The Top 8 Open-Source Software Providers for Storage, Media, & More
Open-source platforms are rapidly overtaking the proprietary software market as more people value open-source software's transparency and resources.
We all have many options for tools to integrate into our lives, from media streaming to managing our files; choosing the right open-source tools can help save money and offer greater flexibility, encourage collaboration and shared knowledge within communities.
So, if you want to change from proprietary services and enjoy all the benefits of open-source software, this list has everything you need to get started!
Table of contents
- What is open-source software?
- Benefits of choosing open-source software
- The best open-source software providers
- Cloud storage: Internxt Drive
- Media: VLC Player
- Photo editing: GIMP
- Video editor: Shotcut
- Browser: Firefox
- Office suite: LibreOffice
- Operating system: Linux
- Password manager: KeePass
What is open-source software?
Open-source software is released with the copyright holder’s permission to freely use, study, modify, and distribute the software and its source code. It is often developed collaboratively, with anyone able to contribute to its development online.
This approach allows unlimited contributors, bringing in diverse perspectives beyond those of a single company. It also lets the public stay informed about software updates or security experts to monitor the software and help prevent data breaches.
Benefits of choosing open-source software
Open-source platforms differ significantly from proprietary software in various ways, and these fundamental differences are what attract people to move away from closed-source software to a more transparent alternative.
- Accessibility
Open-source code is publicly available, typically on GitHub, allowing anyone to view, modify, and distribute the software.
Proprietary software is closed and only accessible to its developers or the company that owns it. The disadvantage is that potential code vulnerabilities may be noticed slower than it would with open-source platforms.
2. Updates
Open-source users have full control over the software, allowing them to customize it to meet their needs, fix bugs, or add features independently, whereas proprietary software customization is usually restricted.
3. Collaboration
With open-source, development is often a collaborative effort involving a global community. Anyone can contribute, leading to diverse input and faster innovation. On the contrary, closed-source development is strictly limited to internal teams.
Open-source platforms are generally free to use and don’t require paying for a license to use their services.
4. Support
Support is often easier to access with open-source software, as it’s community-driven, with forums, documentation, and user-contributed resources. On the other hand, support from proprietary software may not be so easy to access.
The best open-source software providers
This list of the best open-source providers offers alternatives to the most popular services you will find on the internet. So whether you need an open-source platform for your business, freelance needs, or personal use, this list has something for everyone.
Cloud storage: Internxt Drive
Internxt Drive is a cloud storage and file-sharing platform that provides complete privacy for individuals and businesses. Your files are safeguarded with AES-256 encryption, one of the most secure encryption methods, ensuring your data remains private and protected.
Internxt is transparent about its security practices; its source code is available on GitHub, allowing you to verify its commitment to privacy and data security. Key features include secure file-sharing, folder backups and syncing, as well as a virtual drive that lets you upload folders to the cloud without using up physical memory on your device.
Internxt Drive is available across all platforms, including Linux, with WebDAV and Rclone support. Additionally, Internxt offers a free encrypted VPN for secure web browsing. You can start with a free 1GB account or choose from a range of affordable monthly, annual, or lifetime plans to suit your needs.
Media: VLC Player
VLC (VideoLAN Client) is an open-source platform developed by the VideoLAN project. One of its standout features is its ability to open virtually any audio or video file format without needing additional codecs.
VLC supports MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV, and MP3 files, making it an incredibly versatile and user-friendly platform for playing any media file.
VLC also supports other media streaming options, including podcasts and online radio stations. You can control and customize how media is displayed and add third-party subtitles. New features like Chromecast and VR headset support are also being added.
Another great advantage of the VLC media player is its commitment to privacy. Its open-source software has no spyware, ads, or user tracking to keep data safe from unauthorized access and commercial exploitation.
Photo editing: GIMP
GIMP, or GNU Image Manipulation Programme, is a free and open-source platform and has been widely regarded as the best alternative to Adobe Photoshop since 1996. GIMP has been a favorite among Linux users, and it has since expanded its support to multiple platforms, including Windows and macOS.
GIMP excels in high-quality image manipulation, graphic design, and creating original artwork using its built-in features like layers, filters, and photo enhancement. Due to its popularity, a wide range of plugins from the open-source community can offer greater functionality to its users.
If you want to switch to GIMP, it can have a steep learning curve, but if you need to switch from Photoshop, with a little time, you will be able to make the most of one of the most popular open-source software tools available on the market.
Video editor: Shotcut
Shotcut is a free, open-source software built to edit videos on Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms.
Thanks to the FFmpeg framework, Shotcut supports a wide range of video, audio, and image formats. This open-source multimedia framework enables decoding, encoding, and processing of various media formats, allowing you to work with your media files directly as they are without first converting or preprocessing them.
