What Is Shareware?
So what exactly is shareware? Shareware is software that is distributed on a trial basis with the understanding by the users of the software that there may be a small charge by the author to continue to use it. Most shareware is delivered free of charge by downloading it from the Internet either from the author's website or from a software download site. By registering the software and paying the fee, you become registered with the author and can receive technical support and software updates when they become available.
You can copy shareware and pass it along to friends and colleagues, as long as it is the trial version of the software and not the registered version. They are also expected to pay a registration fee if they intend on using the software regularly beyond the trial period.
The trial period of the computer software is entirely dependent on the software author and can vary a great deal. Typically, the trial period can be anywhere from 10-30 days or even 45-60 days. Some trial periods are based on usage and only allow users to open the program a limited number of times. The functionality of the software can be limited as well. Some authors will release fully functional software, whereas others will offer a limited version of the full program.
All the software here at CoffeeCup is offered as a fully functional trial version for users to try out for a limited amount of time. You can check out our free trial downloads on our software page.
Trial Software vs. Shareware
What's the difference between trial software and shareware?