what is freeware

Freeware ( from “free” and “software” ) is a computer software which can be used by anyone for free of cost. A software classified as freeware works fully and it is available for unlimited time access with no cost. Freeware can be proprietary software available at zero price.

The software license may impose restrictions on the type of use including personal/individual use, commercial/non-commercial use, academic use, non-profit use or combination of all these. The license may be free for personal and non-commercial use.

Freeware may or may not be free and open source software. Free software foundation asks users to avoid calling “freeware” free software. Free software can be studied, used and modified without any restriction. Freeware is different from shareware.

Freeware provides users to access whole feature of the software without any limitation/cost, where shareware requests users to pay money after the trial period of the software or to provide full feature of the software.