Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is one of the most downloaded and used anti-malware programs. It comes in both paid and free versions, but the differences between the two are significant. The free version stands out negatively due to the lack of automatic updates.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Home
Language
Dutch
OS
Windows XP (32 bit)/Vista/7/8/10
Website
www.malwarebytes.org
5 Score 50- Pros
- Install alongside other security program
- Negatives
- No real-time scan
- No automatic updates
- No mail scan
- Functionality
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Home includes real-time protection against malware and spyware, specifically keyloggers and dialers. There is a rootkit scanner and some specialized scanning techniques, but there is no real functionality besides the malware protection. What is missing compared to the paid premium version include real-time protection, so security while using the PC, web filtering that prevents you from visiting malicious websites, automatic scans and automatic updates of the virus signatures. In particular, the lack of the real-time scan and the fact that the virus signatures are not automatically updated mean that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Home is actually unsuitable as real security and makes use next to another scanner more obvious. The installation of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Home is actually a free trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium. At the end of the installation, you can disable the extra functionality and continue to use the free version.
Windows
Anti-Malware Home has a pleasantly clear interface with large buttons at the top for scanning, settings, history and the dashboard. However, the latter contains only very limited relevant information in the free version, except for a large smiley that indicates the status of the protection, the version number of the signature file and an indication of a running scan. All not really useful and you can expect more from a security dashboard. With the scans there is a choice of three, but the Hyperscan cannot be activated, which is except for the paid premium version. Elsewhere in Anti-Malware Home you will also encounter numerous features that are 'Premium only'. There are hardly any tests of the antivirus quality of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Home. It did, however, become the winner of a malware cleanup in 2014 after a PC was infected. Use as a second scanner is therefore obvious.
Conclusion
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Home is not recommended as the sole protection on a PC due to its combination of no real-time scans and no automatic virus signature update. Anti-Malware Home seems more suitable as an extra scanner in addition to another security product, but then requires more actions such as Lavasoft Ad-Aware Antivirus Free+ and also has no special installation mode for this.
