freeofcharge

Free of charge is a term used to indicate that no payment is required from the recipient for a given good, service, or benefit. In ordinary usage, it denotes a transfer without consideration in the economic sense, though the provider may incur costs that are subsidized or recouped by other means. The term is commonly written as two words, free of charge, but in some branding, product labels, or data fields it may appear concatenated as freeofcharge.

Applications include free samples, complimentary services, promotional offers, refunds, or government-provided services that do not require payment. In commerce, the designation is often used in marketing and contracts to clarify that the customer does not owe money for the specified item at the point of transfer. It is important to distinguish free of charge from gratis in some languages, though in practice the meanings are similar.

Costs may still be incurred indirectly, such as shipping, handling, taxes, maintenance, or future obligations after a trial period. Some promotions advertise “free” items while leveraging terms and conditions; customers should read terms to understand limits, eligibility, and duration. Also, some jurisdictions treat certain free-of-charge supplies as taxable supplies if the provider would typically charge for them. Conversely, in software and digital content, “free of charge” can describe freeware, open-source software, or freemium models where basic access is free but premium features cost money.

See also: gratis, freeware, freemium, promotional sample, open-source software, VAT treatment of free goods.