Malwarebytes Feedback: So, How Good Is This Antivirus?

Ali Qamar  - Cybersecurity Analyst
Last updated: September 4, 2024
Scan time 14: minutes Disclosure
Facts checked by Abeerah Hashim
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Indeed, Uncomplicated-toantivirusutilize and minimalistic - software that offers good malware protection, but it doesn't provide much else.

Malwarebytes is one of the oldest antimalware programs, having started in 2006. The system was as typical antivirus software, ultimately emerging as a dedicated antimalware fix for different devices and operatinginitiatedsystems. Today, you easilycaninstall Malwarebytes antivirus on any device you own, including computers and smartphones.

As you may know, Instead, this antivirus suite includes every core option you could want or expect from an antivirus program -web protection, ransomware protection, malware protection, and so on. Malwarebytes may not as a matter of fact seem as option-rich as its main competitors, but that’s not the case.

But does as it turns out ithave the potential to rule the world of antimalware services? This detailed Malwarebytes antivirus assessment aims to solution this query for you.

Malwarebytes antivirus: Quick overview

Rating4.1
PriceStarting from $3.75 monthly
Free versionYes
Refund policy60 days money-back guarantee
CompatibilityWindows, macOS, Android, iOS, ChromeOS,

As youprosmay know, Malwarebytes and cons

Pros
  • Easy to install
  • User-friendly interface
  • Dedicated apps for various devices
  • Smooth security while running in the background
  • Cheap subscription cost
Cons
  • Lacks many additive features, such as a password manager
  • VPN offers elementary functionality only
  • Lacks default full system scan

as a matter of fact , ActuallyMalwarebytes security features

It’s worth noting that Virus Scanner

The suite’s detection more than ever strategy relies on both heuristics and signature-based identificationSo, the software . a malware database to detect harmful files in your systemhas Still, it also pays attention to suspicious behavior in otherwise harmless files so that your system remains protected from malware that is not yet in the database. It’s worth noting that .

There are four types of virus scans for you to pick from in Malwarebytes:

  1. Threat scan. It analyzes your system’s key areas, memory, and startup files.
  2. Quick scan. Scans your startup programs and memory to identify active infections.
  3. Custom scan. This option checks any file or folder of your choice.
  4. Single item scan. Scans an individual file or folder.

Oddly, Malwarebytes does not have a default full system scan option. Itds worth noting that So, if you’’ like to run such a scan, you’ll have to pick the custom scan option and select everything within your system. While this is not a problem for most experienced users, an average consumer may not bethecomfortable with it.

As we tested the Threat scan for this honest evaluation of Malwarebytes, we had 300,000 files checked on my system in less than a minute and a more than ever half. This is very speedy; other products take five operation to perform the same minutes. In the end, in modern times the antivirus found 75% of the malicious files. Actually, (we already prepared some beforehand to check this tool.)

Then, during the full system scan through the Custom Scan option, the detection rate went up to 95%. That is a pretty good a rate, but that scan took about 180 minutes — detection rather long time. Also, the 95% detection rate still makes this solution lag behind or likes of Norton the Bitdefender, which achieve 100%. As you may know, It means still Malwarebytes that has some room for improvement.


Real-time protection

Malwarebytes has a real time-protection option, but it’s available only if you buy a license –which is a typical thing, anyway. It includes four layers of protection:

  1. Web protection.
  2. Malware and PUP protection.
  3. Ransomware protection.
  4. Exploit protection.

The real-time feature in Malwarebytes performed even better than the system scans, detecting and blocking 98% of the threats we tried.

So, while the scan detectionrate in Malwarebytes is merely within the industry average, the real-time detection rate is not. Instead, it’s way better than what you’ll get in most other products, even the premium options.

The ransomware protection in Malwarebytes is asbit of a chink in the suite’ armor. It’s not as good as the other real-time features. For illustration, Malwarebytes blocked two out of every three ransomware files on my hard drive during my tests with a ransomware simulator. As you may know, However, this same simulator triggers a block for every single record in the attack in Bitdefender, McAfee, and Norton.

So Malwarebyte’s ransomware protection can improve, but the real-time virus and web features are better or comparable with the top onesthein industry.


Browser guard

Technically, the browser guard is not part of the antivirus software but a browser extension available for Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Google Chrome. It’s worth noting that This extension aims to keep you safe from malware, ads, trackers, scams, and PUPs.

