Malwarebytes Antivirus Review

Malwarebytes Antivirus: Key insights and overview

Malwarebytes Antivirus is a simple yet effective software that offers more than just the basic security features most Mac users require protecting their devices. One of its main advantages is its user-friendly interface and the availability of a free plan. However, consider that some features, like a firewall and parental controls, may be missing even with the paid option.

Additionally, we suggest you check out our Malwarebytes vs MacKeeper comparison to determine which one best suits your needs.

A note from our experts:

While many excellent options are available, our top recommendation is MacKeeper’s Antivirus. This software is a quick and easy way to prevent malware infections on your Mac. One significant advantage it has over Malwarebytes is that it’s part of a comprehensive cybersecurity suite, which also includes tools designed to free up storage space and optimize the performance of your Apple computer.

To benefit from MacKeeper Antivirus, please follow our instructions:

1. Launch the MacKeeper app on your Mac or MacBook.
2. In the left sidebar, find Antivirus under Security, and click on it.
3. Click Start Scan.
4. Wait until MacKeeper’s scan is complete.
5. Click the Check All box to select the full list of threats.
6. Click Move to Quarantine.
7. Click Restart.
8. Select all threats again, and click Delete to get rid of them.

Features of Malwarebytes Antivirus

Malwarebytes Antivirus offers all the essential features expected from a security program, along with some interesting, less common tools:

1. Real-time protection
2. Malware scan
3. Ransomware protection
4. Phishing protection
5. Identity theft protection
6. Exploit protection
7. Malwarebytes VPN
8. Browser Guard

1. Real-time protection

Malwarebytes is an effective tool for anyone seeking real-time protection against various types of viruses. However, this feature is only available to those of us who purchase one of the paid plans, as it’s not included in the free version.

We found the real-time protection to be particularly good at preventing online threats, such as ransomware, from infiltrating our devices. However, some other options on the market have a better success rate for blocking malicious websites in real time. In the case of Malwarebytes, its effectiveness is only about 50%.

2. Malware scan

As with real-time protection, there’s also a significant difference between the malware scanners in the free and paid versions. With a subscription, we can perform manual scans or schedule scans for our devices, but the free version only allows manual scanning.

One of our Malwarebytes’ favorite features is the speed of its antivirus scanner, which can scan hundreds of thousands of files in just over a minute. For even faster results, we love the Quick Scan to check Mac for malware. However, this will only check a smaller number of files.

3. Ransomware protection

We appreciate that Malwarebytes has included ransomware protection in all versions of its antivirus software, including the free version. This feature helps safeguard our personal data from potential theft by Trojans disguised as legitimate files and protects us from cybercriminals who may attempt to lock us out of our computers.

If this sounds a bit complicated, there’s no need to worry. Once you install Malwarebytes antivirus, the ransomware protection will be enabled automatically. However, for your peace of mind, we recommend checking the app’s settings to ensure that the toggle is activated.

4. Phishing protection

Similar to ransomware, phishing is a common type of online fraud. In this case, cybercriminals try to access our devices through malicious links found in emails and websites. Fortunately, Malwarebytes has a solution for this as well.

In all our tests, the program successfully blocked phishing pages nearly 100% of the time, demonstrating its effectiveness. This protection is provided through the Browser Guard extension, which we’ll discuss later. However, we’d like to note that this feature is also only available to paid users.

5. Identity theft protection

One of the greatest protections for online users is maintaining the confidentiality of our identities to prevent criminals from exploiting them. To achieve this, we consider it essential to have software that safeguards our personal data. Malwarebytes Antivirus can be a good option in this regard.

However, you should note that comprehensive protection features are available only with the Ultimate plan, the most expensive Malwarebytes tier. This plan offers identity theft insurance of up to $2 million and monitors the dark web to check for compromised data.

6. Exploit protection

Some malware utilizes exploits to infect our devices and spread. Exploits take advantage of vulnerabilities in apps or systems to execute malicious code. Finding an antivirus that protects against this type of threat is crucial, so we’re pleased to find that Malwarebytes offers this protection.

According to the company, its technology forms a protective shield around major apps and browsers against exploit attacks. More importantly, we believe Malwarebytes’ feature is highly effective in safeguarding users from dangerous exploits.

7. Malwarebytes VPN

More and more antivirus programs are incorporating VPNs, and we’re pleased to see that Malwarebytes has done the same. This added feature is excellent for protecting your identity while browsing online and for accessing websites that are geo-blocked in our location.

