Ardour
A free, open-source audio workstation for recording, editing and mixing.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.4Visit
Resource type: Desktop App
Best productivity desktop apps
351 picks. Every curated desktop app in the productivity directory, hand-picked and kept up to date.
Updated
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
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Category
Pricing
Platform
351 resources
Insomnia
An API client for designing, testing and debugging APIs, with a free tier.
Desktop AppFree planWindows, macOS
4.4Visit
KDE Connect
A free, open-source project that links your phone and computer.
Desktop AppFreeCross-Platform
4.4Visit
KiCad
Free, open-source software for designing circuit boards.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.6Visit
Kooha
A simple screen recorder for Linux.
Desktop AppFreeLinux
4.5Visit
Pitivi
A free, open-source video editor for Linux.
Desktop AppFreeLinux
4.2Visit
Processing
A free, open-source sketchbook and language for learning to code.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.5Visit
Sniffnet
Watch what your computer is doing on the network.
Desktop AppFreeCross-Platform
4.6Visit
Sonic Pi
A free, open-source way to make music by writing code.
Desktop AppFreeWeb, Windows
4.5Visit
Vorta
A desktop app for encrypted, scheduled backups with Borg.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.5Visit
Zathura
A minimal, keyboard-driven document viewer.
Desktop AppFreeLinux
4.4Visit
Mendeley
A reference manager for saving, organising and citing research.
Desktop AppFree planCross-Platform
4.4Visit
PDFsam
A free, open-source desktop app to merge, split, rotate and extract PDF pages.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.5Visit
Postman
An API platform with a free plan for individuals building and testing APIs.
Desktop AppFree planCross-Platform, Web
4.6Visit
Tailscale
A secure private network for your devices, free for personal use.
Desktop AppFree planCross-Platform
4.7Visit
Termius
An SSH client with a free Starter plan.
Desktop AppFree planCross-Platform
4.5Visit
Dasel
Read and edit JSON, YAML, TOML and more from one command.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
Harlequin
A full SQL editor that runs inside your terminal.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
litecli
A friendlier command line for SQLite databases.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
McFly
A smarter Ctrl-R for finding old terminal commands.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.5Visit
Miller
Sort, filter and reshape CSV and JSON files from the terminal.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.6Visit
pgcli
A friendlier PostgreSQL command line with auto-complete.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.6Visit
qsv
A fast toolkit for cleaning and analysing CSV files.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
xplr
A hackable file explorer for your terminal.
Desktop AppFreeLinux
4.4Visit
BreakTimer
An open-source desktop app that reminds you to take regular breaks.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.5Visit
Freeplane
A free, open-source mind mapping app that runs anywhere Java does.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.4Visit
Xmind
A mind mapping app for every platform with a free plan.
Desktop AppFree planWeb, Windows
4.5Visit
buku
A private bookmark manager you control from the command line.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
DB Browser for SQLite
Open and edit SQLite databases like a spreadsheet.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit
DbGate
One database manager for SQL and NoSQL databases.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
dua-cli
Find out what is using up your disk space, quickly.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit
eza
A colourful, Git-aware replacement for the ls command.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit
Floorp
A privacy-minded web browser built on Firefox.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.4Visit
FreeTube
Watch YouTube without ads or tracking.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
gping
Ping with a live graph.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
HomeBank
Free personal accounting software for budgets, reports and cash flow.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, Linux
4.4Visit
- htop
- lf
- LibreWolf
- Mixxx
- NetBird
- nnn
- novelWriter
- ouch
- Proton VPN
- pueue
- Spacedrive
- topgrade
- DBeaver
- duf
- FreeCAD
- gPodder
- LMMS
- Mailspring
- Mochi
- Money Manager Ex
- Mullvad Browser
- MuseScore Studio
- OpenRefine
- OpenSCAD
- Tabby
- VLC media player
- bibisco
- Cyberduck
- Manuskript
- Tor Browser
- VeraCrypt
- dufs
- Etcher
- f.lux
- ghostwriter
- GnuCash
- gopass
- hledger
- jq
- Mumble
- Newsboat
- Okular
- RustDesk
- Alacritty
- bottom
- cheat
- delta
- direnv
- Dust
- Foam
- gdu
- Hugo
- hyperfine
- K9s
- kitty
- lazydocker
- Marp CLI
- micro
- Task
- tmux
- Zola
- aria2
- BorgBackup
- Broot
- fish shell
- Glances
- Lapce
- mdBook
- Oh My Zsh
- OnionShare
- Quarto
- VisiData
- WezTerm
- BleachBit
- Duplicati
- Foliate
- Magic Wormhole
- mpv
- restic
- Syncplay
- btop
- Double Commander
- Kiwix
- mise
- Nushell
- RSS Guard
- Thorium Reader
- VSCodium
- Workrave
- chezmoi
- Czkawka
- dupeGuru
- Gum
- Helix
- Wox
- Yaak
- Zed
- bat
- Glow
- Jumpshare
- Kando
- Lightshot
- NormCap
- superfile
- Ulauncher
- fd
- Koodo Reader
- Vale
- Yazi
- Kanata
- lazygit
- Listary
- Pake
- ripgrep
- Shottr
- Starship
- Zellij
- croc
- D2
- fzf
- Pandoc
- Planify
- Timewarrior
- nb
- OCRmyPDF
- PDF Arranger
- Subtitle Edit
- zk
- Fluent Reader
- Qalculate!
