Linux Mint is composed of many software packages, of which the vast majority are distributed under a free software license (also known as open source).
The main license used is the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL) which, along with the GNU Lesser General Public License (GNU LGPL), explicitly declares that users are free to run, copy, distribute, study, change, develop and improve the software. Linux Mint is funded by its community of users. Individual users and companies using the operating system act as donors, sponsors and partners of the distribution. The financial support from the community helps to keep Linux Mint free and open source, thereby allowing the project to focus on improving the operating system without engaging in commercial activities.