For your video editing needs, Shotcut has audio, video, and editing features, such as:
- Support for audio, video, and image formats, including popular ones like JPEG, PNG, and TIFF.
- Accessibility: Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Intuitive interface that includes dockable panels, an intuitive timeline, and drag-and-drop functionality, making it user-friendly and adaptable to individual editing preferences.
- Video compositing and effects like 3-way color wheels, various video filters, and transitions. It also supports 360° video editing and offers tools for precise color grading and keyframe animations.
- Audio tools provide extensive audio editing capabilities such as volume control, multiple audio filters, and support for surround sound configurations.
Like many open-source software options, Shotcut provides resources on its website to learn the platform and start learning video editing, making it a perfect platform for beginner or professional video editors.
Browser: Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a fast, secure, and privacy-focused web browser developed by the non-profit Mozilla Foundation. It stands out for its commitment to protecting user privacy with features like Enhanced Tracking Protection, which blocks most third-party trackers and ads by default.
Firefox supports various features to enhance your browsing experience, including seamless synchronization across devices, a built-in screenshot tool, and customizable themes. It is available in over 90 languages and works on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, ensuring consistent privacy and functionality regardless of your device.
Backed by a mission-driven organization, Firefox prioritizes user control and transparency. It offers privacy protections and customization options without compromising performance.
Firefox’s dedication to privacy and the absence of intrusive ads or tracking make Firefox a standout choice as one of the best browsers and open-source platforms for those seeking a reliable and secure browsing experience and an alternative to Chromium-based browsers.
Office suite: LibreOffice
LibreOffice is a powerful and free office suite that offers a comprehensive set of tools for document creation, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. It is an open-source software that provides a free alternative to Microsoft 365, Google Docs, or Apple’s iWork suite.
LibreOffice stands out for its clean interface and extensive features, including support for various file formats and a QR code generator tool in the latest update. If you want to switch from Microsoft Office to an open-source platform, LibreOffice maintains compatibility with Microsoft file formats, ensuring that your documents retain their formatting when edited.
LibreOffice benefits from a dedicated developer community that continuously adds new features and improvements. It is available on multiple platforms, including Linux, Windows, and macOS. It is ideal for those seeking a cost-effective and lightweight office solution without paying for a subscription-based model.
LibreOffice remains a top choice for users looking for open-source software offering a versatile, free office suite emphasizing privacy and open-source principles.
Operating system: Linux
Linux has been one of the best open-source software providers since 1991. Since then, it has evolved into a rich ecosystem of operating systems, desktop variants like Ubuntu, and server solutions such as LAMP.
Historically, Linux was known for its complexity and required considerable technical expertise for installation and configuration. However, recent efforts by developers have significantly simplified the process, making it easier than ever to install and use Linux, whether as a primary OS or alongside another operating system.
Linux supports desktop computing with productivity applications and development tools, server management with web hosting and database services, and cloud computing with virtualization and infrastructure management.
Linux is also ideal for security, privacy, embedded systems, education, research, and gaming. Its adaptability makes it suitable for everything from personal desktops to large-scale servers.
Linux is widely regarded as the best open-source platform due to its security, stability, and efficient performance on various hardware. Linux ensures user privacy by avoiding data collection practices and benefits from an active community that provides support and fosters innovation.
While Linux can still be challenging for beginners, numerous video tutorials and a supportive community are ready to assist new users.
Password manager: KeePass
Our passwords are the last line of defense for our accounts and are a cybersecurity basic that everyone should master to protect their accounts.
While you can use Internxt’s Password Generator to create a secure, unique password instantly, you will need a secure service to keep this password safe. For this, you will need a trusted, secure password manager.
KeePass is a secure, open-source password manager that protects your password databases with advanced encryption algorithms such as AES and Twofish. It also features strong security measures like SHA-256 hashing, and key derivation functions to defend against hackers or spam attempts.
For additional security, KeePass can run portably from a USB stick without installation, leaving no trace on the host system. This means the password database and the KeePass application are not stored or accessible on the computer for increased privacy and security.
If you want to customize KeePass further, you can search and download plugins from the KeePass website for extra security and customization for your password security.
Although more challenging to set up than standard password managers, KeePass' open-source software guarantees maximum password protection, which is worth the effort to protect your online identity.
How switching to open-source software can benefit you
Open-source software offers just as many features as its proprietary competitors without the license fees and risk of vendor lock-in, giving you more freedom to choose or modify the software to meet your specific needs and requirements for the software.
By embracing open-source software, you're investing in a dynamic ecosystem that fosters innovation, collaboration, and security with like-minded individuals from the growing open-source community.
As you explore these open-source platforms, you may be pleasantly surprised that they not only match but often surpass the capabilities of proprietary software.