# Plainweb

> Plain answers for using the internet. One tested pick for every job, scam checks, safety lessons, and a starter path for new AI coders. No ads, no affiliate links, no paid rankings.

The Junk Rule: Any one of these and a tool is marked Avoid, no matter how popular it is. Hidden catch at the end: A watermark, paywall or signup that only shows up after you did the work. Malware or bundled junk: Installs extra software you did not ask for, or has shipped malware. Scare tactics: Fake scans, fake warnings, or countdowns to pressure you into paying. Caught selling your data: A regulator, court or public investigation showed it sold or shared user data or connections without clear consent. No spending cap: For developer services: no way to stop a surprise bill. Renewal trap: For developer services: renewal costs more than twice the first year, or privacy protection is extra.

## Do

- [What is the best free PDF tool with no signup?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-pdf-tools): Pick: PDF24 Tools. PDF24 Tools is the best free PDF tool for most people.
- [How do I fill in and sign a PDF for free?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-way-to-sign-a-pdf): Pick: Adobe Acrobat Reader. The free way to fill in and sign a PDF is the reader you already have.
- [What is the best free PDF reader for Windows?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-pdf-reader): Pick: SumatraPDF. Your web browser is already a good PDF reader.
- [What is the best free file converter?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-file-converter): Pick: File Converter. File Converter is the best free file converter for Windows.
- [What is the best free program to open zip and rar files?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-zip-program): Pick: 7-Zip. 7-Zip is the best free program for zip, rar and 7z files on Windows.
- [How do I convert an ebook to another format for free?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-ebook-converter): Pick: Calibre. Calibre is the free, open source standard for converting and organizing ebooks.
- [What is the best free background remover with no watermark?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-background-remover): Pick: Your phone or computer. The best free background remover is probably already on your device.
- [How do I make a photo smaller for free?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-image-compressor): Pick: Squoosh. Squoosh is the best free tool to resize and compress images.
- [What is the best free Photoshop alternative?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-photo-editor): Pick: Photopea. Photopea is the best free Photoshop alternative for most people.
- [What is the best free AI image upscaler?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-image-upscaler): Pick: Upscayl. Upscayl is the best free AI image upscaler.
- [What is the best free app to design a logo or poster?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-design-app): Pick: Canva. Canva is the best free design app for posters, social posts, thumbnails and simple logos.
- [Where can I get free stock photos I can use legally?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-stock-photos): Pick: Unsplash. Unsplash and Pexels are the best places for free stock photos you can use, even commercially, without paying or crediting.
- [Where can I download free fonts for commercial use?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-fonts): Pick: Google Fonts. Google Fonts is the safest place for free fonts.
- [What is the best free video editor with no watermark?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-video-editor): Pick: DaVinci Resolve. DaVinci Resolve is the best free video editor with no watermark.
- [How do I make a video file smaller for free?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-video-compressor): Pick: HandBrake. HandBrake is the best free way to compress or convert video.
- [What is the best free screen recorder?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-screen-recorder): Pick: OBS Studio. For quick recordings, use what your computer already has.
- [How do I add subtitles to a video for free?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-subtitle-maker): Pick: Subtitle Edit. Subtitle Edit is the best free tool for making subtitles on Windows.
- [What is the best free GIF maker?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-gif-maker): Pick: Ezgif. Ezgif is the best free GIF maker.
- [What is the best free audio editor?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-audio-editor): Pick: Audacity. Audacity is the best free audio editor.
- [What is the best free vocal remover?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-vocal-remover): Pick: Ultimate Vocal Remover. Ultimate Vocal Remover is the best free vocal remover.
- [What is the best free text to speech?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-text-to-speech): Pick: Microsoft Edge Read Aloud. The best free text to speech is built into Microsoft Edge.
- [Which free AI chatbot is best?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-ai-chatbot): The big free AI assistants, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude and Microsoft Copilot, are close enough that the best one is the one you will actually use.
- [What is the best free AI image generator?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-ai-image-generator): ChatGPT and Google Gemini both make good images free inside their chat apps, and you can edit by describing changes.
- [How can I tell if an image or text was made by AI?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-check-if-an-image-is-ai): Pick: Content Credentials Verify. No tool can reliably tell if text was written by AI, so never accuse someone based on an AI text detector.
- [What is the best free transcription app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-transcription): Pick: Buzz. Buzz is the best free transcription app.
- [What is the best free translation app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-translator): Pick: Google Translate. Google Translate is the best free all-round translator.
- [What is the best free video call app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-video-call-app): Pick: Google Meet. The best free video call app is the one the other person already has.
- [What is the most private messaging app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-private-messaging-app): Pick: Signal. Signal is the most private messaging app.
- [What is the best app for a group chat or community?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-group-chat-app): Pick: Discord. Discord is the best free app for communities, gaming groups and clubs, with voice rooms, channels and moderation tools.
- [What is the best free stranger video chat site now that Omegle is gone?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-stranger-video-chat): Omegle shut down in November 2023, and sites that use its name are unrelated copies.
- [What is the best free way to send large files?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-way-to-send-large-files): Pick: SwissTransfer. SwissTransfer is the best free way to send large files.
