Free Tools

What these free tools are for

Every one of the free tools on this page started as something we needed while writing an article. They stayed small on purpose: each one answers a single question and then gets out of the way. There is no account to create, no trial that runs out, and no upsell at the end of the result.

The domain tools get used the most. The renewal calculator works out what a name actually costs over five or ten years rather than in the first twelve months, and the registrar comparison lines up the rows that usually differ — renewal price, transfer terms, WHOIS privacy. If you are buying your first domain, ICANN’s summary of registrants’ benefits and responsibilities is worth ten minutes before you do.

The newer tools fill the gaps around those jobs. The domain name generator suggests names and checks availability live, the hosting renewal cost calculator does for hosting what the renewal calculator does for domains, the password generator and IP address checker answer everyday security questions, the AI writing checker flags stock phrases in a draft, and the background remover cuts out a photo without uploading it.

The writing, image and document tools cover jobs that normally send people hunting for a paid app: counting words and reading time, shrinking an image before it goes on a page, turning a PDF back into an editable document, and resizing a book interior to a KDP trim size.

What these free tools will not do

None of these free tools replaces the professional software in its category, and none of them pretends to. The comparison tools show only figures a provider has published; they cannot verify a claim about speed, uptime or logging. The document tools handle common, well-formed files well and can struggle with awkward ones — a PDF made from scans, for example, has no text layer to pull out in the first place.

Where the result matters — a print file going to a printer, or a price you are about to commit to for five years — treat the output of any of these free tools as a first pass and check it against the source. Each of the free tools has its own page, and each page spells out what it checks and what it leaves alone.

Free tools: frequently asked questions

Are these free tools really free?

Yes. There is no account to create and no trial that runs out. If a tool has a limit, such as a maximum file size, its page says so.

Do the tools upload my files or text?

Several of them, including the password generator, the AI writing checker and the background remover, run entirely in your browser, so what you type or add stays on your device. Each tool page explains what it sends and what it does not.

How up to date are the prices in the calculators?

Prices are taken from each provider’s public pricing page and checked by hand, and each calculator shows when its figures were last checked. Prices can change at any time, so confirm on the provider’s site before you buy.

Which tool should I start with if I am building a website?

Start with the domain name generator to find a name, check its long-term cost with the domain renewal cost calculator, then compare hosting plans with the hosting renewal cost calculator. The image compressor helps once your pages are live.

Can I suggest a new free tool?

Yes. Tell us what you need on the contact page. Most of these tools started as a question that came up while writing our guides.