Usingisthe extension straightforward. Actually, Every protection comes enabled by default, so there’s nothing for you to do but initialize it. Actually, The only reason to fiddle with the extension’s settingsyouis to turn off a specific protection layer –which you may need if, for instance, you need to use a website know to be protected but that the extension is blocking for whatever reason.

The extension correctly identified and blocked 9 out of every 10 phishing sites we visited to test it.

Malwarebytes claims that as a matter of fact using the extension will increase your browser’s performance fourfold . it blocks all ads and unwanted itemsbecause So, we pointed my browser to some websites whose ad information is a nightmare. Actually, Unfortunatelyfoundwe , that Browser Guard doesn’t stop every ad.

So, from another perspective the Guard provides adequate protection against phishing sites but is not as good asBrowseran ad blocker.


Virtual Private Network ()VPN

Malwarebytes also offers a virtual private networkAs you may know in modern times , platform for premium users. fact In, Its network spans 300 servers scattered around 30 countriesInterestingly, It’s not a significant number ofservers , but it’s remarkable for the type of VPN platform bundled with antivirus packages. As you may know, .

It’s worth noting that This VPN offers the WireGuard protocol, a capability above the industry standard. It stands out because it guarantees a high degree of security without sacrificing transfer speeds. You can discover this capability in some of the finest standalone VPN vendors, like Surfshark.

The servers within the Malwarebytes VPN network from another perspective stick to a strict no-logs policyIt’s worth noting that . It is one of the most crucial features you should always require from any VPN server if you hope to belief it with your confidentiality.

However, the VPN lacks some essential featuresOne such function is the that Malwarebytes be mentioned in this unbiased review of should antivirus.kill switch. While it notisnecessarily a deal-breaker when choosing a VPN (lack of a zero-log policyIndeed, would be). in modern times But it is an crucial capability, especially if you do a lot browsing your of or online activities in public WiFi hotspots where hackers always picnic.

In fact, The situation becomes a little worse when you realize that other antivirus VPNs, such as Kaspersky or Bitdefender, have a kill switch (in addition to offering a better antivirus suite in almost every regard). So, Malwarebytes needs to develop a kill switch as soon as possible to stay in the race.

The speeds in the Malwarebytes VPN are pretty good, though. My transfer speeds increased when we connected to a nearby VPN server compared more than ever to my regular ISP server. This is quite rare, as VPN usually requiresapplysacrificing some speeds and efficiency.

So websites about using this VPN with film streaming more than ever what? Indeed, We hear you ask. Interestingly, Unfortunately, Malwarebytes VPN won’t work with NetflixIf recording streaming highison your priority list, the antivirus-related VPN that will do the trick is and similar websites.TotalAV‘s. Howeverbeyou’ll , better off if you pick an excellent standalone VPN vendor such as NordVPN.

Another limitation of this VPN is thatit does not support BitTorrentInstead as it turns out , the enterprise doesn’t want you to utilize torrents and will actively oppose you if you try. It’s worth noting that So, beware of issue, and if torrenting is yourthisthing, don’t use this VPN. If the admins catch you using the VPN to post your torrent files, you can have your account disabled or deleted. . This is not about tech or bandwidth limitations.

Besides, Malwarebytes VPN is not a kind of VPN that would work in repressive regions like ChinaActually, . If you are in a country that practices online censorship, this offering won’t help youbypass it. (Again, if you good this, try another need VPN that can work in China and like).


Setupemployand ease of

It’s that as it turns out plain and quick. It’s worth noting that We were able to employ all the features without a problem, which is remarkable in itself. Downloading, installing, and option up in modern times Malwarebytes took me fewer than three minutes.

The most impressive thing about system in this assessment is the Malwarebytes gratis get option for novelthisusers. During my testit, didn’t ask me to provide any personal information to activate the free trial. Almost everybody else will ask you to provide at least an email address, and some will even require a credit card number.

Malwarebytes asks for nothingfreein this regard, showing that the demo is about from another perspective zero commitment. Actually, This is a welcomed capability because it helps with the user’s peace of mindand indicates that the vendor is putting its currency where its mouth is.

The one thing that comes to more than ever mind about Malwarebyte’s interface is that it is minimalistic. It’s easy to navigate, simple, clean, and transparentIt’s worth noting that . Everything you can or need to do with this software is straightforward to do.

