Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes is an antivirus and cybersecurity app that scans for and removes malware, viruses, ransomware and scam sites. It pairs device protection with browser blocking, an optional VPN and identity monitoring.
#5 in Security & Privacy ToolsAntivirus SoftwareFree plan
Who it's for
Best for
Home users who want a paid antivirus quietly blocking malware and bad sites
PC owners needing a free second-opinion scan to remove trojans and hijackers
Not for
Developers whose build tools and scripts keep getting quarantined as threats
Subscribers who need to remove devices or downgrade without going through the company
Features
Real-time malware protection
Real-time protection blocks malware, viruses, ransomware and exploits on computers, tablets and phones as they appear.
Scam and ad blocker
Web protection flags unsafe websites, dangerous downloads and risky clicks, with a scam and ad blocker built into every plan.
Built-in VPN
Plus and Ultimate plans add an ultra-private VPN that hides online activity alongside the device security features.
Identity theft monitoring
Ultimate adds identity theft monitoring, recovery services, identity insurance and a personal data remover.
Free virus scan
A free virus and malware scan can be run before buying, and Browser Guard is available as a separate browser extension.
What users say
Pros
- Finds and quarantines threats such as trojans and hijacker extensions that other scans pass over.
- Runs quietly in the background, with scheduled scans that finish without interrupting daily work.
- Browser protection quarantines hijacked extensions and keeps contaminated advertising out of the way while browsing.
Cons
- A hidden 771MB cryptominer drove idle CPU temperatures to 85°C and went unnoticed by scans.
- AI-driven detection quarantines legitimate build files such as mingw, taking hours to undo.
- Blocks legitimate software sites and whole domain extensions until each one is manually allowlisted.
- Upsell and nag popups appear over full-screen games and every day after installing.
- The app has become a bloated install that asks for an email address before a simple scan.
- Renewal prices jump far above the old rate, and removing a device or downgrading means going through the company.
A selection of the review sources we used:
Deep scan found five threats a two-hour Windows scan missed- AI update quietly quarantined mingw and cost five hours of work
Alert caught a hijacked JSON Formatter extension and quarantined it
A dozen congratulation popups a day after installing- Renewal jumped from about fifty dollars to over two hundred
Summarized from public user reviews and community discussions. View details
Global Traffic Rank
Top 50k
Alternatives
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Free planYesNoNoYes
ProCatches missed threats, quiet scans, browser blockingRemoves malware, cleans USBs, real human help, scam blockingMalware removal, multi-device cover, simple scans, VPN bundleGenuine free protection, years of clean machines, hands-off use
Better forHands-on phone and remote technical support plus fast clearing of wrongly flagged domains.Getting free real-time antivirus protection alongside system cleanup and storage tools.