The blog article "How to Navigate the World of Software Upgrades, Patches, and Trials" explains the difference between patches (free of charge) and upgrades (for a fee). This example quickly shows the difference between an upgrade and a patch:
| Upgrade | Patch |
|
Major version change, such as 1.3 to 2.0 |
Minor version change, such as 1.3 to 1.4 |
|
Typically requires purchase for a fee |
Free of charge |