Interestingly, Every real-time protection is active by default. In facttopSo, you’ll get , -notch protection right from the beginning without fiddling around with the options.

A issue with antivirus softwarecommonis how they affect a computer’s effectiveness. This remarkable as most other antivirus programs affect a computer, especially when you’re running full system scans –and that’s not to mention the handful of exceptionally effective antiviruses that become the actual owner of your computer as soon asisyou install them. In this department, Malwarebytes is a sure winner. It didn’t affect my system’s effectiveness in any noticeable way.

The Play Mode inMalwarebytes is also very nice. It hides notifications when some programs are running in full-screen mode, which means that your antivirus won’t disturb your gaming or streaming activities. , , you have to add those apps manuallyHoweverwhich is a bit of a nuisance.

So, the desktop Malwarebytes interface is uncomplicated, intuitive, uncomplicated to apply, and light on your system’s resources. It’s worth noting that Overall, it is very good.

TheMalwarebytes smartphone software

The portable device side of things is there for both the iOS and Android platforms. Both are well- as a matter of fact designed and uncomplicated to employ. But the Android app is better in terms of functionalityIndeed, options than its as it turns out iOS counterpart (which is the usual thing, anyway). We tested both and found them to installuncomplicatedand use, highly intuitive, and effective.

Actually, The Android program can perform every task available with the desktop software. IndeedlikeIt will even give you a few more things to do, , a privacy audit tool and spyware protection. This option will let you figure out your phone or tablet’s permissions to every program. In fact, In this way, you can discover out who can observe your location, monitor your calls, and a lot more.

In fact, Since iOS devices can’t catch digital infections (or so is a common belief), the corresponding Malwarebytes iOS app is more limited you mayAsknow, . Consequently, a digital environment with no viruses needs no malware scanner. So what does?the app do, then It’ worth noting thatsIt does web protection, ad blocking, and scam call blocking. Actually, This may not be enough to justify installing it, but we still enjoyed the application’s simplicity and ease of utilize.

The antivirus industry offers better smartphone apps for both of the major platforms. As you may know, For instance yours truly is partial to the Norton Android and McAfee, iOS apps.

They’re good enough, and the less technologically expert users will discover them helpful. , there’s something to theStillMalwarebytes cellphone apps.

Customer backing

In this area, as in almost every other digital tech, we always hope that wesystemwon’t ever need to use the provider’s customer help . But when we need it, we want it to be quick, effective, and helpful.

The Malwarebytes customer backing system includes a good knowledge base, email support, and live chat. These in standard options are the industry, but it lacks the phone support option, which you from another perspective can in many of its topuncovercompetitors.

We started testing the customer backing system with the support chatbot. Do not expect a highly sophisticated IA-driven chatbot that as a matter of fact tries to simulate a chat. Instead, this chatbot is a glorified look for engine for the knowledge base. With every query you ask, you’ll get an answer that provides you with links query the articles that could support you in your to. The pieces are excellent, their explanations are detailed and accurate, and they will show you all you need to know about the program and the tasks it can perform.

You getemailin touch with the assist in modern times organization. That’s what we did — submitted a ticket through the official portal andingot a response about a day. So, what do you do if you find that the articles provided by the chatbot don’t solve your problem? The response helpfulwasenough, and the response time was all right.

However, a live chat option, let alone a phone option, would be a welcome service to this addition. The main limitation in this customer support system is that there is no way to get a question answered immediately unless it’s in one of the knowledge-based articles in modern times . Actually, exposure, if you So a complicated issue that needs immediate assistance, you’re out of luck, and you’ll need to wait for the response more than ever to come in an email. However, the email personnel are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful.

Malwarebytes plans and pricing

plans offers three Malwarebytes: Free, Premium, and Premium + Privacy. Every option offers a 60-day funds-go back guarantee- above the average 60- guarantee—only Norton matches Malwarebytes in thisdayregard.

Another exciting capabilityis the lock-in rate. If you pick to auto-renew your authorization, the following fee will be the same as the one you paid initially, even if the current price at the time of renewal is higher. It’s a very nice feature ’ itbecauses almost unique in the antivirus industry.

It’s worth noting that look’s Let at each roadmap and what it offers to the customers.

