't get much more secure than its homepage.

Some software may still try to foist unwanted arranged junk on you lot from its official website, only y'all tin be pretty sure information technology's gratuitous of malware. If you don't know an app's download page, a quick Google search for "download Spotify" or similar volition bring upward a box that takes you lot correct to it. Just make sure you're on the official page.

ii. Ninite

Ninite is unproblematic. The website presents you with a list of popular programs to select, and you check the boxes for all the apps you want. Then, clicking the download button volition give you a custom installer file that bundles all the selected programs together, assuasive you lot to install them in bulk.

Ninite is known for its safety and security. It automatically declines toolbars and extra junk, runs in the background, and doesn't require you to click Adjacent over and over. Thus, there'southward no run a risk of malware or bundled garbage. Running the aforementioned installer file later will cause Ninite to automatically update everything you downloaded originally.

While there are simply a few dozen apps on Ninite, it has a lot of the most popular Windows software like Chrome, VLC, Zoom, LibreOffice, and more. Go on in information technology heed side by side fourth dimension you're setting up a new computer.

three. Softpedia

Softpedia is one of the largest download sites around; it'southward delivered over three billion downloads over the years. The most pop apps are updated every twenty-four hours, allowing you lot to go clean and malware-complimentary software that's as well as recent equally possible.

On top of this, it has an easy-to-use interface that makes it painless to browse for programs on any platform. You can browse what'southward been updated recently, or search using filters like categories, last updated, and cost. In improver to Windows, y'all'll find Mac, Linux, and Android apps too.

iv. MajorGeeks

Even though the site looks similar it hasn't been updated since the 1990s, MajorGeeks has been ane of the near reputable software download sites for some fourth dimension.

Its list of Top Freeware Picks is a neat place to start, but don't exist afraid to browse the left sidebar and look through all kinds of highly-rated programs that you might find handy. Otherwise, searching will aid find what you lot're looking for.

5. FileHippo

FileHippo is a well-known site with tons of agile programs broken down into categories. It too has a repository of spider web apps, if you aren't set on just downloading desktop software.

The site will occasionally prompt you lot to download some other app (such as Opera) before the one you asked for. But this is clearly labeled, piece of cake to skip, and doesn't push button shady software.

FileHippo goes farther by likewise offer older versions of software. While you generally shouldn't install outdated software for security reasons, it's a useful pick to accept in case y'all run into issues with the latest version.

6. Download Crew

Download Crew's website stands out cheers to its short but informative descriptions on each app page. These are written by real users, not but copied and pasted from the vendor'south website. You'll learn what each app does, its perks, and any flaws.

The top department has Featured Downloads, making it a good place to become started. Information technology also has a robust list of options for the software licenses, including Open Source, Trialware, and more. This lets you lot drill down into exactly what kind of gratis software you're getting.

7. FileHorse

FileHorse doesn't have a massive repository of software. Instead, this site focuses on stocking the best and most useful programs. Each product page has screenshots and then you know what to expect, plus version compatibility, a changelog, links to old versions, and more.

Because the homepage is cleaved into a relatively minor number of categories like Video Software and Cleaning and Tweaking, it'due south also a good identify to discover trusted alternatives to popular software.

8. FilePuma

FilePuma has a pretty basic interface and focuses on simplicity. Search for the software y'all're interested in, or browse its categories to find something new. Since the categories accept the most pop tools right on the homepage, it'due south easy to run across what's on offering.

Aside from old versions and screenshots, there's not much more on the production download page. The but other standout feature is FilePuma'southward Update Detector, which makes it easy to cheque for and install updates for software on your PC.

nine. SnapFiles

SnapFiles looks like a lot of the other download sites we've featured, simply it has a few cool functions that make it worth a look. I of these is the Freeware Pick on the homepage, which highlights a piece of software yous might not accept known about. And under More than at the height of the folio, y'all'll observe a Random Selection, which is also cracking for discovering new software to download.

There's as well a defended page for Portable Apps, handy if yous want to run apps without installing them. SnapFiles too features user reviews on software download pages, plus warnings on apps that try to install bundled software.

ten. The Microsoft Store

It's easy to ignore the Microsoft Store, which is the home for Modernistic apps on Windows ten and Windows 11. And while a lot of its offerings aren't particularly great, you lot can still find some solid apps on the Shop.

Using Store apps as well has some benefits compared to their traditional counterparts. Store apps update automatically update themselves. And more than importantly, they are sandboxed, then they can't intrude on other areas of your arrangement. Have a expect to see if your favorite apps are on the Microsoft Store and y'all might exist pleasantly surprised with what else you dig upwards.

The Best Free Software Download Sites to Visit

Remember that no site tin can ever be 100 percent safe. It's possible that a rogue advert will slip through, or the site could get hacked or sold to a malicious visitor. But in full general, the download sites we've featured here are clean and trustworthy.

Use a bit of common sense and don't install anything that seems shady. If a site offers a "faster" download managing director, ignore information technology and use the straight download instead. And before y'all beginning, make certain you can spot ads disguised every bit download links.

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About The Writer

Ben Stegner (1793 Articles Published)

Ben is the Editor in Master at MakeUseOf. He left his IT task to write total-fourth dimension in 2016 and has never looked back. He'due south been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over seven years.

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