FOSS Applications

A curated list of Free and Open Source Software for Linux, Windows, macOS, and Android, grouped by purpose.

Table of Contents#

1. What is FOSS
2. Linux, Windows & macOS
   • 2.1 Essential
   • 2.2 Utilities
   • 2.3 Media
   • 2.4 Productivity
   • 2.5 Audio Production
   • 2.6 Social Media
   • 2.7 Game Launchers
   • 2.8 Emulators
3. Android
   • 3.1 App Store
   • 3.2 Essential
   • 3.3 Utilities
   • 3.4 Media
   • 3.5 Social Media

What is FOSS#

FOSS means Free and Open Source Software. It doesn't mean software is free of cost. It means that source code of the software is open for all and anyone is free to use, study and modify the code. This principle allows other people to contribute to the development and improvement of a software like a community.

Linux, Windows & macOS#

Everything with a ^👑 is used and approved by Sandwich 😃

Essential#

• Calculator -> Kcalc
• Calendar -> Kalendar^👑
• File Manager -> Dolphin^👑, Nautilus^👑
• Mail -> Thunderbird, Mailspring^👑
• Password Manager -> KeePassXC^👑
• Terminal Emulator -> Yakuake^👑(Dropdown Terminal), Konsole^👑, Tmux^👑, Alacritty(3D Accelerated)
• Web Browser -> Firefox (discontinued), Librewolf^👑

Utilities#

• Android Screen Share -> GuiScrcpy
• Audio wiring -> Qpwgraph^👑, QJackCTL
• Bulk file renaming -> Szyszka
• Code Editor -> VSCodium^👑, Kate^👑, Vim^👑
• Contacts and Calendar sync -> Nextcloud
• Database Manager -> DBeaver^👑
• Duplicates finder - Czkawka^👑
• FPS and Stats Displayer -> MangoHUD^👑, Goverlay(Mangohud GUI)
• Helpdesk ala Teamviewer -> RustDesk
• PC <--> PC <--> Phone Integration -> KDE Connect^👑
• Screen Share over Camera -> Mon2Cam
• Torrent Client -> qBittorrent^👑
• Video Recording -> OBS Studio^👑

Media#

• Document viewer -> Okular^👑
• Image viewer -> Gwenview^👑
• Media Player -> VLC^👑, MPV^👑
• Music Player -> RhythmBox^👑, Elisa

Productivity#

• 3D Design + Animation + Video Editing -> Blender^👑
• Adobe After Effects -> Natron, Davinci Resolved(Not FOSS)
• Adobe Fresco, Painter -> Krita^👑
• Adobe Illustrator -> Inkscape
• Adobe Indesign -> Scribus
• Adobe Photoshop -> Gimp^👑
• Adobe Lightroom -> Darktable^👑
• Adobe Premiere Pro -> KdenLive^👑, Davinci Resolved(Not FOSS)
• MS Office -> OnlyOffice^👑, LibreOffice
• Tasks and Notes -> Joplin^👑(Can sync with Nextcloud, WebDAV etc)

Audio Production#

• DAW -> Ardour^👑, LMMS, Qtractor

DAW Plugins#

• Drum Synth -> Geonkick
• Synthesizer -> Vitalium^👑, Surge^👑, zynaddsubfx
• Plugins Pack -> lsp-plugins, zam-plugins

Social Media#

• Self-hosted Messenger -> Element^👑
• Secure (kinda mainstream) Messenger -> Signal
• Telegram -> Telegram

Game Launchers#

• Steam -> Steam^👑
• Lutris (All in One launcher) -> Lutris^👑
• GOG and Epic Games Store -> Heroic Game Launcher^👑
• Minecraft -> MultiMC^👑, PolyMC (discontinued - hostile takeover in 2022; successor: Prism Launcher)

Emulators#

• All in One -> Retroarch^👑
• GAMEBOY -> DeSmuME
• GAMECUBE -> Dolphin^👑
• Nintendo 3DS -> Citra (discontinued March 2024 - Nintendo lawsuit; successor: Azahar)
• Nintendo DS -> DeSmuME^👑, MelonDS
• Nintendo Switch -> Yuzu^👑 (discontinued March 2024 - Nintendo lawsuit; successors: Suyu dead, Citron dead)
• Nintendo Wii -> Dolphin^👑
• Nintendo WiiU -> Cemu^👑
• PlayStation 3 -> RPCS3

Android#

Most of these Applications can be found on F-Droid / Aurora Droid. Some are not there, they can be found on GitHub / GitLab.

Note: Simple Mobile Tools was sold in late 2023 and is no longer maintained. Fossify is the community fork that continues development of all former Simple Mobile Tools apps.

App Store#

• Aurora Store -> Store to download apps from Google Store (Anonymous option)
• Aurora Droid -> Store with only FOSS software
• F-Droid -> The OG Store with only FOSS software

Essential#

• Calculator -> Fossify Calculator
• Calendar -> Fossify Calendar
• Clock -> Fossify Clock
• Contacts -> Fossify Contacts
• Dialer -> Fossify Phone
• File Manager -> Fossify File Manager
• Gallery -> Fossify Gallery
• SMS Messenger -> Fossify SMS Messenger
• Voice Recorder -> Fossify Voice Recorder
• Camera -> OpenCamera
• Mail -> K-9 Mail^👑
• Web Browser -> Iceraven^👑
• **APP Sandbox -> **Shelter^👑

Utilities#

• Password Manager -> AuthPass (KeePass compatible with Nextcloud capability)
• Maps -> OsmAnd+ ^👑
• Contacts and Calendar sync -> DAVx⁵, OpenSync
• Weather -> Geometric Weather (discontinued; successor: Breezy Weather)
• PGP Manager -> OpenKeychain
• Terminal Emulator -> Termux^👑
• Code Editor -> Acode
• PC <--> Phone Integration -> KDE Connect
• EBook Reader -> Librera Reader
• Manga Reader -> Tachiyomi (discontinued January 2024; successor: Mihon)

Media#

• Music Player -> Metro^👑
• Media Player -> VLC

Social Media#

• Self-hosted Messenger -> Element^👑
• Secure (kinda mainstream) Messenger -> Molly (Signal)
• Reddit -> Infinity^👑 (discontinued - killed by Reddit API changes)
• Telegram -> Nekogram X (discontinued/removed from F-Droid)