Malwarebytes is a company that develops antivirus programs and cybersecurity software, headquartered in Santa Clara, California. This program is available in both free and premium versions for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Additionally, it offers specialized security features for Google Chrome devices. We tested the premium version on both Windows and Android; however, throughout this article, we have also made reference to its free version.
Installation and Usage
Downloading and installing Malwarebytes takes just a few minutes. Since the installation file is identical for all subscription tiers, there is no confusion regarding which version needs to be installed.
Once installed, you will be asked whether you possess a license, wish to use the free version of the program, or would like to initiate a 14-day free trial subscription. For the latter option, you simply need to provide your email address. This means there is no risk of falling into that dreaded “subscription trap”—where you forget to cancel a subscription before your payment method is charged.
The Malwarebytes user interface is divided into three sections: in the central section, you will find information regarding your system’s current security status. If any action is required on your part, this is the first place where you will be notified. On the menu bar located at the top, you can view notifications, access links to the support area, or adjust the program’s settings.
Features
In the free version, only two of the three modules are accessible, as “Real-Time Protection” is available exclusively to premium subscribers. Even without a license, you can perform a full system scan, a quick scan (covering only your system memory and startup programs), or a custom scan. For a custom scan, you can decide which folders and partitions should be scanned, and what action Malwarebytes should take if it detects any infections or unwanted programs. The available options are: “Ignore,” “Warn,” and “Automatically treat as malware.”
Real-time protection is for paying customers only.
For free users, the Malwarebytes experience ends here, as the “Real-Time Protection” feature is available exclusively to paid subscribers. It is divided into four components:
Web Protection warns you about dangerous websites, phishing attempts, and other online scams. Malware and PUP Protection keeps away programs that could harm your computer, such as viruses and adware. Ransomware Protection shields you from Trojans that hold your files or folders hostage (by encrypting them). Finally, Exploit Protection identifies malicious software that exploits vulnerabilities and flaws within your system.
Despite all of the above, this program lacks email protection: in other antivirus programs, you can configure whether or not incoming and/or outgoing emails are scanned for threats or viruses. Webcam protection—which carefully monitors which programs have access to your webcam—is also missing from this suite.
Limited to the Basics
Unlike ESET, Malwarebytes’ sub-menus contain no “hidden” features. What you see is what you get. Unfortunately, compared to some other antivirus programs, that isn’t very much. Aside from a few real-time protection shields (for email and webcams), this program also lacks a file shredder and a firewall—features that are quite common among the antivirus programs included in our sample.
Malwarebytes offers a specific subscription package that includes a VPN; however, if you are expecting a password manager, parental controls, performance tuning, an ad blocker, or cloud backup, you will likely be disappointed. This omission is more forgivable than the lack of real-time email or webcam protection, as antivirus software vendors often tend to overstate the value of their features or “extras.” These supplementary tools are rarely as effective as standalone programs designed for those specific purposes.
For this very reason, Malwarebytes’ straightforward approach feels refreshing. We would suggest just one modification: the addition of real-time email and webcam protection layers.
Mobile Features
Malwarebytes also offers a free Android app, though it does not include real-time protection. The Malwarebytes premium version of the mobile app remains quite basic as well: aside from automatic real-time scans (with a few configuration options), it features a “Privacy Protection” tool that provides a simple overview of the permissions (privileges) you have granted to your installed apps.
iOS users will be unable to perform scans; according to the support team, this is due to an Apple-imposed restriction. Consequently, iOS users can only benefit from Malwarebytes’ real-time protection features.
It lacks features such as anti-theft capabilities, app locks, or remote access; instead, the entire focus is placed solely on the mobile software’s antivirus tools.
This emphasis on antivirus protection—for both mobile devices and computers—might have been effective had Malwarebytes truly eliminated only the superfluous features offered by its competitors. However, because it lacks several essential features, most users end up running additional software alongside Malwarebytes. Even if these alternative programs aren’t quite as “single-minded” as Malwarebytes, they are capable of handling virus threats entirely on their own.
Security and Performance
To conduct the most impartial evaluation possible of all the antivirus software included in our sample, we consulted AV-Test and AV-Comparatives—two of the most trusted online testing laboratories. At regular intervals, both labs assign distinct security and performance scores to well-known antivirus software products. We also performed a full system scan of our own computer using the software to determine whether it caused any performance issues or system slowdowns.
The two testing labs we consulted assigned Malwarebytes widely divergent scores: In the most recent analysis conducted by AV-Test, the software received scores ranging from “very good” to “excellent”; specifically, it earned 5.5 out of 6 points for security and a perfect score for performance.
AV-Comparatives did not rate the software quite as favorably. This independent testing lab evaluates security and performance across three distinct tiers, and Malwarebytes managed to reach only the first tier. Its security score suffered significantly due to an excessive number of “false positives” (erroneous alerts). In terms of performance, however, we encountered some difficulties while attempting to install or run the software during a scan.
Support
While Malwarebytes previously offered a “Live Chat” feature, you must now rely solely on “Support Tickets” to receive direct assistance. During our evaluation, we had to wait a full week to receive a response to our query—and even then, we only received an answer after submitting a new support ticket. Even on our second attempt, the support team showed no sense of urgency, clearly demonstrating that their response times are quite slow. Ironically, you might actually receive a faster and more informative response from community members on their popular forums.
Malwarebytes’ Help Center is quite impressive; however, the lack of “Live Support” and the excessive wait times for responses left us feeling somewhat disappointed. No one—let alone a premium subscriber—should have to wait an entire week to receive a response to a support inquiry.
