r/freesoftware
"Free software" means software that respects users' freedom and community. Roughly, it means that the users have the freedom to run, copy…
How to think about r/freesoftware
The community focuses on the principles and practices surrounding free software, emphasizing user freedom and community collaboration. Members advocate for software that allows users to run, modify, and share it without restrictions, distinguishing between 'free' as in 'freedom' rather than 'free' as in 'no cost'. This community often discusses various open-source projects, tools, and the implications of proprietary software.
Confidence 4/5
Audience
Participants are typically tech-savvy individuals who value digital rights and ethical software use. The demographic includes programmers, software developers, and advocates for open-source solutions, often leaning towards a younger, male audience. Members are passionate about software freedom and often engage in discussions about improving and promoting free software alternatives.
Posting culture
Content that thrives includes tutorials, discussions about new free software projects, and critiques of proprietary systems. Members appreciate in-depth analyses and practical advice, while promotional posts or those lacking substance tend to receive downvotes. The community encourages regular contributions, with a mix of informative posts and active discussions, fostering a collaborative atmosphere.
Brand engagement notes
Brands should approach this community with caution, as overt promotion is often met with skepticism. Authentic engagement through sharing valuable insights, contributing to discussions, or offering support for free software initiatives can be effective. Brands that align with the community's values and contribute to the ecosystem, such as sponsoring open-source projects or providing educational resources, are more likely to be welcomed.
Top keywords
What r/freesoftware talks about
Weighted by how often each term appears in posts and comments, relative to baseline frequency. The largest words are the strongest signals of community focus.
External signals
Where the community looks
Top external domains linked from posts and comments — a quick read on the sources of truth this audience trusts.
Top contributors
Who shapes the conversation
The most active and most-upvoted posters and commenters in this community. Useful when planning outreach or studying a community's tastemakers.
Top posters
By post count
- u/antsaregay
- u/Bro666
- u/PossiblyLinux127
- u/Russell-Brand-2375
- u/[deleted]
- u/MusicianHungry8594
- u/jlpcsl
- u/CinnamonCajaCrunch
- u/Tsugu69
- u/ImDarkempire
- u/AncientMariner_Mcl2
- u/libreleah
- u/freesoftwarefairy
- u/Realistic-Plant3957
- u/_good_ron_
- u/thefinalboss7
- u/Joe_Rogan_4181
- u/pradeep_mt
- u/Starmakyr
- u/JasonReadsIt
- u/MasterYehuda816
- u/JRepin
- u/No_Penalty2938
- u/libertybumblebee
- u/Windows_is_Malware
- u/happyxpenguin
- u/Kind_Wishbone_2994
- u/testus_maximus
- u/argosopentech
- u/idrisz19
- u/gnugazi
- u/BurungHantu
- u/maltfield
- u/T-P_Witchcraft
- u/Small-Ad-1694
- u/DevATee
- u/WE__ARE__ALL__RACIST
- u/elbalaa
- u/saxbophone
- u/Neustradamus
- u/dh23
- u/forteller
- u/makesourcenotcode
- u/wWA5RnA4n2P3w2WvfHq
- u/psprint3
- u/Mike-Banon1
- u/Single_Tomato_6233
- u/Dall0o
- u/Fourstrokeperro
- u/Expert_Candidate_579
- u/KingsmanVince
- u/RepresentativePop
- u/mrgaturus
- u/mindaslab
- u/InternationalSilver1
- u/Mexer
- u/alexrelis
- u/perkunos7
- u/PM_ME_YOUR__OPINION_
- u/HaskellLisp_green
