Freeware is copyrighted computer software which is made available for use free of charge, for an unlimited time. Authors of freeware often want to "give something to the community", but also want to retain control of any future development of the software.

Freeware is different from shareware, where the user is required to pay (e.g. after some trial period or for extra functionality). It should be noted that although free software is sometimes used as a synonym for freeware, it is not the same as free software.

History

The term freeware was coined by Andrew Fluegelman when he wanted to sell a communications program named PC-Talk that he had created but for which he did not wish to use traditional methods of distribution because of their cost. Previously, he held a trademark on the term "freeware" but this trademark has since been abandoned. Fluegelman actually distributed PC-Talk via a process now referred to as shareware.

Criteria

The only criterion for being classified as "freeware" is that the software must be made available for use for an unlimited time at no cost. The software license may impose one or more other restrictions on the type of use including personal use, individual use, non-profit use, non-commercial use, academic use, commercial use or any combination of these. For instance, the license may be "free for personal, non-commercial use." Everything created with the freeware programs can be distributed at no cost (for example graphic, documents, or sounds made by user).

There is some software which may be thought of freeware, but which has limited distribution; that is, it may only be downloaded from a specific site, and can't be redistributed. Hence, this software wouldn't be freely redistributable software. According to the basic definition, that software would be freeware; according to stricter definitions, it wouldn't be.

The term 'freeware' may include public domain software and proprietary software. However, freeware does not include such loss leaders as crippleware, adware, shareware, nagware or demoware, where there is hidden cost to be paid to use the software. Such a cost may be having to give up part of your screen in order for the program to display advertising; continually being reminded about a "pro" version of the program via nag screens; having to use the program quickly before it becomes disabled; etc. Note that there are other types of costs than monetary when describing the term "free" as in "freeware."