Although Malwarebytes’ VPN is only available with the Plus and Ultimate plans, we believe it offers significant value. It provides access to more than 500 servers in 40 countries, which is more than adequate for an extra layer of privacy protection and online security. Additionally, the VPN successfully helped us prevent websites from tracking our online activity.

8. Browser Guard

Finally, we want to positively highlight the fact that Malwarebytes has included the Browser Guard extension. While we’ve already praised some of its features above, we believe reiterating its effectiveness in safeguarding online browsing is worth it.

Notably, we can add this free extension (available only with premium plans) to our preferred web browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. In our experience, it effectively blocks various types of malware, trackers, scams, pop-up ads, and potentially unwanted programs. However, you should note that other rival tools may perform better in certain situations.

Malwarebytes Antivirus price

One of the most important factors for buyers when choosing an antivirus is the price. Many people are hesitant to spend a significant amount of money each month or year on software, even when their computer’s security is at stake.

Let’s take a closer look at what this antivirus offers in terms of pricing. Below is the Malwarebytes price for home plans:

Unlike other options on the market, Malwarebytes for Mac doesn’t provide a monthly billing option for subscriptions. While the company may advertise a monthly price on its website for the Standard and Plus plans, this is merely an approximate cost for the annual subscription. At checkout, you’ll only have the option to purchase an annual subscription. This could be a disadvantage for those who prefer to make smaller payments, although monthly plans tend to be more expensive in the long run.

Additionally, you should know that the prices above are for a single device. Additional devices usually incur an extra charge of about $10 each, although this can vary based on the specific devices chosen.

In addition to plans for individual home users, Malwarebytes also offers subscriptions tailored for families and businesses:

All Malwarebytes’ personal and business plans come with the added benefit of a 60-day guarantee. This means that if you feel that the program doesn’t meet your expectations after two months of using the service, you can request a refund. The company also provides a 14-day free trial, allowing you to try out the premium version before committing financially.

As with many software products, Malwarebytes often offers special promotions. At the time of writing, a discount is available for those who purchase a two-year subscription, with the second year priced at only 25% of the full cost. However, we suggest you verify the current discounts when you decide to subscribe, as these offers can change.

Lastly, students can also take advantage of a special offer all year round. They can access home products at half price and protect up to two devices. To qualify, students must provide proof of enrollment through a Proxi ID verification, which requires using the name of their educational institution or an academic email address.

Is there a free version of Malwarebytes

Yes, Malwarebytes offers a free version. However, it’s designed solely to remove viruses that have already infected your device. It doesn’t provide protection against future attacks. As a result, you’ll need to scan your Mac manually when you suspect it’s infected. You won’t have the option to schedule regular scans for ongoing protection.

Does Malwarebytes Antivirus work

Malwarebytes is an effective antivirus program that delivers good results in a short amount of time. You can trust this software to keep your Mac secure. Importantly, it has minimal impact on your device’s performance.

Malwarebytes Antivirus interface and usability

The Malwarebytes interface is minimalistic and clean, making it very user-friendly and intuitive. The app is fast and responsive, featuring a unified design for both desktop and mobile platforms.

Is Malwarebytes Antivirus safe

Is Malwarebytes safe? This is the essential question to consider before choosing one antivirus over another. Based on our experience, Malwarebytes effectively protects your computer against malware in real time without noticeably impacting device speed or the performance of other apps. More importantly, it’s completely safe to use on both desktop and mobile.

However, we recommend opting for the paid version for near-complete security. The free version only removes viruses that have already infected your computer, which can sometimes mean the damage is, unfortunately, too extensive. While the premium plans are effective, they’re not flawless. Although they detect most viruses, they lack a built-in firewall, and some users have reported that they failed to address all threats.

To assess whether an antivirus is reliable, we always like to refer to reports from independent testing agencies specializing in cybersecurity software. We’ve consulted the reports from AV-Test and AV-Comparatives, which are among the most reputable in the field. Interestingly, however, neither agency included Malwarebytes in their most recent reports.

Reviewing earlier reports, Malwarebytes didn’t achieve perfect scores in either test but still delivered solid results. It particularly stands out in usability, while its scores in protection and performance–areas of greatest concern–were rated at 5.5 out of 6. In one instance, the antivirus successfully blocked 99% of threats in real-world protection scenarios.

Malwarebytes Antivirus compatibility

Before installing Malwarebytes Antivirus, we recommend checking if your device is compatible with the program. Fortunately, this software can be installed on virtually all operating systems:

• macOS (macOS 11 or later)
• Windows (Windows 7 or later)
• iOS (iOS 16 or later)
• Android (Android 9.0 or later)
• ChromeOS

If you’re reading this, you’re likely an Apple user. Unlike Windows and Android, the supported operating systems for Malwarebytes on Mac are more recent. macOS 11 Big Sur was released in 2020, and iOS 16 became available for iPhones in 2022.