- u/theplicyklist
- u/friskfrugt
- u/CaptainBeyondDS8
- u/RossMadness
- u/peliblando
- u/Booty_Bumping
- u/lucid00000
- u/kantord
- u/joshpetit
- u/IAmOpenSourced
- u/gebgebgebgebgeb
- u/feross
- u/CookiesDeathCookies
- u/Xigoat
- u/GlacialTurtle
- u/unix_dissident
- u/CompleteNoobs
- u/pepperdonor
- u/Agreeable-Quote-5557
- u/pspspsps420
- u/platanocanarion
- u/miguel_melu
- u/BoQsc
- u/contravariant_
- u/Historical-Event-204
- u/No-Nefariousness681
- u/Available_Pressure25
- u/avitld
- u/tomchang25
- u/bmestrallet
- u/rscarson
- u/fleurdelys-
- u/not_UNIX_GNU_is
- u/OkBuffalo4515
- u/Styleprince923
- u/rpgnymhush
- u/ArbitraryUsernameHEH
- u/plainschwarz
- u/Sufficient_Wheel1377
- u/xetolone
By votes
- u/Bro666
- u/antsaregay
- u/Tsugu69
- u/Russell-Brand-2375
- u/[deleted]
- u/PossiblyLinux127
- u/CinnamonCajaCrunch
- u/jlpcsl
- u/ImDarkempire
- u/Dall0o
- u/AncientMariner_Mcl2
- u/MasterYehuda816
- u/Realistic-Plant3957
- u/Fourstrokeperro
- u/Expert_Candidate_579
- u/No_Penalty2938
- u/testus_maximus
- u/KingsmanVince
- u/RepresentativePop
- u/JRepin
- u/freesoftwarefairy
- u/_good_ron_
- u/happyxpenguin
- u/argosopentech
- u/libertybumblebee
- u/mindaslab
- u/gnugazi
- u/Mexer
- u/mrgaturus
- u/Windows_is_Malware
- u/maltfield
- u/InternationalSilver1
- u/idrisz19
- u/BurungHantu
- u/perkunos7
- u/thefinalboss7
- u/Kind_Wishbone_2994
- u/alexrelis
- u/T-P_Witchcraft
- u/friskfrugt
- u/theplicyklist
- u/PM_ME_YOUR__OPINION_
- u/HaskellLisp_green
- u/libreleah
- u/CaptainBeyondDS8
- u/RossMadness
- u/DevATee
- u/Joe_Rogan_4181
- u/peliblando
- u/Small-Ad-1694
- u/Booty_Bumping
- u/joshpetit
- u/lucid00000
- u/MusicianHungry8594
- u/IAmOpenSourced
- u/pradeep_mt
- u/kantord
- u/CookiesDeathCookies
- u/gebgebgebgebgeb
- u/feross
- u/unix_dissident
- u/GlacialTurtle
- u/WE__ARE__ALL__RACIST
- u/Neustradamus
- u/Xigoat
- u/pepperdonor
- u/elbalaa
- u/CompleteNoobs
- u/Agreeable-Quote-5557
- u/pspspsps420
- u/saxbophone
- u/platanocanarion
- u/BoQsc
- u/makesourcenotcode
- u/miguel_melu
- u/forteller
- u/contravariant_
- u/No-Nefariousness681
- u/tomchang25
- u/bmestrallet
- u/Available_Pressure25
- u/Historical-Event-204
- u/dh23
- u/avitld
- u/rscarson
- u/psprint3
- u/not_UNIX_GNU_is
- u/Styleprince923
- u/OkBuffalo4515
- u/rpgnymhush
- u/theFrenchVagabond
- u/Starmakyr
- u/fleurdelys-
- u/plainschwarz
- u/xetolone
- u/ArbitraryUsernameHEH
- u/Sufficient_Wheel1377
- u/Framasoft
- u/JarJarAwakens
- u/epninos
Top commenters
By comment count
- u/[deleted]
- u/PossiblyLinux127
- u/happyxpenguin
- u/luke-jr
- u/AutoModerator
- u/nuvpr
- u/KingsmanVince
- u/coder111
- u/kmeisthax
- u/trivialBetaState
- u/AaTube
- u/IchLiebeKleber
- u/WE__ARE__ALL__RACIST
- u/OlivierB77
- u/Sonxmag
- u/user01401
- u/skeptischSkeptiker
- u/Cyber_Encephalon
- u/NickUnrelatedToPost
- u/CinnamonCajaCrunch
- u/ctm-8400
- u/stefantalpalaru
- u/CWSmith1701
- u/TrainsAreForTreedom
- u/ivanchoff
- u/KetaFiendx100
- u/paroxon
- u/aZa0902
- u/notPlancha
- u/nukem996
- u/GeckoEidechse
- u/saxbophone
- u/qrvs
- u/silverknife42
- u/Expert_Candidate_579
- u/mrchaotica
- u/gametime2019
- u/oxamide96
- u/Turmp_is_librel
- u/dinopron
- u/UhOh-Chongo
- u/CodenameLambda
- u/Tq55s
- u/gnocchicotti
- u/Ji-L87
- u/LiftedStarfisherman
- u/jazzkott
- u/sysadminsith
- u/Cherubin0
- u/Mike-Banon1
- u/theplicyklist
- u/PM_ME_NULLs
- u/SuccessfulBroccoli68
- u/FaustTheBird
- u/Dhylan
- u/Diligent-Shop-8699
- u/Denommus
- u/floridawhiteguy
- u/meskobalazs
- u/SimonGn
- u/noman_032018
- u/lisploli
