PCMag published “The Best Free Software: 66 Outstanding Picks Curated by Our Editors”

How PCMag says it chose the software

PCMag lays out several inclusion rules in the article. It says software had to be available directly from the developer, creator or original publisher, and it had to offer a Windows-based download. PCMag says that requirement is why browser extensions were excluded from the roundup.

For software with paid tiers, PCMag says the free version could not be trialware and had to provide a real free option. The outlet also says included programs were preferably updated within the last year or two and should not display ads.

The roundup was published Sept. 30, 2026, according to the page metadata on PCMag’s article, and the outlet promoted it on X in an Oct. 1, 2026 post.

PCMag said in an X post that its Android apps guide for phones and tablets covers 13 categories and 100 apps, and linked readers to the roundup.