Here are six places to get Windows software: the Microsoft Store, Ninite, MajorGeeks, FOSShub, SourceForge and GitHub. All of them are free to use. For each one, this page explains what it is, what it is good for, and what to watch out for.
One disclosure: I publish my own Windows apps through the Microsoft Store, so I am on the developer side of that one.
1. Microsoft Store
The Microsoft Store comes with Windows. You can open it from the Start menu or browse it on the web. It is no longer limited to tablet-style apps, and ordinary desktop programs are listed there too.
Good for: installing with one click and never thinking about updates again. Apps update on their own. Every app also passes Microsoft’s certification before it is listed, which according to Microsoft’s documentation includes a malware scan and a check for security vulnerabilities.
Watch out for: gaps in the catalog. A lot of classic freeware has never been submitted, so you will not find everything here.
2. Ninite
Ninite installs many apps at once. You tick the programs you want on a single page, download one small installer, and run it. It fetches each app from the publisher’s official site, verifies the digital signature or hash, and installs everything in the background.
Good for: setting up a new PC. Browser, media player, archiver and the rest go in without a single “Next” button. As its help page explains, the installer says no to toolbars and other extras, and it skips apps that are already up to date. Run the same installer again later and it works as an updater.
Watch out for: the short list. Ninite only covers popular, well-known apps.
3. MajorGeeks
MajorGeeks is a small, home-based download site that has been running since 2001. Its about page says every program listed is tested by the editors before it goes up.
Good for: system utilities, repair tools and anti-malware programs, including small ones you will not find in any store. Each listing also links to the author’s own site, so you can check the version there or download from the source instead.
Watch out for: ads on the pages. Make sure the button you press belongs to the listing and not to a banner.
4. FOSShub
FOSShub hosts downloads for open source projects, plus a small number of freeware titles. Several well-known projects use it as their official download server.
Good for: fast, clean downloads of open source software. The site’s about page lists its rules: no bundled installers, no modified binaries, direct links with no waiting page, and file signatures published next to the downloads.
Watch out for: the small collection. It is kept small on purpose, so many programs simply are not there.
5. SourceForge
SourceForge has been hosting open source projects since 1999. It is a huge directory, and many older projects still publish their releases there and nowhere else.
Good for: finding long-running open source software, and older versions of it.
Watch out for: outdated advice. Around 2013 to 2015 the site wrapped some downloads in ad-carrying installers and earned a bad reputation. It was sold in 2016, and the new owners ended that program and added malware scanning for every project. The pages still carry ads, so look for the project’s own download button.
6. GitHub
Most new open source software is released on GitHub. It is a site for developers, but anyone can download from it. On a project’s page, open the “Releases” section to find installers and ZIP files for each version.
Good for: getting the newest version. The author uploads the files directly, so releases normally appear here first.
Watch out for: fakes. GitHub does not review files before they are published, and repositories imitating popular tools do get created. Reach a project’s GitHub page through a link on the project’s own website, not from a search result.
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