The internet is full of useful websites, but most people use only a small number of them every day.
Beyond Google, YouTube and social media, there are websites that can help you find free books, edit photos, understand research papers, test code, check suspicious files, create diagrams, compress PDFs and even listen to radio stations from around the world.
Some of these tools are so helpful that you may wonder how you managed without them.
This list brings together 51 of the most useful websites to know in 2026. Most are free to use, while some offer both free and paid plans.
Bookmark this page. You may need one of these websites sooner than you think.
Quick Answer: What Are the Most Useful Websites in 2026?
Some of the best websites to bookmark are:
- TinyWow for everyday online tools
- Photopea for browser-based photo editing
- AlternativeTo for finding software alternatives
- VirusTotal for checking suspicious links and files
- Elicit for academic research
- iLovePDF for working with PDF files
- DeepL for natural translations
- Fast.com for checking internet speed
Below, you will find the complete list organised by purpose.
Websites for Movies, Books and Online Learning
1. JustWatch — Find Where a Movie Is Streaming
Instead of searching Netflix, Prime Video and other platforms separately, enter the name of a movie or show on JustWatch. It shows which streaming services currently offer it in your region.
2. Internet Archive — Explore the Internet’s Digital Library
Internet Archive stores old websites, books, music, videos, software and other digital material.
Its Wayback Machine is especially useful when you want to see an older version of a website.
3. Archive.ph — Save a Copy of a Webpage
Webpages can be edited or deleted without warning. Archive.ph creates a saved snapshot of a page that you can revisit later.
It can be helpful when preserving an online article, announcement or reference page.
4. Project Gutenberg — Read Classic Books for Free
Project Gutenberg offers a large collection of free digital books, especially classic works that are in the public domain.
You can read them online or download them in formats suitable for phones, computers and e-readers.
5. Open Culture — Find Free Educational Resources
Open Culture collects free courses, audiobooks, movies, e-books and educational material from different sources.
It is a useful starting point for students and lifelong learners.
6. MIT OpenCourseWare — Learn From MIT Courses
MIT OpenCourseWare gives the public access to learning material from thousands of MIT courses.
Depending on the course, you may find lecture notes, assignments, reading lists, exams and video lectures.
7. AlternativeTo — Find Alternatives to Popular Software
Search for any popular app or software and AlternativeTo will suggest similar options.
You can filter the results to find free, paid, open-source, Windows, Mac, Android or browser-based alternatives.
8. SimilarSites — Discover Websites Similar to Ones You Like
Enter the address of a website you already enjoy, and SimilarSites will suggest other websites with related content or services.
It is useful for finding new tools, shopping sites, learning platforms and entertainment websites.
9. TinyWow — Use Hundreds of Online Tools
TinyWow brings together tools for PDFs, images, videos, file conversion, writing and other everyday tasks.
It is useful when you need to complete a small job without installing new software.
Image and Design Websites
10. Photopea — Edit Photos in Your Browser
Photopea is a powerful browser-based image editor with an interface similar to professional desktop editing software.
It supports layers, masks, PSD files, text editing and many common image formats.
11. Remove.bg — Remove an Image Background
Upload a photograph and Remove.bg automatically removes its background.
It is helpful for profile pictures, posters, product images, presentations and social media designs.
12. Cleanup.pictures — Remove Unwanted Objects From Photos
Cleanup.pictures lets you brush over unwanted people, objects, text or marks in an image.
The tool then attempts to rebuild the area so the removed object is less noticeable.
13. Canva Video Background Remover — Remove Video Backgrounds
Unscreen was previously a popular tool for automatically removing video backgrounds, but the service shut down in December 2025.
Canva now offers a Video Background Remover that can remove a background and replace it with a new scene. The feature is currently offered through Canva Pro.
Try Canva Video Background Remover
14. Squoosh — Compress Images Online
Squoosh reduces image file size while allowing you to compare the compressed version with the original.
It is especially useful for preparing images for websites, blogs and email.
15. Unsplash — Find High-Quality Photographs
Unsplash offers a huge collection of professional-looking photographs.
You can use the images for blogs, websites, presentations and creative projects, subject to the platform’s current licence conditions.
16. unDraw — Download Customisable Illustrations
unDraw provides clean illustrations suitable for websites, apps, presentations and educational content.
You can change the main colour of an illustration before downloading it.
17. Coolors — Generate Colour Palettes
Coolors helps you create colour combinations for websites, posters, presentations and branding.
Press the spacebar to generate new palettes until you find one you like.
Useful Websites for Coding
18. Carbon — Turn Code Into Shareable Images
Carbon converts a code snippet into a clean, attractive image.
