GitHub projects that feel illegal (but are 100% legal)
9 free, open-source tools that replace paid apps, with download links and install steps for each
Free PDF, 2 pages. Updated 2026-10-20. Enter your first name and email to download it now; a copy is also emailed to you.
What's inside
The code is public, the licences are public, and thousands of people already use these tools. The first two are part of the daily recording setup behind these videos.
FluidVoice: talk to your AI instead of typing
Press one key, speak, and your words land in ChatGPT, Claude or any app. Speech recognition runs on your own Mac, so nothing leaves your computer. Replaces paid dictation apps.
Textream: a free teleprompter, no watermark
Your script sits right under the camera notch and scrolls along with your voice. Film on your phone, read on your laptop. Replaces paid teleprompter apps that watermark your video.
Ollama: run AI models on your own computer
Download an open model and chat with it offline. No subscription, no usage limits, and your data stays with you.
faster-whisper: free transcription
Turn calls, voice notes and videos into text on your own machine. The engine behind a lot of paid transcription tools.
n8n: self-hosted automation
Connect your apps and build workflows with AI steps, like the paid automation platforms, running on your own server. Free for your own business under its licence.
OBS Studio: screen recording and streaming
Record your screen, your camera or both, and go live. Free and used by millions of streamers.
Excalidraw: the whiteboard everyone is using
Hand-drawn style diagrams and flowcharts in seconds. Perfect for mapping a funnel or an automation before you build it.
Immich: your own Google Photos
Back up photos and videos from your phone to your own storage, with search and face grouping.
Vaultwarden: your own password manager server
A lightweight server that works with the Bitwarden apps, so your team's passwords stay on your own hardware.
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Frequently asked questions
Are these GitHub projects legal to use?
Yes. Every project in the guide is open source and published by its developers on GitHub under a public licence such as MIT, GPL or AGPL, which allows you to use it.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. You can paste the GitHub link into Claude or another AI assistant with computer access and ask it to install the tool and walk you through the first run.
Are the tools really free?
The software is free. Self-hosted tools such as n8n, Immich and Vaultwarden need a computer or server you control, which can have its own running cost.
Which tools work on a Mac?
FluidVoice and Textream are Mac apps. Ollama, faster-whisper, OBS Studio and Excalidraw run on Mac, Windows and Linux.
Is the guide really free?
Yes. Enter your first name and email and you can download the PDF straight away. There is nothing to pay.
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