Best Linux Apps in 2026: 10 Tools Compared

LibreOffice is the default office suite on many Linux distributions, and it is the first app most new users should install if it is not already present. It includes Writer for documents, Calc for spreadsheets, Impress for presentations, and other tools for drawing and databases. All of them are free and open source, with no subscription or account required.

File support is strong for everyday work. LibreOffice opens and saves Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats, so sharing files with Windows or Mac users is usually simple. For most school, work, and home documents, formatting holds up well, and you can set LibreOffice to save in Microsoft formats by default if you share files often.

Firefox is a natural browser choice on Linux, and it is included by many distributions. It offers strong privacy controls, including tracking protection and container tabs, and it supports a wide range of extensions for ad blocking, password management, and productivity. Sync lets you share bookmarks, history, and passwords across desktop and mobile.

Performance is good for everyday browsing, email, and web apps. Firefox handles modern web standards well, and its reader mode helps for long articles. For users who care about privacy, Firefox offers clearer controls than many browsers, without requiring an account to use core features.

The main drawback is site compatibility. A few sites and web apps are tested first for Chrome based browsers, and rare features may behave differently in Firefox. Most users will not notice this, but if a work web app requires Chrome, you may need a second browser for that one task. Memory use can also grow with many open tabs, so closing unused tabs helps on older hardware.

VLC is the media player we install on almost every Linux system. It plays video and audio in a wide range of formats without extra codec packs, and it handles local files, DVDs in supported regions, network streams, and web streams. That breadth saves time, because you do not need a different player for each file type.

Playback controls are practical. You can adjust subtitles, sync audio, change playback speed, and take snapshots. VLC also offers conversion and streaming features for users who need them, though most people will only use basic playback. It runs well on older hardware, which makes it a good choice for a second computer or a media centre.

The interface is plain, and library management is basic compared with music apps that focus on collections. If you want a polished music library with album art and playlists, a dedicated music app may suit you better. For playing a file quickly and reliably, VLC is hard to beat.

GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, is the main free image editor on Linux. It supports layers, masks, selections, colour correction, and a wide range of filters, and it can open common image formats including PSD files with limits. For photo retouching, web graphics, and social media images, GIMP covers most needs without a subscription.

Plugins extend GIMP further, including tools for batch processing, extra filters, and specialised tasks. The community around GIMP is large, so tutorials and help are easy to find. Because GIMP is open source, it runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac, which helps if you switch systems later.

The learning curve is real. GIMP interface and workflow differ from Photoshop, and new users may need a few tutorials to feel comfortable with layers and masks. Some Photoshop features, such as certain smart objects, do not transfer perfectly. For most image editing, however, GIMP is a strong free choice once you learn the basics.

Visual Studio Code, often called VS Code, is the code editor most Linux developers reach for first. It supports many programming languages, offers a large extension library, and includes built in Git support and an integrated terminal. That combination makes it useful for web development, Python, and many other projects, without installing a separate tool for each language.

Extensions are the key strength. You can add language support, linters, themes, and tools for remote development, containers, and databases. The editor also handles large projects well, with search, debugging, and version control in one window. For students learning to code, VS Code is a good long term choice, because it grows with their skills.

For simple text editing, VS Code can feel heavy compared with a plain text editor. It also includes telemetry by default in some builds, so privacy conscious users should check settings and consider VSCodium, a community build without Microsoft telemetry, if that matters to them. For coding work, those points are minor compared with the extension ecosystem.

Thunderbird is a desktop email client that suits users who manage several email accounts. It supports IMAP and POP, offers folders, filters, and strong search, and lets you read email offline. For people who dislike webmail or who want local copies of mail, Thunderbird is a practical, free option.

Filters and organisation tools help with busy inboxes. You can sort mail automatically, flag important messages, and search across accounts. Calendar and contacts can be added, and extensions add features such as encryption and extra views. Thunderbird is open source and runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac.

The interface feels older than modern webmail, and setup for some providers may need manual server settings, though most major providers work with automatic setup. Thunderbird also stores mail locally by default in many setups, so users should check backup settings. For desktop email users, it remains a solid, no cost choice.

OBS Studio is the standard free tool for screen recording and live streaming on Linux. It lets you capture your screen, webcam, and audio, arrange them in scenes, and record to a file or stream to a platform. Teachers, gamers, and creators use OBS for tutorials, presentations, and live streams.

Scenes and sources give you control. You can switch between a full screen view, a webcam overlay, and a slide view, and you can add text, images, and browser sources. Plugins extend OBS for noise suppression, extra transitions, and remote control. Recording quality settings let you balance file size and clarity.

Setup takes time, and high quality streaming needs a decent CPU and internet connection. New users should start with a simple scene, test a short recording, and adjust settings before a live stream. Once set up, OBS is a powerful free tool that replaces paid recording software for most users.

Joplin suits users who want plain text notes that they control. Notes are written in Markdown, organised into notebooks, and can include images, attachments, and to do lists. Joplin runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, and mobile, so notes travel across devices.

Sync is flexible. You can sync through Joplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, or a local folder, depending on your privacy and cost preferences. That choice is a strength for users who do not want to lock notes into one company cloud. Joplin also supports encryption for synced notes, which adds privacy for sensitive material.

The interface is plain compared with Notion or Evernote, and sync setup requires choosing a service and configuring it. Joplin does not offer the same web clipping or collaboration features as larger note apps. For personal notes, research notes, and daily journaling in Markdown, it is a strong, free, and private option.

Krita is built for digital painting and illustration, and it is the best free choice on Linux for artists. Its brush engine offers many customisable brushes for sketching, painting, and inking, and it supports layers, blending modes, and colour management. Tablet support with pressure sensitivity works well on Linux for most common tablets.

Animation tools let artists create frame by frame animation, and Krita supports common image formats for export. The community provides brush packs, tutorials, and templates, which help new artists get started. Krita is open source and free, with no subscription for core features.

Krita is not a photo editor, so users who need photo retouching should use GIMP instead. It can also be demanding on older hardware, especially with large canvases and many layers. For painting, comics, and concept art, Krita is the app we suggest first on Linux.

Kdenlive is a free, open source video editor for Linux that suits YouTube videos, school projects, and short films. It offers multi track timelines, effects, transitions, titles, and audio tools, and it supports many video formats. Proxy editing helps when working with large or high resolution files on modest hardware.

The workflow is similar to other non linear editors, so users who have edited video before will find it familiar. Effects can be keyframed, audio can be adjusted per clip, and titles can be created inside the app. Kdenlive also integrates with other KDE tools, though it runs on other desktops as well.

Video editing has a learning curve in any app, and Kdenlive is no exception. Rendering can be slow on older computers, and very large projects need careful file organisation. For most personal and school video projects, Kdenlive offers enough power without the cost of a paid editor.