- [What is the best way to share a video privately for free?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-video-sharing): Pick: YouTube (unlisted). An unlisted YouTube video is the easiest free way to share a long video privately.
- [What is the best way to share family photos?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-photo-sharing): Pick: Google Photos. A shared album is the best way to share family photos.
- [What is the best pastebin for sharing text or code?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-way-to-share-text-or-code): Pick: GitHub Gist. GitHub Gist is the best free way to share text or code.
- [Are shortened links safe, and how do I see where they go?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/are-link-shorteners-safe): Pick: TinyURL. Shortened links hide where they go, which is why scammers love them.
- [Where can I watch free movies legally?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-legal-movie-streaming): Pick: Tubi. Tubi is the best free legal streaming service, with a huge library of movies and shows, supported by ads, no account needed.
- [What is the best free music streaming app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-music-streaming): Pick: Spotify. Spotify Free and YouTube Music both stream millions of songs free with ads.
- [What is the best free podcast app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-podcast-app): Pick: Pocket Casts. Pocket Casts is the best free podcast app on iPhone and Android, with clean design, sleep timers and sync between devices.
- [How can I get free ebooks and audiobooks legally?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-ebooks-and-audiobooks): Pick: Libby. Libby is the best way to get free ebooks and audiobooks legally.
- [Where can I take free online courses?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-online-courses): Pick: Khan Academy. Khan Academy is the best free place to learn, with full courses in math, science, economics and more, from kids to college level, no ads and no paywall.
- [What is the best free app to learn a language?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-language-learning-app): Pick: Duolingo. Duolingo is the best free app to build a daily language habit, with short lessons in over 40 languages.
- [What is the best free site to practice typing?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-typing-practice): Pick: Monkeytype. Monkeytype is the best free typing test for adults who want to get faster, clean and ad-light.
- [What is the best free way for kids to learn coding?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-coding-for-kids): Pick: Scratch. Scratch, made by MIT, is the best free way for kids to start coding.
- [Where can students get free homework help?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-homework-help): Pick: Khan Academy. Khan Academy explains school subjects step by step for free.
- [What is the best free alternative to Microsoft Office?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-office-suite): Pick: Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. Google Docs, Sheets and Slides are the best free office apps for most people.
- [What is the best free note taking app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-notes-app): Pick: Obsidian. For quick notes, the app already on your phone is best, Apple Notes on iPhone or Google Keep on Android.
- [What is the best free to-do list app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-to-do-list-app): Pick: Microsoft To Do. Microsoft To Do is the best free to-do app.
- [What is the best free online whiteboard?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-whiteboard): Pick: Excalidraw. Excalidraw is the best free online whiteboard.
- [What is the best free form or survey maker?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-form-builder): Pick: Google Forms. Google Forms is the best free form maker for most people.
- [Is there a resume builder that is actually free?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-resume-builder): Pick: Reactive Resume. Many resume builder sites let you write your whole resume and then charge to download it, often through a cheap trial that turns into a monthly subscription.
- [What is the best free budgeting app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-budget-app): Pick: Actual Budget. Actual Budget is the best free budgeting app.
- [What is the safest way to send money to someone?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/safest-way-to-send-money): Pick: Wise. For people you know in the US, Zelle (inside your bank's app) and Venmo are fast, but payments are like cash and usually cannot be reversed if you are scammed.
- [What is the safest way to store cryptocurrency?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-store-crypto-safely): Pick: Trezor. The safest way to store crypto is a hardware wallet such as Trezor or Ledger, bought directly from the maker, with the 12 or 24 word recovery phrase written on paper and never typed into any website or app.
- [How do I check if a website is legit before buying?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-check-if-a-website-is-legit): Pick: Google Safe Browsing site status. To check if a shopping site is legit, first paste the address into Google's Safe Browsing site status page, which flags known scam and malware sites.
- [How can I see a product's price history?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-price-tracker): Pick: CamelCamelCamel. CamelCamelCamel is the best free price tracker for Amazon.
- [What is the best site to find cheap flights?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-way-to-find-cheap-flights): Pick: Google Flights. Google Flights is the best free tool for finding cheap flights.
- [What is the best offline maps app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-offline-maps-app): Pick: Google Maps. Google Maps can download an area for offline driving directions and search, which is enough for most trips.
- [Where can I get free PC games legally?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/where-to-get-free-pc-games-legally): Pick: Epic Games Store. The Epic Games Store gives away free PC games to keep every week, and Steam has hundreds of free-to-play games plus regular free weekends.
- [Where can I find the cheapest price for a game?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-game-deal-tracker): Pick: IsThereAnyDeal. IsThereAnyDeal is the best free game price tracker.
- [Are free Robux or V-Bucks generators real?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/are-free-robux-and-vbucks-real): No.
- [What are the best free parental controls?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-parental-controls): Pick: Screen Time, Family Link, Family Safety. The best free parental controls are built into the devices.
- [What are the safest video apps for kids?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-safe-video-apps-for-kids): Pick: PBS KIDS Video. PBS Kids Video is the safest free video app for young kids, with only educational shows and no ads.
- [What is the best free way to share location with family?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-family-location-sharing): Pick: Find My / Find Hub. The best free family location sharing is built into phones.

