The term shareware, popularized by Bob Wallace[1], refers to copyrighted commercial software that is distributed without payment on a trial basis and is limited by any combination of functionality, availability, or convenience. Shareware is often offered as a download from an Internet website or as a compact disc included with a periodical such as a newspaper or magazine. The aim of shareware is to give buyers the opportunity to use the program and judge its usefulness before purchasing a licence for the full version of the software.

Shareware is usually offered as a trial version with certain features only available after the licence is purchased, or as a full version, but for a trial period. Once the trial period has passed the program will not run until a licence is purchased. Shareware is often offered without support, updates, or help menus, which only become available with the purchase of a licence. The words "free trial", "trial version" are indicative of shareware.

The term shareware is used in contrast to, retail software which refers to commercial software available only with the purchase of a licence which may not be copied for others, and public domain software which refers to software not copyright protected, and Freeware which refers to copyrighted software for which the author solicits no payment (though he may request a donation).

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