And that's what this guide is here to help you with.

The good news is that opting for free burning software does not mean that you need to make compromises - you just need the right tool for the job. And why should you pay for big-name software when there are so many free options out there? The problem is knowing where to start, deciding which application is best for you. You could, of course, turn to the likes of Nero or Roxio, but these are beyond the budget of many people. But you may not like the software you were given, it may no longer be receiving updates, or maybe you were just given a short trial period. The chances are that when you bought your burner, it came with some burning software the same may well be true if you bought a computer with a burner already installed. There are numerous reasons for wanting to burn files to a CD or DVD, including portability, compatibility, and longevity, and there are plenty of scenarios in which a traditional optical disc is simply the only option - such as when you need an audio CD or video DVD. USB and cloud storage may be more popular than ever, but the humble DVD writer still has its place and is far from dead.