## Safety and your devices

- [What is the best free ad blocker?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-ad-blocker): Pick: uBlock Origin. uBlock Origin is the best free ad blocker.
- [What is the best free password manager?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-password-manager): Pick: Bitwarden. Bitwarden is the best free password manager.
- [What is the best free authenticator app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-authenticator-app): Pick: Ente Auth. Ente Auth is the best free authenticator app.
- [Do I need antivirus on Windows?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/do-i-need-antivirus): Pick: Windows Security. Most people do not need to buy antivirus.
- [What is the best free VPN, and do I need one?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-vpn): Pick: Proton VPN. Proton VPN is the best free VPN.
- [How do I hide my email address when signing up?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-email-alias-service): Pick: SimpleLogin. An email alias forwards mail to your real inbox without revealing it, so you can turn off any address that starts getting spam.
- [What is the best web browser for privacy and ad blocking?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-browser-for-privacy): Pick: Firefox. Firefox is the best browser for most people who want privacy, because it runs the full uBlock Origin ad blocker and is made by a nonprofit foundation.
- [What is the most private search engine?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-private-search-engine): Pick: DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo is the easiest private search engine.
- [What is the best free private email?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-private-email): Pick: Proton Mail. Proton Mail is the best free private email.
- [How do I stop getting spam emails?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-stop-spam-email): Pick: SimpleLogin. To cut spam, use the Unsubscribe link only on emails from companies you know, mark everything else as spam so your provider learns, and use email aliases for new signups so a leaked address can be switched off.
- [How do I back up my phone?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-back-up-your-phone): Pick: Google Photos. iPhones back up to iCloud (Settings, your name, iCloud, iCloud Backup) or to a computer for free.
- [What is the best way to back up a computer?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-back-up-your-computer): Pick: Backblaze. The best backup has two copies, one at home and one online.
- [Which cloud storage gives the most space free?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-cloud-storage): Pick: Google Drive. Google Drive gives 15 GB free, shared with Gmail and Google Photos, and is the easiest for most people.
- [Do I need a PC cleaner or optimizer?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/do-i-need-a-pc-cleaner): Pick: Storage Sense. No.
- [What is the safest way to install free apps on Windows?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-way-to-install-apps-on-windows): Pick: Ninite. Ninite is the safest way to install popular free apps on Windows.
- [What free utilities should every Windows PC have?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-windows-utilities): Pick: Everything. Everything finds any file on your PC instantly as you type.
- [What is the best free document scanner app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-document-scanner-app): Pick: Notes app or Google Drive scan. The best free document scanner is already on your phone.
- [How do I stop spam calls on my phone?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-block-spam-calls): Pick: Built-in call screening. Turn on the free spam call blocking built into your phone.
- [What is the most private keyboard app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-private-keyboard-app): Pick: Gboard or Apple keyboard. The keyboard that came with your phone, Gboard on Android or Apple's keyboard on iPhone, is a safe choice.

