How To Make Money With Shareware You Don't Own

If you are seeking a home business that has million dollar potential with very low start up costs you should consider shareware distribution. Popular titles like the free version of some virus protection software gets downloaded millions of times a week. The money is earned when some of those free users go ahead and pay to upgrade.

As you are no doubt aware, shareware is "try it before you buy it software". Generally, the user can download the software and use it with limitations or download the full version of the software but it no longer works after the trial period. Then, they must pay the "activation fee" or upgrade fee to continue.

You'll find two types of applications. There are some that are Internet based. You connect by logging in to use their features. They often permit free members and paid members who have complete access to the service features.

Internet based applications often involve storing the user's files or setting up autoresponders and shopping carts which can be very time consuming. The longer the user sticks with the service the more investment he has in terms of his time. If he quits he's back to square one!

It is amazing the creative ideas behind good shareware. For example, a new program called The Code of The Samurai is behavior modification software that tracks a child's behavior. If a child misbehaves he spins the electronic wheel complete with sound effects to see what his consequence will be. At the end of the week the child with the highest number of points remaining wins.

Free Advertising Means Your Shareware May Be Downloaded Millions of Times You can stick with posting to the most popular shareware sites like Tucows.com and Download.com and end up paying a fee to get some decent exposure. But, there are millions of sites that permit you to post your titles for free.

As a shareware developer you can post your shareware to these sites using a simple spread sheet type file called a PAD file. This file segregates each bit of information about your shareware into uniform categories like the title, the file size, the description both short and long, the cost and the download link among other things.

A PAD file can automate the posting process simplifying your work and placing your shareware on thousands of sites with the press of a button when you use it with a software submission site.

If producing your own shareware titles seems a bit daunting you could consider joining a new enterprise, The Passive Income Club. Each month members receive a new shareware title and the affiliate password. Then, they enter the password giving them access to a field where they can enter their affiliate ID. This puts their affiliate ID into the affiliate upgrade link. The members' job is then to distribute the shareware. When a user downloads his branded copy and upgrades 50% of the fees is paid to the affiliate.

Passive Income Club members only need to fill out the PAD file with their own description of the shareware and the keywords they like. This can be done in minutes. Then, they click a button to use shareware submission software or pay a web service to post their PAD file to thousands of download sites. There is the potential that thousands if not millions of copies of their branded shareware will be downloaded. Without a doubt a percentage will pay the upgrade fee. Members of the Club earn a 50% commission.

If is also possible to produce really desirable shareware and give it away. If your shareware is likely to find widespread use on a daily basis you could actually sell advertising.

If this sounds a bit too technical you can get the benefits of distributing shareware simply by joining Passive Income club. Members receive new titles every month.

The other alternative is to register on www.Vworker.com or www.Elance.com and post your project. Even complicated projects can usually be completed for under $1000.