Free ringtone software can be downloaded from free download portals and the installation is relatively easy. The advantage of having this ringtone software is that you don't have to pay for subscription to have a ringtones straight in your cell phone. With the use of this software, you can turn music from your cd's into a ringtone. You can even use music from your mp3. Just download the songs in your computer and run it into the software. The software will then convert the song to certain formats such as Wav, AMR, ADOCM or SMAF whichever is compatible to the cell phone you are using. After a few seconds or minutes (depending on your pc), you'll have a ringtone that you can use to your cell phone or give to your friends and family members.

The disadvantage of using this, aside from it said to be illegal due to copyright violation, is you probably won't have the latest or the hottest ringtones in your mobile phones, unlike when you are subscribed; a ringtone company will always send you ringtones that belong to the chart hits. There are also mobile phones or a communication provider that doesn't accept ringtones created by free ringtone software. Like in Canada, companies like Rogers Wireless, Telus Mobility, Fido Mobile and Bell Mobility only allows legal ringtones that you can download from legal sites that provides subscription to the hottest ringtones. It is better to go to these types of sites and subscribe if you want your mobile phone to be always updated with what's hot and what's not in the music industry.