## Build

- [What is the best code editor for beginners?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-code-editor-for-beginners): Pick: Visual Studio Code. Visual Studio Code is the best code editor for beginners.
- [How do I install Git and what is it for?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-install-git): Pick: Git. Git saves snapshots of your project so you can undo any change, which matters even more when an AI is editing your code.
- [What is the right way to install Node.js and Python?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-install-node-and-python): Pick: fnm. Install Node.js through fnm and Python through uv.
- [Which AI coding agent should a beginner use?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-ai-coding-agent): The leading AI coding agents, Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor's agent, GitHub Copilot and Gemini CLI, can all read a project, edit files and run commands for you.
- [What is the best AI app builder for non-coders?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-ai-app-builder): Lovable, Bolt, v0 and Replit build working web apps from a plain description, host them, and let you keep editing by chatting.
- [Where should I store my code online?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-place-to-host-code): Pick: GitHub. GitHub is the best place to store your code.
- [What is the best free website hosting?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-website-hosting): Pick: Cloudflare Workers and Pages. Cloudflare is the best free host for websites and web apps.
- [What is the cheapest and most honest domain registrar?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/cheapest-domain-registrar): Pick: Cloudflare Registrar. Cloudflare Registrar is the most honest place to buy a domain.
- [What is the best free database for a web app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-database-for-web-apps): Pick: Supabase. Supabase is the best free database for beginners.
- [What is the easiest way to add login to a web app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-auth-for-web-apps): Pick: Clerk. Clerk is the easiest way to add sign in, with ready-made login screens, Google and email sign in, and a free tier for thousands of monthly users.
- [What is the best way to accept payments in a web app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-way-to-accept-payments-online): Pick: Stripe. Stripe is the best way to accept payments in your own app.
- [What is the best email sending service for a new app?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-email-api-for-developers): Pick: Resend. Resend is the best email service for a new app.
- [What is the best free privacy-friendly analytics?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-privacy-friendly-analytics): Pick: Cloudflare Web Analytics. Cloudflare Web Analytics is the best free privacy-friendly analytics.
- [What is the best free error tracking tool?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-free-error-tracking): Pick: Sentry. Sentry is the best free error tracking tool.
- [What is the best website builder for a small site?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/best-website-builder): Pick: Carrd. Carrd is the best builder for a simple one-page site, like a portfolio, link page or landing page, for a small yearly price.

## Lessons

- [How to spot a scam](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-spot-a-scam): How can I tell if a message, call or website is a scam?
- [Domains, DNS and hosting, in plain words](https://plainweb.pages.dev/what-is-a-domain-dns-and-hosting): What is the difference between a domain, DNS and hosting?
- [Never commit your .env file](https://plainweb.pages.dev/never-commit-your-env-file): What do I do if I accidentally pushed my API keys to GitHub?
- [The lock icon does not mean safe](https://plainweb.pages.dev/the-lock-icon-does-not-mean-safe): Does the padlock in the address bar mean a website is safe?
- [AI voice clone scams and the family code word](https://plainweb.pages.dev/ai-voice-clone-scams): How do AI voice clone scams work and how do I protect my family?
- [API keys in frontend code are public](https://plainweb.pages.dev/api-keys-in-frontend-code-are-public): Is it safe to put an API key in my website's JavaScript?
- [How to spot AI images and videos](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-spot-ai-images-and-video): How can I tell if a photo or video was made by AI?
- [Set spending limits before you launch](https://plainweb.pages.dev/set-spend-limits-before-you-launch): How do I avoid a surprise cloud bill?
- [How to block ads on every device](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-block-ads): How do I block ads on my computer and phone?
- [How to review what your AI agent changed](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-review-what-your-ai-agent-changed): How do I check what an AI coding agent changed in my code?
- [Git basics for AI coders](https://plainweb.pages.dev/git-basics-for-ai-coders): What Git commands do I actually need?
- [Passkeys and password managers](https://plainweb.pages.dev/passkeys-and-password-managers): What is a passkey and do I still need a password manager?
- [Getting your app found without being an influencer](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-get-found-without-being-an-influencer): How do I get people to find my website or app without becoming an influencer?
- [Two-step login, explained](https://plainweb.pages.dev/two-step-login-explained): What is two-factor authentication and how do I turn it on?
- [Fake virus warnings and tech support scams](https://plainweb.pages.dev/fake-virus-warnings-and-tech-support-scams): What should I do if my screen says my computer is infected and to call a number?
- [What to do if you got scammed](https://plainweb.pages.dev/what-to-do-if-you-got-scammed): I think I was scammed. What should I do right now?
- [Do you need a VPN?](https://plainweb.pages.dev/do-you-need-a-vpn): Do I need a VPN, and what does a VPN actually do?

## Kits

- [New Windows PC](https://plainweb.pages.dev/what-to-install-on-a-new-windows-pc): What should I install on a new Windows PC?
- [A parent's or grandparent's computer](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-set-up-a-computer-for-a-parent): How do I set up a safe computer for an older parent?
- [Make your phone safer](https://plainweb.pages.dev/how-to-make-your-phone-safer): How do I make my phone more secure and private?
- [Start coding with AI](https://plainweb.pages.dev/what-to-install-to-start-coding-with-ai): What do I need to install to start coding with AI?

## Tools

Every tool has a report card at https://plainweb.pages.dev/is-{tool}-safe. Full text: https://plainweb.pages.dev/llms-full.txt. Data: https://plainweb.pages.dev/data/report-cards.json