An application program developed for sale to the general public. Packaged software is designed to appeal to a large audience of users, and although the programs may be tailored to a user's taste by setting various preferences, it can never be as individualized as custom-programmed software.
Since so much software is downloaded via the Internet these days, the term is not as widely used as it was when all software was "packaged" in a box for sale. Contrast with
custom software.