- anarlog
- Kanri
- QOwnNotes
- OpenWhispr
- Readest
- Ditto
- Kopia
- Sioyek
- Bruno
- JabRef
- jrnl
- rclone
- Taskwarrior
- Xournal++
- zoxide
- Atuin
- Deskflow
- Ferdium
- FocusWriter
- NetNewsWire
- Notepad++
- scrcpy
- Ventoy
- Zen Browser
- Handy
- PeaZip
- Rnote
- Stretchly
- Bulk Rename Utility
- Greenshot
- massCode
- Pomotroid
- SiYuan
- Thunderbird
- WizTree
- AltTab
- AutoHotkey
- calibre
- CopyQ
- diffle
- Everything
- k10s
- PhotoGIMP
- Trilium Notes
- Whiteboard
- 7-Zip
- Espanso
- Flameshot
- FreeFileSync
- HandBrake
- Token Monitor
- Zettlr
- ActivityWatch
- Cryptomator
- DBX
- Heynote
- KeePassXC
- MarkText
- Open Knowledge
- Zotero
- Affinity
- Ansel
- AppFlowy
- Audacity
- Blender
- Buzz
- Cap
- Cavalry
- ComfyUI
- darktable
- DaVinci Resolve
- digiKam
- GIMP
- Inkscape
- InstaMAT
- Jan
- Joplin
- Kdenlive
- Krita
- LibreOffice
- Lightworks
- LocalSend
- LosslessCut
- Lunacy
- Material Maker
- MediBang Paint
- MyPaint
- nomacs
- OBS Studio
- ocenaudio
- ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors
- OpenShot
- OpenToonz
- PDFgear
- Pencil2D
- Phoenix Code
- ProtoPie
- RawTherapee
- Scribus
- Shotcut
- Super Productivity
- Syncthing
- Synfig
- TagSpaces
- Tenacity
- ueli
- Visual Studio Code
- WPS Office
- XnView MP
- FontBase
- Dolt
- ProxyBridge
- AI Agent Session Center
- Better Codex
- DeskVNC
- OpenMausBot
- Glyph
- Graph-It-Live
- Runner
- tty7
- Gridex
- Everywhere
- Dais
- OpenGUI
- The Pair
- agent-deck
- bloks
- Claude Code Agent Monitor
- BagIdea Office
- Bento
- Wake
- AgentsDock
- Pi Desktop
- Genie
- gptme
- oc
- agtx
- brag
- gpty
- Minimal
- slackcli
- Upscayl
- cumora
- hypernovum
- klaatcode
- navi
- navop
- snow-cli
- ChatCLI
- Ghostty
- Gold Band
- Harness Mix
- paneflow
- TUICommander
- Atlas
- Cline for Desktop
- Headroom
- Orca
- Recordly
- Termany
- Shrimply
- Cerebro
- Onorca
- ChatCut Desktop
- PostHog Desktop
- Routine
- Akiflow
- Bloop
- Cursor
- Anytype
- Arc Browser
- Logseq
- Reor
- Rize
- Scrivener
- Warp
- Descript
- Granola
- Screen Studio
- Cron / Notion Calendar
- Cold Turkey Blocker
- Freedom
- Anki
- Raycast
- Obsidian
Showing 36 of 351
Desktop Apps at a glance
Counted from the listings on this page.
- Pricing
- Of 351 picks, 300 are completely free, 45 have a free plan and 6 are paid.
- Highest rated
- Ghostty (4.9/5), Raycast (4.9/5) and Visual Studio Code (4.8/5) have the highest ratings in our reviews.
- Topics covered
- Personal Productivity (167), Workflows (154), Organization (101) and File Management (64).
- Platforms
- Most listed: macOS (307), Windows (302), Linux (289) and Offline (64).
- Best for
- Picked most often for Developers (225), Professionals (192) and Personal Use (172).
- Learning curve
- 119 beginner-friendly, 179 intermediate and 53 advanced.
- Newest addition
- Ardour, added 13 November 2026.
Common questions
- What are the best productivity desktop apps?
- The highest-rated productivity desktop apps in the directory right now are Ghostty, Raycast and Visual Studio Code. The full list above is sorted by our recommendation.
- Are there free productivity desktop apps?
- Yes. Ghostty, Visual Studio Code and Upscayl and 297 others are completely free, and 45 more have a free plan.
- Which productivity desktop apps are easiest to start with?
- Ghostty, Raycast and Upscayl are rated beginner-friendly in our reviews, along with 116 others.
- How many productivity desktop apps are listed?
- 351 are listed: 300 completely free, 45 with a free plan and 6 paid. New ones are added as they are checked.
Other resource types
Browse the directory by another type.