Definition: Freeware is software distributed for use without payment of a licence fee. The individual or company that owns the rights retains control of the program and uses its licence to specify which uses, copies or forms of distribution are permitted.
A program offered at no cost is not necessarily free of copyright, nor is its source code necessarily available. Freeware is usually proprietary software and may restrict modification, redistribution or commercial use. Its defining feature is the absence of a price for authorised use, not the freedoms granted over the program.
Origin of the term freeware
The term freeware became established in the early 1980s. Andrew Fluegelman used it in 1982 to distribute PC-Talk without an upfront price and allow users to copy the program. The system also invited voluntary payment and was an early example of software being distributed through networks and shared copies.
As the Internet expanded, freeware became a general name for programs available without a licence fee. Downloading became easier, but the conditions continued to depend on each rights holder: some products permit indefinite use, while others restrict particular environments, additional features or methods of redistribution.
Conditions of freeware use
The licence determines what can be done with the program. Free use may be indefinite while still being subject to legal and technical restrictions. A vendor might authorise personal use, prohibit changes to the executable or require permission before the software is redistributed with another product.
Freeware may be funded through advertising, donations, associated services or separate paid products. The absence of a purchase price does not guarantee updates, support or continued availability. Before installation, users should check the download source, licence, requested permissions and whether the installer includes additional components.
Shareware is distributed so that people can evaluate a program before paying. It may limit the period of use, particular features or access after the evaluation period. Freeware instead permits use of the version offered at no cost and does not operate as a trial that has to be unlocked.
The freemium model combines a free tier with paid features, capacity or services within the same offering. The distinction depends on the commercial design and licence, not merely on whether the initial download is free. A product may retain a separate freeware application while its publisher sells a broader professional edition.
Freeware and free software
Free software is defined by the freedoms it grants to run, study, modify and share the program. Exercising those freedoms requires access to the source code. It may be given away or sold because “free” refers to freedom rather than price.
Open-source software must also meet licence conditions that allow access to the code, modifications and redistribution of derived works. Freeware, free software and open source are not equivalent categories. A program can be both free of charge and open source, but many freeware products permit only the use of a compiled version under proprietary terms.
Freeware examples
Common examples include Adobe Acrobat Reader, Google Earth Pro and Google Chrome. These products can be used without paying for the download or basic licence, although their publishers retain their own conditions for use and distribution. Some exist alongside commercial products or services from the same company.
Firefox, VLC, LibreOffice and OpenOffice can also be downloaded at no cost, but their licences allow their code to be studied and redistributed. Describing them only as freeware conceals their status as free or open-source software. Minecraft is not freeware, and the original version of Doom was distributed as shareware, so they do not belong to the same category.