If all you want to do (or need) is to "free" widgets from their Dashboard [only] environment, you can do this for *free* by enabling Dashboard "developer mode." Use Terminal, or (if mucking about with Terminal intimidates you) doing so with "Onyx" (still free, I think) or "MacPilot" (not free, but can be used in Demo mode).

I've done this myself with several Widgets that I have now give permanent homes on the Desktop of my new, big monitor! As far as "stand-alone" applications, hmm, not sure what to tell you. For me, it's not an issue. The net effect is still the same; I get instant access to my favorite Widgets which *now* sit in plain view on the right side of my Desktop. World Clocks (two sons in faraway places while serving in the military), EasyEnvelopes, Timer, Translation and others --- all working as well as any so-called "stand-alone" applications.

Except they're actually *Widgets* that I've *freed* from their normal environment --- for FREE!