Provided are a method and apparatus for software installation and a user terminal. The method includes: transmitting a software identifier of a target software to be installed to a server; acquiring software installation information corresponding to the software identifier returned by the server; analyzing the software installation information to acquire target software information and file information of a preparatory file for software installation from the software installation information; and installing the preparatory file for the software installation according to the file information and installing the target software according to the target software information after the preparatory file for the software installation is installed.