The expression
free as in beer refers to things which are available at no monetary cost (like free beer at a party). It can be contrasted with the expressions
free as in speech or
free as in freedom, which refer to something (especially
software) which is
free of restrictions, as in the
freedom of speech. The expression "free as in freedom" is significant in that it was the title of a
2002 biography of
Richard Stallman, founder of the
Free Software Foundation.
In French (and other Latin languages), the distinction is simpler, because the word free can be translated as gratuit (no cost, gratis in Latin) or libre (free of restrictions).
To some people, "free beer" often implies free riding, or freeloading[?] taking advantage of something that is not paid for.