It is useful for programming tutorials, presentations, social media posts and documentation.
19. Ray.so — Create Stylish Code Screenshots
Paste your code into Ray.so and customise its background, padding, colours and appearance.
You can then download a professional-looking image of the code.
20. Regex101 — Test Regular Expressions
Regular expressions can be difficult to understand and troubleshoot.
Regex101 allows you to test a pattern, see the matches instantly and understand how each part works.
21. JSON Formatter — Make JSON Easier to Read
Paste unformatted JSON into this website and it will organise the information into a readable structure.
It is useful for developers, API users and anyone working with structured data.
22. Code Beautify — Format and Clean Code
Code Beautify includes formatters, viewers, validators and converters for many coding and data formats.
It can quickly turn messy code into a cleaner and more readable format.
23. ExplainShell — Understand Terminal Commands
Paste a complicated shell command into ExplainShell and it will explain the different parts.
This is useful when you find a command online and want to understand it before running it.
24. Phind — AI Search for Developers
Phind is designed for programming and technical questions.
It can help developers understand errors, compare solutions, research technical topics and work through coding problems.
25. Excalidraw — Draw Diagrams Quickly
Excalidraw helps you create flowcharts, mind maps, system diagrams and simple sketches.
Its hand-drawn style makes diagrams feel clear and less formal.
Mockup and Presentation Websites
26. Shots.so — Make Screenshots Look Professional
Upload a screenshot and place it inside an attractive phone, laptop, browser or social media layout.
It is useful for app previews, product announcements, portfolios and promotional posts.
27. Canva Mockup Generator — Preview Designs on Products
Smartmockups is now available as part of Canva’s mockup tools.
You can place a design on phones, computers, clothing, posters, packaging and other products to see how it might look in real life.
28. Whimsical — Create Flowcharts and Mind Maps
Whimsical helps you create flowcharts, wireframes, mind maps, diagrams and visual plans.
It is useful for brainstorming, project planning and explaining complicated processes.
Privacy and Security Websites
29. Have I Been Pwned — Check for Data Breaches
Enter your email address to check whether it has appeared in a known data breach.
The website also offers a Pwned Passwords service for checking whether a password has appeared in previously exposed data. Never enter your current password into an unfamiliar website.
30. VirusTotal — Scan Suspicious Files and Links
VirusTotal allows you to submit a file, website address, domain or IP address for security analysis.
It is helpful when a downloaded file or link looks suspicious. However, do not upload private or confidential files.
31. Privnote — Send Notes That Disappear
Privnote creates a link to a private note that can be deleted after it is opened.
It can be useful for sending temporary information, but highly sensitive information should still be shared through a properly secured service.
32. Temp-Mail — Create a Temporary Email Address
Temp-Mail gives you a temporary inbox that can help reduce spam when signing up for low-risk websites.
Do not use a temporary address for banking, government services or important accounts that you may need to recover later.
33. File.io — Share Files Through a Simple Link
File.io lets you upload a file and share it through a generated link.
Its current free plan supports file sharing of up to 2 GB, although limits and storage conditions may change. Do not use it as your only backup location.
Music, Sound and Focus Websites
34. Radio Garden — Listen to Live Radio Worldwide
Radio Garden displays radio stations on an interactive globe.
Move around the map, select a city and listen to live radio from that part of the world.
35. Every Noise at Once — Explore Music Genres
Every Noise at Once is a visual map of music genres and subgenres.
It is a fascinating way to discover styles of music you may never have heard before.
36. Tunefind — Find Songs From Movies and TV Shows
Tunefind helps you identify songs used in films, television programmes and streaming series.
Search for the show, select the episode and browse the songs associated with it.
37. Music for Programming — Listen While You Work
Music for Programming provides long music mixes created for focused work.
Despite the name, it can also be used while reading, writing, designing or studying.
38. myNoise — Create Personal Soundscapes
myNoise offers adjustable sounds such as rain, wind, ocean waves, cafés and white noise.
You can change individual sound levels to create an environment that suits your work or relaxation.
39. Coffitivity — Recreate Coffee-Shop Background Noise
Coffitivity plays the gentle background sounds of a café.
It may help people who find complete silence distracting while working or studying.
Research and Study Websites
40. Elicit — Find and Understand Research Papers
Elicit is an AI-assisted research tool that can help you discover papers, compare findings and organise information for a literature review.
Always open and verify the original research paper before using a finding in academic work.
41. Consensus — Search Scientific Research With Questions
Consensus allows you to ask a research question in normal language and search for relevant scientific studies.
It is useful for getting an overview of existing evidence before exploring individual papers.
