Because being broke shouldn’t stop the build. Being a student myself, I totally get how frustrating it is when you’re finally close to launching a project—and boom—some critical feature is locked behind a paywall. It can feel like you’re stuck before you even begin. But the good news? There are actually some powerful, genuinely free tools out there that help you build, ship, and learn—without needing a premium subscription. Here are my favorites: 1. Visual Studio Code (VS Code) – My ride or die VS Code is hands-down my personal favorite. It’s fast, lightweight, and super customizable. I use it for everything—web development, markdown writing (like for this blog), and even coding in languages like Python and C#. What makes VS Code amazing is: Extensions like Prettier (for auto-formatting), Live Server (for seeing real-time web changes), and GitLens (for understanding Git better). Tons of themes (hello aesthetic dark mode). Built-in terminal, debugger, and version control. It’s the first tool I install on a new machine, every time. 2. GitHub Student Developer Pack – An underrated goldmine If you're a student and you haven’t signed up for this yet... what are you doing?! The GitHub Student Pack gives you free access to 100+ tools that would normally cost you a lot. Some of the best perks: Free .me domain from Namecheap and select options from name.com. JetBrains IDEs (great for languages like Java, Kotlin, etc.) GitHub Copilot (trial access to your own AI coding buddy) This pack has saved me so many times when I needed a tool but couldn’t afford it. 3. Figma – Not my daily tool, but a UI/UX gem I don’t use Figma every day, but for UI/UX design, it's unbeatable. If you’re building a portfolio, mockup, or just want your app to look good, Figma lets you: Create interactive prototypes Collaborate with team members in real time Access tons of templates and design kits Plus, it works directly in your browser—no downloads needed. 4. Netlify / Vercel / Render – The deployment dream team Once you finish building your app or blog, these platforms make it super easy to get your project live on the internet—for free. Netlify is great for static sites and has a very beginner-friendly UI. It connects directly with your GitHub repo and deploys on every commit. You even get a custom subdomain. Vercel is optimized for Next.js but works beautifully with other frameworks too. I love its clean dashboard and fast performance. Render is great for full-stack apps, especially ones with backend APIs or databases. It supports web services, static sites, cron jobs, and more—and has a generous free tier. Between these three, I’ve deployed everything from basic HTML pages to full-stack apps—without paying a cent. 5. Replit – Code anywhere, instantly Replit is perfect when you want to run a quick script, test something, or work collaboratively. It supports dozens of languages and runs everything in the browser, so you don’t need to worry about setup or local installs. I use it a lot for: Testing code quickly Pair programming Sharing mini demos or tutorials with friends 6. Notion – My organized chaos Not a dev tool exactly, but hear me out—Notion helps me stay sane. From coding notes to project to-dos, I organize everything here. It's flexible, minimal, and honestly kind of therapeutic to use. If you love a good aesthetic workspace and want to manage your personal projects, assignments, and code snippets in one place, Notion’s a must-have. Final Thoughts Being a student developer doesn’t mean you have to settle for less. There are so many quality tools that are completely free and powerful enough to help you learn, grow, and build real-world projects. These tools have saved me time, frustration, and money—and I hope they do the same for you. If you loved the read, leave a like.