1. Application Software :
Application Software, as name suggests, is a software designed to help people with information technology and make users more productive or assist them with personal tasks. It is used to perform personal and business functions and its main purpose is to meet user requirements.
Example : VLC media player, Microsoft Word processor, Google chrome, accounting applications, photo editor, etc.
2. Utility Software :
Utility Software, as name suggests, is a software designed to perform particular tasks that help in making device perform better and keep environment safe. It assists users with controlling and maintaining operations of computer, hardware, software, or its devices. It also provides energy and power to different site processes.
Example : AVAST antivirus, disk tools, backup software, etc.
Difference between Application Software and Utility Software :
| S. No. | Basis of Comparison |
Application Software |
Utility Software |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Definition | It refers to a computer program that performs particular functions for end-users. | It refers to software programs that add functionality to a computer and help to perform in a better way. |
| 2. | Supports | It deals with user inputs and helps user to complete their task. | It helps to analyze, configure, optimize or maintain a computer system. |
| 3. | Focus | It mainly focuses on the work of a user or an organization. | It mainly focuses on how computer infrastructure such as hardware, operating system, software, etc., operates. |
| 4. | Download | It can be downloaded from the internet. | It can be downloaded either from the web or comes pre-installed. |
| 5. | Space | It requires more space and more power on the computer due to its bigger size as compared to utility software. | It requires less space and less power due to its smaller size as compared to application software. |
| 6. | Functionality | This software is designed to perform a group of coordinated functions, activities, or tasks that are beneficial for end-users. | This software is designed to perform maintenance tasks on the computer systems so that system can perform better and smoothly. |
| 7. | Variety of Tasks | This software help people to perform activity, mitigate issues, manipulate text, number, audio, etc. | This software help in executing several crucial tasks for the operating system helps in the overall maintenance of the system, etc. |
| 8. | Supports User | It also helps to lower IT costs, improve employee productivity, lower customer churn, meet the exact needs of the user, make business activities more efficient, facilitate communications, etc. | It also helps the user to control, manage, and maintain the computer’s operating system, defragment hard disk to correct and fix the problems in it, scan viruses, clean the disk, etc. |
| 9. | Price | It can be either free or paid if downloaded from the web. | It is mostly free to install on the computer. |
| 10. | Size | It is of big size. | It is of small size. |
| 11. | Usage | It is like an add-on that may or may not be beneficial. | It always demonstrates an interest in the device. |
| 12. | Example | Graphic Designing Softwares | Antivirus Softwares |
