kostenlos

Kostenlos is a German adjective meaning without cost or charge; it describes goods or services that are provided to the consumer without payment. The term is widely used in advertising, product descriptions, and consumer information to indicate that no price is payable for the item or service itself. The opposite term is kostenpflichtig or kostenbehaftet, signaling that a charge applies.

The word is formed from Kosten (costs) and los (free, liberated), a common pattern in German for creating compound adjectives. Synonyms include gratis and umsonst, though the nuances differ: gratis is common in marketing and loanwords, while umsonst can also carry the sense of “for nothing” in contexts beyond price, or even “in vain” in other uses. Formal or legal language may prefer kostenfrei, meaning freely available in a stricter sense.

In practice, the label kostenfrei or kostenlos should reflect the complete price picture. In many jurisdictions, including German-speaking areas, marketers must avoid misleading claims such as “kostenlos” when additional costs (shipping, handling, taxes) still apply or when contractual obligations are involved. Promotions often specify conditions, such as “kostenloser Versand ab 50 Euro” or “kostenlose Probezeit,” to clarify when the offer applies.

Kostenlos is understood across German-speaking countries, with regional preferences influencing whether gratis, kostenlos, or umsonst is used in a given context. The term remains a straightforward descriptor of price, not a statement about quality or availability.