If you only want to burn CD and DVDs, then Nero 9 Free is best available software tool for you. Rip & Burn, Create, Edit options are only available in Upgrade.
You do not require to purchase key additionally to use the Nero 9 Essentials. The Nero 9 has built-in product key/serial key and you can view that when you are performing the installation. As the name suggests, it offers just required the feature, i.e burning a CD/DVD, for more features, users are required to upgrade paid version of Nero Essentials. To overcome this issue and also offer a solution to users, Nero has smartly released a stripped down version of Nero burning software, named as Nero StartSmart Essentials.
The only downside of Nero being paid software, it is a very expensive piece of tool, and most wouldn’t be able to afford it, which leads to piracy of Nero software.
Even though there are many freeware software providing a similar feature, yet Nero still holds the huge user base. Nero, a well know software for burning CD/DVD and Bluray disks, has been in this market for quite long and so the reason of being #1 user choice for burning disk media.