In addition to a compatible operating system and an active internet connection, Mac users have fewer technical requirements compared to Windows users. This is mainly because computers that support macOS 11 or later are generally modern and typically manufactured within the last 10 years.

Specifically, the following Macs are compatible with Malwarebytes Antivirus:

• MacBook models from 2015 or later
• MacBook Air models from 2013 or later
• MacBook Pro models from late 2013 or later
• Mac mini models from 2014 or later
• Mac Pro models from 2013 or later
• iMac models from 2014 or later
• All iMac Pro models

Does Malwarebytes Antivirus slow down your computer

Overall, Malwarebytes Antivirus doesn’t have a negative impact on your computer’s performance. However, independent tests have ranked it among the lowest in terms of efficiency compared to other programs. This doesn’t mean it’s bad–it simply indicates that most alternatives perform better.

In our experience, you shouldn’t notice a significant slowdown in your computer’s speed when Malwarebytes is installed and running, even with real-time protection enabled. Any noticeable impact may occur during a scan, but you likely won’t feel much difference when it operates in the background.

If your computer runs slower than usual while multiple apps (including Malwarebytes Antivirus) are open, we recommend closing some of those apps instead of disabling your security program. Disabling your protection poses a risk to your data security. Additionally, a virus can also decrease your Mac’s performance, so we’d prefer to endure a slight slowdown due to an anti-malware software than risk potential threats.

In summary, you should hardly notice any decrease in speed, especially with a relatively new Mac that has at least 8 GB of RAM.

Malwarebytes customer support

Few things are more frustrating than dealing with software issues without access to a technical support team. Even when a team is available, it can be equally annoying if they don’t respond quickly and efficiently.

One advantage of Malwarebytes is that the company offers 24/7 customer support. Whenever you encounter a problem, you can reach out to its team for assistance, although the experience may not always be satisfactory.

The first support tool you’ll encounter is Malwarebytes’ chatbot. While it may not always provide the answers you seek, it can be useful as a search engine for finding general information about the program and how to use it. The bot often links to articles in Malwarebytes’ knowledge base, which can save you time when searching for solutions. However, it may fall short for more complex issues.

In such cases, connecting with a live chat agent is your next best option. They typically respond quickly, but the quality of support can vary, and you may leave the conversation feeling that the agents aren’t as knowledgeable as you’d expect. Alternatively, you can choose to send an email. Although the response may take longer, it’s generally more technical and accurate.

One drawback is the lack of phone support. Some competitors offer this service, which could be a deciding factor for potential customers. While email and live chat allow you to share screenshots or photos for clarity, speaking to someone directly can make the conversation more fluid and effective.

Pros and cons of Malwarebytes Antivirus

After conducting a thorough review of Malwarebytes Antivirus, we can conclude that it's a well-designed product. However, it has its limitations. While we find it adequate for users seeking a basic cybersecurity solution, we believe some may find the lack of advanced features to be a drawback.

Here are our pros and cons:

Pros

• Very fast scanning capabilities
• Option to perform manual or scheduled scans (only premium customers)
• Excellent detection of all types of malware, including ransomware
• Strong protection against fraudulent and malicious websites through a browser extension
• Relatively fast and user-friendly VPN that is easy to customize
• Minimal impact on Mac performance for most users
• High scores from independent testing agencies
• Simple, intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate
• Broad compatibility with several operating systems
• Functions well alongside other antivirus tools

Cons

• Free version limited to manual scans and removal of threats already present
• Missing features such as a firewall, parental controls, and optimization tools
• Some malware items require manual removal
• Independent testing indicates a slowdown in computer speed
• Interface may appear too modern and unprofessional for some users
• Requires a relatively modern Mac to function optimally
• No phone-based customer support available
• Lack of recent reports from independent labs

Is Malwarebytes Antivirus worth it

If you’re looking for an antivirus for your MacBook, Malwarebytes is a solid option. It provides effective real-time protection without significantly affecting your device’s performance. Customer service is 24/7 but not always effective. Malwarebytes also offers additional features like a VPN, but you may miss some functionalities.

In fact, you might find some of these missing features, such as device optimization, if you opt for MacKeeper’s Antivirus. Additionally, our app offers the best value out of the two options. For a similar annual price, the MacKeeper suite also provides effective cleaning tools that can help you remove junk files, freeing up valuable space on your Mac. More importantly, our antivirus has recently received a new AV-Test certification, which confirms its reliability.