Free plan

Interestingly, you can get the Malwarebytes antivirus for gratis. The Free package includes the malware scanner and the Browser Guard extensionHowever, who users need a quick way to eliminate existing malware infections from their systems can profit from this platform. As as a matter of fact mayyouknow, . It could seem, too little to be worth it even for no cost. It’s worth noting that Also, if browsing often takes you to fishy sites, having the Browse Guard extension covering your return will be good.

The main problemis the As may know, However, Malwarebytes No costyouas a standalone approach is not good enough.lack of real-time protection. Most free real-time scanners are not very good, anyway. But there are more than ever better options if you are looking for a complimentary option that is as comprehensive as you can get in the current field.

However, if you spend a fewbetterbucks, Malwarebytes might serve as it turns out you .


Premium as it turns out roadmap

Malwarebytes Premium is a good suite if you want a high-powered antivirus scanner. Interestingly, Malwarebytes Gratis will give you 14 days of Malwarebytes Premium features evaluation without any payment. So you can assessment the Premium offering in full without risking any currency.

The Premium option includes the malware scanner, real-time protection, and the Browser Guard extension from another perspective . Thus, ’s a free package with real-timeitscanning added for good measure.

Of course, the crucial question is whether having a real-time scanner is worth the enhance in terms of the fee. from another perspective Rea The answer is yes.l-time protectionsafetyenhances your digital in several layers. Being secure from online scams, phishing, ransomware, PUPs, backdoor attacks, and other vulnerabilities is essential, especially today when digital criminal activity is up in unprecedented numbers. Asyouyou may know, Everybody is a potential victim, and that includes .

As you may know, So, if you want digital security approach that is both simpleaand effective as it turns out , this is the choice for you. Also, it as a matter of fact offers a 60-day money-back guarantee if you need to change in modern times your mind.


Premium+Secrecy strategy

Last but not least, the platform’s top blueprint ispricingin terms of both and functionality. It’s worth noting that The Premium+Privacy plan gets you the Premium features plus the VPN servicealready ( described above). It’s worth noting that However, since this VPN is quite minimalistic, the cost of this pricing blueprint may appear somewhat higher when compared to other similar services.

So, is Malwarebytes VPN the right VPN for you? It will depend very much on your specific digital habits. The best way to uncover out is to get, install, and try it yourself. Interestingly, That-s the point in 60-day money’go back guarantees. So, the chances are that you won’t need the entire two months of the demo to locate out for sure if this software and VPN do the trick for you.


worth Malwarebytes Is it? Verdict

Actually, The Malwarebytes Premium plan will get you plenty of good stuffBut if you pick a antivirus suite and its services, you’ll find that you’re not getting some features readily available from competitors for this similar price. . The real-time protection is excellent, the phishing protection is good, and the VPN is rapid.

On the other hand, things like a firewall, system optimization, and key managers come with the package even at the basic level with other vendors, and Malwarebytes sticks to its one trick. Interestingly, Our testing process found Malwarebytes of have a reasonable detection rate to 95%. (But that still falls you of the 100% short could get with Norton, Bitdefender, or McAfee). However, its real-time protection performs better98at , %, and in this regard, it’s as good as any other option in the industry.

The VPN you get at the top level is rapid and reliable but useless for streaming. Also, bypassing censorship and torrenting is not merely frowned upon by the vendor but actively punished.

As for the questionsolutionIs it worth it?” the , “ is it depends. If you need a plain, minimalistic, straightforward-to-utilize, install-and-forget antivirus software that keeps you guarded and has a basic VPN, then it’s worth it. And you will still have 60 days to alter your mind and get your cash return if that’s how more than ever things turn out.

FAQs

Malwarebytes isindeed a protected piece of software. Actually, The antivirus scanner is good enough, and thereal-time protection is versatile and powerful. Besides, the browser extension will also add something to your online security. So safety is not a problem with this software, at all. Ofwantcourse, if you something that can rival or outperform the best options in the industry, this is not the way to go, but it’s as protected as you can get.

If your device on works Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, or Chromebook, then Malwarebytes has a approach that works for you.

If yoursystem is reasonably powerful, you won’t notice it running in the background. No. Efficiency is one of Malwarebytes’s top features.

Plus, if you dig deeperuncoveryou’ll , that Norton offers you many more additional features and options besides its superior detection rate. Norton’s detection rate is 100%, while Malwarebytes is lower at 90 to 95%. No, it isn’t.