- u/ultraganymede
- u/rostizado
- u/InvestigatorAbject61
- u/NonfreeEqualsCringe
- u/gnimsh
- u/Florida-Tech
- u/modern_life_blues
- u/lukasloveslinux
- u/theoryfiver
- u/EasyMrB
- u/20__character__limit
- u/afunkysongaday
- u/Dr_Misfit
- u/dhamilo
- u/dull_bananas
- u/writing-nerdy
- u/Slinkwyde
- u/xenomachina
- u/necrophcodr
- u/lurkingallday
- u/zuperfly
- u/waptaff
- u/FunkyBiskit
- u/SqualorTrawler
- u/pdoherty926
- u/Auslander42
- u/libertybumblebee
- u/edparadox
- u/mtemmerm
- u/IAmOpenSourced
- u/niceboy4431
- u/evaristomusic
- u/boogelymoogely1
- u/mrgaturus
- u/mindaslab
- u/seventeenward
- u/Kaalba
- u/World727
By votes
- u/[deleted]
- u/PossiblyLinux127
- u/happyxpenguin
- u/luke-jr
- u/nuvpr
- u/kmeisthax
- u/NickUnrelatedToPost
- u/KingsmanVince
- u/aZa0902
- u/IchLiebeKleber
- u/FaustTheBird
- u/floridawhiteguy
- u/Ji-L87
- u/qrvs
- u/Dhylan
- u/CinnamonCajaCrunch
- u/pdoherty926
- u/meskobalazs
- u/xenomachina
- u/nermid
- u/fleurdelys-
- u/WhoRoger
- u/testus_maximus
- u/mrchaotica
- u/gnocchicotti
- u/s1nistr4
- u/DrComputation
- u/ivanchoff
- u/Slinkwyde
- u/necrophcodr
- u/WilkerS1
- u/notPlancha
- u/gametime2019
- u/PM_ME_NULLs
- u/dhamilo
- u/stefantalpalaru
- u/Tristan401
- u/sysadminsith
- u/Diligent-Shop-8699
- u/FunkyBiskit
- u/saxbophone
- u/dinopron
- u/Denommus
- u/SimonGn
- u/Sonxmag
- u/IAmOpenSourced
- u/AncientMariner_Mcl2
- u/MasterYehuda816
- u/LiftedStarfisherman
- u/SuccessfulBroccoli68
- u/noman_032018
- u/writing-nerdy
- u/user01401
- u/avamk
- u/carrythen0thing
- u/northrupthebandgeek
- u/EasyMrB
- u/dull_bananas
- u/Linux_is_the_answer
- u/lucid00000
- u/99thGamer
- u/thisisaname69123
- u/GeckoEidechse
- u/Turmp_is_librel
- u/modern_life_blues
- u/coder111
- u/erysichthon-
- u/shiroininja
- u/JustMrNic3
- u/droidonomy
- u/semipvt
- u/CodenameLambda
- u/jazzkott
- u/NonfreeEqualsCringe
- u/theoryfiver
- u/ctm-8400
- u/davidandrade227
- u/LegitimateStudy364
- u/93pigeons
- u/trivialBetaState
- u/silverknife42
- u/lisploli
- u/lukasloveslinux
- u/waptaff
- u/SqualorTrawler
- u/Cyber_Encephalon
- u/mrgaturus
- u/salmonwasabi87
- u/haagch
- u/Booty_Bumping
- u/palordrolap
- u/zabadap
- u/kleingartenganove
- u/WE__ARE__ALL__RACIST
- u/Tq55s
- u/OlivierB77
- u/theplicyklist
- u/AutoModerator
- u/yukariareyouok
- u/ttuFekk
Similar communities
Where this audience also spends time
Topic-adjacent communities surfaced from Reddit's own related subreddit signal.
FAQ
r/freesoftware — frequently asked questions
Quick facts about this subreddit's size, history, focus, and related communities.
How many subscribers does r/freesoftware have?
r/freesoftware has approximately 38,279 subscribers as of May 27, 2026.
When was r/freesoftware created?
r/freesoftware was created on May 7, 2008 (18 years ago).
What is r/freesoftware about?
The community focuses on the principles and practices surrounding free software, emphasizing user freedom and community collaboration. Members advocate for software that allows users to run, modify, and share it without restrictions, distinguishing between 'free' as in 'freedom' rather than 'free' as in 'no cost'. This community often discusses various open-source projects, …
What subreddits are similar to r/freesoftware?
Communities similar to r/freesoftware include r/foss, r/gnu, r/opensource, r/fossdroid, r/opensourcegames.
Who are the most active posters on r/freesoftware?
The most frequent posters on r/freesoftware include u/antsaregay, u/Bro666, u/PossiblyLinux127.
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