- Quick specs
- Price: Free $24.95 to buy (Buy it now)
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7
- Date added: April 29, 2010
- Total Downloads: 49,821,239
- Downloads last week: 398,270
- Product Ranking: #1 in Spyware Removers
- See full specifications
- CNET Community
- This product is on 154 member lists. Add to my list Add to my Watch List
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 3717 votes
See all user reviews - CNET Editors' ChoiceApr 09
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on February 10, 2009
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a surprisingly effective freeware antimalware tool. It's a relatively speedy malware remover, with the quick scan taking about 8 minutes even with other high-resource programs running. The heuristics engine proved on multiple computers during empirical testing that it was capable of determining the difference between false positives and dangerous apps.
The app has some nice features rolled in, too. It supports multiple drive scanning including networked drives, context menu options including a scan-on-demand for individual files, and the FileAssassin option under the More Tools section for removing locked files. The interface is simple, but pleasant-looking and well-organized. Tabs live just below the oversized logo, with few options per tab to keep down the clutter. The installation process was fast enough, but interestingly offered up the well-kept changelog and an instant definition file update.
Do note that the real-time protection is restricted to the paid version, as is the scheduler for updates and scans. Overall, though, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a responsive malware remover that does what it should with a minimum of fuss.
Watch the CNET video review of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware:
Publisher's description
From Malwarebytes:Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is a high performance anti-malware application that thoroughly removes even the most advanced malware and spyware. With one of the fastest, most effective quick scans and malware removal capabilities on the market, this program is the perfect addition to your PC's defenses. The full version of the product includes a number of key features, including the ability to schedule updates and scans and most importantly, a real-time malware protection module that blocks malicious processes before they even start.
What's new in this version:
- Improved database loading speed by approximately 15%.
- Drastically improved performance of Website Blocking on Windows Vista and 7.
- Fixed various scheduler compatibility issues on Windows 2000.
- Fixed issue with quotations around paths passed to /logtofile and /logtofolder.
- Fixed issue with detecting certain leftover traces of an infection.
- Fixed issue with freeze when adding a shared printer on the network.
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User reviews
- All versions: 4.5 starsout of 3717 votes
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
- Current version: 4.5 starsout of 425 votes
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
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- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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5 stars
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"The best malware cleaner I have found."
Pros: Finds and cleans just about everything. Though you can create Scheduled Tasks in Windows to update the product and scan your system, the full version is well worth the price for the realtime protection.
Cons: None at this time
Summary: As a support tech, I get a lot of calls with infected computers. Malwarebytes has proven to be one of the best cleaners I have used. Only a few really nasty ones have required more than just Malwarebytes.
Unlike other postings above, this version catches just as much as previous versions. It's very rare that something isn't caught (though no product is perfect). -
2 stars
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"Easy GUI, Fast, Free, but doesn't catch all problems!"
Pros: Fast - My 1 TB system with alot of programs including those running it finished a quick scan in just 14 minutes! Plus it's FREE
Cons: Found No Malware so I ran Uniblue SpyEraser immediatly afterwards with a quick scan and it found 21 malware issues within my cookies and 1 additional higher security issue. Uniblue also finished in just 5 minutes (even faster)!
Summary: Fast, easy interface but not sure if it's accurate enough to find all malware and didn't stand up to a test with Uniblue SpyEraser which was faster and more accurate and gave detailed reports on everything it found. Granted I paid for the uniblue software but I'd rather pay for something that works better than for a free software that might mis a problem. I'll keep it as back up and run both just in case one can detact what another can't.
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3 stars
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"Seems Good.."
Pros: Detected Trojans that MSE did not
Is not heavy on the system.Cons: Can not schedule to run periodically.
Need to manually install updates.Summary: Good product.....Must have........
Would rate this @ 4.5 stars..
Updated on May 17, 2010 -
3 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"its oky ==="
Pros: it does work and it detects proplems (wouldnt buy it though)
Cons: it took ages scanning my computer which was pretty annoying
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5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"Excellent product"
Pros: Good thing about this product is that is accually does delete and find almost all pieces of malware (althought you should do a real virus scan with some protection suite before doing this)
Cons: There should me more products (or this at least) that can disinfect threats. That way it would me much better!
Summary: Overall - pretty good, and keep it up!
Overall - Its lightweight app, small download, small updates - althought you have to buy the full version to get the real time protection - I'd say it's worth it. Keep up the good work...
Updated on Aug 29, 2010 -
4 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"About the best free spyware remover in the business."
Pros: It does what it says on the tin.
Cons: Nothing really.
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4 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"Better than expected."
Pros: Seems to do a thorough diagnosis and works well with AVG.
Cons: Very time consuming to do a complete system scan.
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5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"The best malware software."
Pros: Always finds everything others can't find.
Easy to use.Cons: Every time i do a manual update i find an update, which means the automatic update not working.
If you pay and enable the protection module, don't enable the Website Blocking module.Summary: Very recommended. Must have with your Antivirus.
You feel protected? Just install it and do a scan, and you'll find many malwares for sure. -
5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"2+ year track record of detection and removal!"
Pros: Can install and run in safe mode. Have never had a problem with any system cleaned with this app. (No fubared system files as a result of disinfecting) Has made my life as a technician a gravy-train in the malware dept. for almost 3 years now!
Cons: Only one. Would like to see a "portable" version soon.
Summary: This product single-handedly has effectively dealt with almost any/all types of malware I have encountered in the last 2.5 years. If you license it and activate the protection mode, you never even feel it running, its footprint is so small. Though not technically an AV, given that I could only use one security application, hands down it would be this one!
Dude, if you think Spybot is anywhere near comparable to this application, your malware troubleshooting skills are in their infancy.
Updated on Aug 29, 2010
Updated on Aug 29, 2010No idear what you are on about here. -
5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.46
"Great free product- would use their other products"
Pros: It does exactly what it says it will do, so be careful and choose which functions you want to run.
Cons: There is nothing I do not like.
Summary: Easy to use, smooth and quick!
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