Malwarebytes free does a great job at keeping your computer safe from dangerous programs such as; Trojan, Viruses, ransomware, adware, worms, spyware, and DDoS botnets.
In this detailed Malwarebytes free review; I shall discuss why Malwarebytes is one of the best antivirus programs in the market today. Nevertheless, you can still check out the best anti malware out there, while also taking a look at what Malwarebytes Premium has on offer.
I will talk about Malwarebytes free features, pros and cons, performance, and everything you need to know about Malwarebytes products. We also give you an Avast vs Malwarebytes review and have Malwarebytes compared to Bitdefender Total Security here.
Our recommendation: McAfee
With antivirus attacks getting more complex by the day, there’s another antivirus program that continues to be a leading force in finding solutions in protecting your devices. McAfee is a program that is an open security platform with a cloud-based approach to secure all connected devices simultaneously. Their development team has optimized security features to help you achieve productivity! There’s a reason why over 18.9 billion devices are protected everyday by this program. To check out their security packages tailored to all sorts of uses, click here!
Malwarebytes Review: Is the Free Version Good Enough?
Malwarebytes offers a free solution as well as a paid version. It is a scanning and cleaning program that specializes in removing existing and new malware from your entire computer system.
The Malwarebytes free version of this antivirus software is good enough since it has important features such as web protection, phishing protection, and firewall protection, and real-time protection in its 14 days free trial.
Its paid or premium version is compatible with most device platforms such as android and it comes with three different tiers;
- One device option license
- Five device option license
- And the five device option with VPN
Real-time Protection
Malwarebytes is always on the lookout for suspicious behavior. It runs in the background checking for malware in real-time. Since the free version of Malwarebytes is lightweight, it will operate in the background without putting a strain on your devices.
It also comes with a modern heuristic tool for suspicious activity monitoring which keeps watching for online threats.
Its real-time protection is amazingly good compared to other well-known antivirus software. It will block any potential malware samples before any serious damage is done to your system.
Please note: You will get real-time protection for free for 14 days. After the trial period is over, it will revert to a manual scanner that will scan your devices only when it is run.
Web Protection
Browser guard extension provides web protection. Malwarebytes for windows has an amazing Browser guard extension that offers a safer and faster web browsing experience without the need of installing browser extensions.
It blocks suspicious sites plus filters out annoying ads. Always make sure web protection is enabled on your machine to help block dangerous websites.
Malware Protection
Malwarebytes gives you peace of mind by safeguarding your devices against malware. Hackers are developing new sophisticated malware software every day to steal data and cause other harm.
You can download for free from Malwarebytes the latest malware removal tool. This antivirus uses artificial intelligence to detect and remove new and existing malware before they cause damage to your machine.
My test results showed that Malwarebytes advanced engine provides a great defense against threats such as ransomware, Trojans, spyware, viruses, just to name a few.
Ransomware Protection
Malwarebytes 14 day’s free trial comes with an anti-ransomware tool. It is one of the best tools in the market as it removes any trace of ransomware on your computer before it takes your data hostage.
Ransomware is malware that encrypts its victim’s files. It can also lock you out of your devices and demand a certain amount of cash in order to restore access. Keep yourself safe from this threat with Malwarebytes free.
It's core engine is able to identify malware that can encrypt your essential files. If Malwarebytes has detection of any threat, it will send a notification that it has taken care of it. Malwarebytes blocked more ransomware than traditional antivirus software, and has shown how great the ransomware protection is.
Exploit Protection
Malwarebytes exploit protection guards against vulnerabilities. It uses real-time protection to protect against attacks. Hackers across the world are always trying to find exploits in different computer applications hence this anti-exploit feature or tool will be useful.
You can be a victim of hackers exploit by simply visiting an infected website or opening an infected email attachment.
It’s known globally that 80% of malware infections are delivered through exploits. This tool will stop a malware attack before it can cause any harm to your machines or steal your data. Install Malwarebytes today to be completely safe.
Advanced Firewall Protection
The 14 days free trial that the company offers comes with advanced firewall protection. It protects your computer network from malicious traffic. It filters traffic and blocks malicious ones from accessing your private data on your devices.
It is an extremely useful feature for any business or organization as it represents the first line of defense. They prevent attacks hence avoid any potential damage to your business.
Malwarebytes Company is always updating its antivirus software. So, the firewall is always updated with the latest malware protection and virus definitions.
