Helicon Focus Premium is not free ; it requires a one-time payment for a lifetime license, though a free 30-day trial is available. While some open-source alternatives like focus-stack Helicon Focus
Helicon Focus is professional software with a tiered pricing model. You can choose between yearly subscriptions or a one-time "Lifetime" purchase.
Some educational institutions and non-profit organizations offer discounted or free versions of professional software. Though not a lifetime free version per se, it can significantly reduce costs.
package includes the desktop version of Helicon Remote, which allows for automatic, tethered shooting on computers and mobile devices.