Monetizing free software?

[Numbat]

I'm looking for advice for monitizing free software... I'm a pretty good coder, and I've got a few ideas for small/giveaway programs that I think could do pretty well.

Is there any money to be made bundling other software (say, a browser toolbar, just to pick a random possibility) with it? If so, how does one get into that market? What companies are interested in having their software bundled, and is there anywhere I can go to find out who those companies are? What's the pay like? Are there any clearinghouses for this sort of thing (like CJ or Azoogle, but for bundled software)?

Thanks!

 

[pjleonhardt]

Take a look at ZangoCash (aff link).
I've tried to use them before, but most of my traffic is Chinese, which they don't pay for. Great if you are targeting the U.S. tho!

 

[Mike]

Take a look at ZangoCash (aff link).
I've tried to use them before, but most of my traffic is Chinese, which they don't pay for. Great if you are targeting the U.S. tho!

How are you monetizing Chinese traffic? I know that it's cheap, but I can't find any chinese aff programs.

 

[PiLe]

How are you monetizing Chinese traffic? I know that it's cheap, but I can't find any chinese aff programs.

I guess all their aff programs are in Chinese!

It would be a kick-ass business if someone could launch a special Chinese CPC/CPA agency to offer services for this kind of traffic. It's going to take over the world in next few years, that's for sure!

 

[kr338r]

you might try clickbank,
online software sales is what they do.

 

[Andrew]

zango=adware, by the way.

You can create your own toolbar, add a search field combined with searchfeed (google doesn't allow toolbar traffic with adsense for search) and make a little money off of that.

Best, "cleanest" way might be to send the software traffic to your own website(s). Not necessarily pop-unders, but with things like documentation or downloading added features.