Compare and Contrast: Freeware and Shareware

The term freeware is generally used for software, which is available free of cost and which allows copying and further distribution, but not modification and whose source code is not available. The right to use the software is limited to certain types of users for instance, for private and non-commercial purposes.

Shareware is a software which is made available with the right to redistribute copies, but it is stipulated that if one intends to use the software, often after a certain period of time then a license fee should be paid. The source code of shareware is not available and modifications to the software are not allowed.