I took a look at some of the online offers for free GPS software and found that like many “free” offers, there were often limits and conditions. Free software is often a reduced version of the products that can be purchased. Sometimes the free product has restricted functionality with disabled features, other products are based on tests and are disabled after a certain time (hours, days or use).

You can find an example of limited free GPS software at the GPS Utility. Free downloadable software is limited to 100 benchmarks and 500 tracking points. (There are 65,000 of each in the registered version of his show.) The free program gives you a good chance to try before you buy, and this is the benefit of most free programs.

There are sites online that list various free GPS programs and describe how to use the programs after downloading them. Often times, people who have used the programs themselves develop the sites. These are great because they give you an unbiased interpretation of the benefits and drawbacks of the programs before using them.

With free GPS software, you can download programs that allow you to retrieve and display USGS aerial photos, topographic maps, and landmarks. Programs are available that allow you to import scanned images and add latitude and longitude points and other data.

Free GPS software downloads are available for PDA units that can communicate with GPS receivers. With these downloads you can have a navigation assistant, a location database manager, and a GPS data converter.

Programs for managing GPS waypoints and route files are available for PC and Mac users. Waypoints and route files can be saved or converted to various formats used by other mapping programs.

If you need to transfer information to and from your GPS receiver and your computer or laptop, there are several free programs that allow you to do so. There are also programs that allow Garmin GPS receivers to “talk” to each other.

Many of the programs listed here are geared towards the hiking / trekking community, but there are also free programs available for automatic GPS systems and marine navigation systems. I found a couple of marine navigation programs that allow you to download nautical charts and plotters.

There are free GPS software programs that allow you to download street maps that may not be included in your automatic navigation system. If you intend to download software to the vehicle, make sure it has audio capability, an essential safety factor for drivers. One of these programs offers multi-country data with voice guidance in twelve languages.

Free GPS software is also available for download to your cell phone. It is primarily a tracking software and can be phone specific. You may want to check with your provider before downloading anything to your cell phone to make sure you don’t incur additional charges.

Since satellites are constantly moving, it helps to know the optimal time for data collection in your area. There is free GPS software that includes an almanac to inform you of satellite availability at any given time.

Some of the free GPS software is brand specific. Programs designed for a Garmin receiver may not work for a Magellan, so check the specifications carefully, especially if you intend to purchase a registered version after your trial period. Other software works with most brands.