Before spending anything on software, make sure you've got everything that's genuinely free for students. There's a surprising amount — and between Microsoft 365, Notion, Grammarly, and a few others, you can cover almost every student need without paying a penny.
The Non-Negotiables (Install Today)
| Software | What It Does | How to Get It Free |
|---|---|---|
| 💼 Microsoft 365 | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, 1TB OneDrive | Sign up at microsoft.com/education with your .ac.uk email |
| ✍️ Grammarly | Grammar & spelling checking everywhere | Install the free browser extension |
| 📝 Notion | Notes, to-do lists, databases, study planners | Free personal plan — unlimited |
| 🛡️ Malwarebytes | On-demand malware scanner | Free download — run it occasionally |
| 📹 VLC Media Player | Plays any video file format | Free download — essential for lecture recordings |
| ☁️ Google Drive | 15GB free cloud storage + Google Docs suite | Free with any Google account |
| 🎵 Spotify | Music streaming with free (ad-supported) tier | Free plan or 50% off student plan |
| 🃏 Anki | Spaced repetition flashcards for revision | Free on desktop and Android |
For Mac users: Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are free on all Apple devices and are good alternatives to the Office suite. Keynote in particular makes better-looking presentations than PowerPoint with less effort.
Design & Creative (Free Tiers)
Canva Free — the go-to for presentations, posters, infographics. GIMP — free Photoshop alternative. DaVinci Resolve — professional-grade free video editor used by actual film studios.
What to Upgrade When You Have Budget
Once you're settled: Grammarly Premium for the plagiarism checker before major submissions, NordVPN for campus network security, and Adobe Creative Cloud if you're on a design/media course. Everything else should stay free for your whole degree.
START TODAY
NordVPN – Secure Your Campus Connection
The one paid tool worth adding early. 67% off for students.
Get NordVPN →Sento earns a referral if you click — never affects our recommendations.
Sento earns a referral if you click through our links — this never affects our recommendations. Prices and details correct at time of publication. Updated March 2026.