42. Connected Papers — Discover Related Research
Enter the title of a paper and Connected Papers will create a visual map of related studies.
It can help students and researchers discover important papers that ordinary keyword searches may miss.
43. Semantic Scholar — Search Academic Literature
Semantic Scholar is an academic search engine for finding research papers, authors, references and citations.
Its filters can help narrow down results by subject, date and publication type.
44. SciSpace — Get Help Reading Difficult Papers
SciSpace offers tools for finding, reading and understanding academic papers.
You can use it to ask questions about complicated sections, but its answers should always be checked against the original document.
45. Sifu Yik — Discover AI Tips and Prompts
Sifu Yik publishes AI-related tips, training material, prompts and updates through a Substack publication.
It may be useful for creators who want practical ideas for AI image and video generation.
46. Desmos — Use a Powerful Graphing Calculator
Desmos makes equations and mathematical relationships easier to understand visually.
Students and teachers can use it to plot graphs, explore functions and create interactive mathematical activities.
Everyday Online Utilities
47. Smallpdf — Edit and Convert PDF Files
Smallpdf provides tools for compressing, merging, signing, editing and converting PDF files.
The free version may include limits on how often certain tools can be used.
48. iLovePDF — Merge, Split and Compress PDFs
iLovePDF is another useful collection of browser-based PDF tools.
You can merge documents, split pages, reduce file size, rotate pages and convert PDFs into other formats.
49. DeepL — Translate Text Naturally
DeepL is known for translations that often sound more natural than direct word-for-word translations.
It is useful for emails, articles, documents and everyday communication, although important translations should still be reviewed by a fluent speaker.
50. TinEye — Search Using an Image
TinEye is a reverse image search engine.
Upload a picture or enter its web address to find other places where the same or a similar image appears online.
51. Fast.com — Check Your Internet Speed
Open Fast.com and the internet speed test starts automatically.
It is a quick way to check whether your connection is performing as expected.
Which Websites Should You Bookmark First?
You do not need to save all 51 websites immediately. Start with the ones that solve problems you face regularly.
For general productivity, bookmark:
- TinyWow
- AlternativeTo
- Photopea
- DeepL
- Fast.com
For students and researchers, bookmark:
- MIT OpenCourseWare
- Project Gutenberg
- Elicit
- Connected Papers
- Semantic Scholar
- SciSpace
For design and content creation, bookmark:
- Photopea
- Remove.bg
- Coolors
- unDraw
- Shots.so
- Canva Mockup Generator
For online safety, bookmark:
- Have I Been Pwned
- VirusTotal
- TinEye
For PDF work, bookmark:
- TinyWow
- Smallpdf
- iLovePDF
A Simple Safety Rule Before Using Online Tools
Online tools are convenient, but you should be careful about what you upload.
Avoid uploading documents containing:
- Passwords or login details
- Bank statements
- Aadhaar, passport or identity documents
- Confidential office files
- Private student or employee records
- Unpublished research data
- Medical or financial information
Before uploading sensitive material, read the website’s privacy policy and understand how the file will be stored, processed and deleted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most useful free websites?
TinyWow, Photopea, Project Gutenberg, MIT OpenCourseWare, Squoosh, Excalidraw, Desmos and Fast.com are among the most useful websites offering free access or valuable free features.
Which websites should every student know?
Students should know about MIT OpenCourseWare, Project Gutenberg, Open Culture, Desmos, Semantic Scholar, Connected Papers, Elicit and SciSpace.
What is the best free alternative to Photoshop online?
Photopea is one of the most capable browser-based alternatives. It supports layers, masks, text, PSD files and many commonly used photo-editing features.
Which website can check whether my email was leaked?
Have I Been Pwned can check whether an email address appears in known data breaches.
Which websites are best for research papers?
Semantic Scholar is useful for academic searches, Connected Papers helps find related studies, and Elicit, Consensus and SciSpace provide AI-assisted research features.
Which websites can edit PDF files online?
TinyWow, Smallpdf and iLovePDF can handle common PDF tasks such as merging, splitting, compressing, converting and organising pages.
Which website can identify where an image came from?
TinEye can perform a reverse image search and help locate other copies or possible sources of an image.
Are all these websites completely free?
Many are free, while others offer limited free access and charge for advanced features. Pricing and usage limits can change, so check the individual website before starting an important project.
Final Thoughts
The most useful websites are not always the most famous ones.
Sometimes, a simple online tool can save an hour of work, help you find an important source or solve a problem in just a few clicks.
Bookmark the websites that match your daily needs and return to this list whenever you need a quicker way to complete a task.
Which website surprised you the most? Share its number in the comments and send this list to someone who loves discovering useful online tools.
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