Easy to use Interface
Malwarebytes free has a brand new modern look that is stylish, intuitive and the controls are clearly labeled and well organized.
The new interface is an improvement from the previous versions.
It provides more information than before. You’ll find almost all the important antivirus tools on its dashboard.
Malwarebytes Scans
Malwarebytes free scanner is what puts the company on the map. For instance, it provides three different scanning options to not only remove threats but also potentially unwanted programs that slow you down.
The malware scans are extremely customizable and can be set to run at a preferred time. You can add, edit, or delete scans without interfering with your computer.
1. Hyper scan
The free antivirus version allows you to run this type of threat scan which quickly checks through critical locations of a computer such as memory and startup objects for various security concerns. You can use it instead of a quick scan to see if you can get malware in computer memory and hard drive.
2. Threat scan
This is a more deep level threat scan that looks for malware in different parts of the computers such as;
- Checking for any unauthorized configuration changes made in the windows registry.
- Looks for any suspicious activities in the computer memory where operating system, computer drivers, and applications are located.
- Checks for modifications or edits done during a booting process
- Checks malicious software in windows file system objects
It uses artificial intelligence to analyze and block malware that traditional anti-virus fails to detect in the real world. I tested its threat scan with several viruses and anti-malware and it detected all of them; which is really good considering most antiviruses don’t have perfect detection.
3. Custom scan
For those who prefer customizing their own scans, this antivirus program gives you the option of a custom scan. It will allow you to specify the place and the time the full scan should begin.
After completing the virus scans, Malwarebytes malware protection then provides you with a list of threats that it found.
You can either run the scans manually or schedule them around your time. Every threat found is placed under quarantine and then Malwarebytes requests you to apply various remedies.
Play mode features
Do you like to play games on your computer? This feature is useful as it will allow you to suspend notifications and updates so you can watch movies or play computer games without interruptions from Malwarebytes antivirus.
System performance
This is another virus protection (version 4) that will not slow down the performance of your machines.
Malwarebytes software requires little computer resources to keep it running in the background. The program constantly checks for unwanted programs and applications that can slow down your devices.
If your computer is slow, run Malwarebytes antivirus and, your computer performance will improve.
Malwarebytes lab test scores
In the recent tests conducted by AV-test and AV-comparatives, Malwarebytes scored very well against zero-day attacks. Malwarebytes was able to block over 97% of the malware that it was fed.
Pros
Cons
Our recommendation: McAfee
Overall, the antivirus we mentioned in this article is decent, but you should know that there is a far more formidable option available on the market. That option is McAfee, with over 18.9 billion devices connected to this program, you can infer it’s quite a popular choice amongst the people. Used all over the world, having a complex security system has never been easier. To check out their line-up of security packages tailored to any device, click here!
FAQs
1. Is Malwarebytes free version any good?
Is the free version of Malwarebytes any good? Yes. It is an excellent tool for scanning for and removing viruses from your device. However, Malwarebytes Premium is the safer option, as it includes all of the security features.
2. Is Malwarebytes safe and legit?
Is Malwarebytes a safe program? Yes, Malwarebytes is completely secure. It includes a decent antivirus scanner, real-time protection that protects against malware, system vulnerabilities, and online threats, and a browser extension that adds additional phishing protection from phishing sites and protection from malicious websites.
3. How long does Malwarebytes free version last?
Malwarebytes for Windows is a free 14-day trial that prevents malware from infecting your computer. Following that, it reverts to a basic scanner.
4. What is the difference between Malwarebytes free and premium?
The primary distinction between Malwarebytes Free and Malwarebytes Premium is real-time protection. The free version performs scans on demand, while the premium version provides continuous protection against threats. When you first download Malwarebytes, it comes with all premium features activated for 14 days.
5. Is Malwarebytes better than Norton?
Norton and Malwarebytes are both well-known for their high-quality antivirus protection. The primary distinction is that Malwarebytes guarantees a 90% detection rate for infections, while Norton guarantees 100% protection. However, if you're inexperienced, Malwarebytes' straightforward interface may be ideal.
Malwarebytes Free is useless — unless they changed back.
Malwarebytes used to scan and remove malware in the free version. Then they changed it to scan-only for the free version, and premium required to remove any malware.
Unless they have gone back to the old model, don’t waste your time unless you intend to purchase the premium offering after 14 day trial is over.