Freeware

Freeware (from "free" and "software") is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit. The term does not imply that the software is free and open source software (FOSS). Freeware is a loosely defined category, which includes both closed and open source proprietary software.

Criteria

Software classified as freeware is licensed at no cost and is either fully functional for an unlimited time; or has only basic functions enabled with a fully functional version available commercially or as shareware. In contrast to free software, the author usually restricts one or more rights of the user, including the rights to copy, distribute, modify and make derivative works of the software or extract the source code. The software license may impose additional restrictions on the type of use including personal use, private use, individual use, non-profit use, non-commercial use, academic use, educational use, use in charity or humanitarian organisations, non-military use, use by public authorities or various other combinations of these type of restrictions. For instance, the license may be "free for private, non-commercial use". The software license may also impose various other restrictions, such as restricted use over a network, restricted use on a server, restricted use in a combination with some types of other software or with some hardware devices, etc

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has requested that people avoid referring to true Free Software as "freeware". Members of FOSS community believe that "freedom to use" implies that the end user is free to run, study, modify, and distribute the software with minimal restriction. Freeware is also distinct from shareware; the latter obliges the user to pay after some trial period or to gain additional functionality. Sometimes, the class of shareware produced without a time limit, but with intentionally-limited functionality is erroneously referred to as freeware. This "freeware" is easily identified by an option to upgrade for a more enhanced version, e.g: basic version upgrades to "Pro" version.