What is the difference between spyware and adware? Adware tracks users’ behaviors online without their knowledge or permission, while spyware gets permission to track users’ behaviors online. Spyware are advertisements that pay for applications and websites, while adware can be embedded in software programs to track a user’s behavior online. Adware are advertisements that pay for applications and websites, while spyware can be embedded in software programs to track a user’s behavior online. Spyware tracks users’ behaviors online without their knowledge or permission, while adware gets permission to track users’ behaviors online.