Malwarebytes Free Version – Basic PC Protection

Team PC or Team Mac

I can hear it now: “But I’m a Mac user, and we don’t get infected with Malware or Viruses!”

That may have been true in the “before times,” but even though Macs may seem more secure, they can still be infected.

I’ve never been a MAC user, meaning I was never groomed in school to be technically raised by Apple.

This grooming is like what Chromebooks do with today’s kids. Talk about setting them up for PC failure! Okay, sidebar rant over! 🙂

If there’s profit in spreading malware, the bad folks will keep trying to infect your PC, Mac and other smart devices with their malicious software.

Malware Scanners Past and Present

Some of the first free, open-source antivirus and malware protection programs I used were ClamWin, Comodo AV, and Adware (later purchased by Malwarebytes).

ClamWin was a good tool, but it had some limitations, and the other two were just too demanding on my laptop’s resources back then.

Comodo Antivirus was a bit of a mixed bag. It provided good protection against many threats in the early 2000s, and there were regular updates to address emerging threats.

However, unlike ClamWin, I found Comodo a real PC resource hog. A malware scan would consume the CPU resources, meaning you couldn’t do anything while a scan was running.

Comodo still offers a free product today, but I’ve never used it. I can only hope they fixed the resource allocation issues.

Malwarebytes purchased Adware, and I regularly use it to scan for malware threats. I like that it’s a lightweight utility that doesn’t slow down my computer during a scan.

However, the Free and Premium versions of Malwarebytes are known for effectively blocking malware downloads. However, some competitive tests show room for improvement in this area.

Regarding functionality, Malwarebytes Free has all the basic features you’d expect from an anti-malware scanner.

You can configure it to scan your entire system or specific folders and files, quarantine suspicious items, and update regularly to stay current with the latest threats.

Previously, active malware and antivirus security would slow PC bootup times and make your computer feel sluggish. However, with today’s computing power, this is less of an issue unless you’re using an older, slower CPU.

Malwarebytes Free Version Limitations

While Malwarebytes Free is an excellent malware-scanning tool, it has limitations compared to the premium security features of Malwarebytes Premium.

The free version only lets you perform manual scans to remove malware that has already infected your computer.

Also, real-time protection is not available in the free version, and this is needed to prevent malware from infecting your system in the first place.

However, I like to do an occasional manual scan as a backup validation check alongside my everyday security suite, Norton 360.

Malwarebytes offers a 14-day trial. So, if you like it and want to use it as your primary security suite, Malwarebytes Premium provides affordable subscriptions for personal and business use.

Malwarebytes Free Version is Good: Malwarebytes Premium is Better

Although free options are available, investing in good antivirus and anti-malware software is worth considering to safeguard your devices from cyber threats.

The cost and stress of dealing with a virus or malware infection will likely far outweigh the cost of purchasing a security suite subscription.

Also, keep in mind that developing these utilities costs money, and the free and trial versions are meant to let you “try before you buy.”

With that in mind, be prepared for occasional advertisements to pop up, enticing you to upgrade to the premium version. We all find pop-ups annoying, but it’s the price we pay for a “free,” right?

I’m sure almost everyone reading this subscribes to a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu. You have to pay more for the “commercial-free” experience with these services. It all comes at a price.

So, what do I use? I use Norton 360 on my primary business PC and the native Windows Security on my Gaming and Simulator PCs, with an occasional manual Malwarebytes scan using the free version.

However, I find the pop-ups and “Scare Marketing” Norton has been using since they were purchased by LifeLock extremely invasive, with no way to turn them off. So, I’ll likely switch back to Malwarebytes Premium after my subscription expires.

Download and Install Malwarebytes

There are several versions for both Home and Business. Here, we will focus on the free personal-device-protection versions. Visit Malwarebytes Free Downloads and choose from several platforms, such as Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and Chromebook.

After downloading the installation file, open it to start the installation process to make sure your device is protected from malware downloads right from the start.

Follow these steps, and at one point you’ll be asked to choose between the premium trial and the free version.

If you’re unsure, you can start with the free version and upgrade to the premium trial later to experience the additional features.

Also, registering the app is optional, so it’s up to you. Personally, I never provide my info, especially my email (I get enough spam!)

Once you finish the installation, the program will check for updates. Be patient, as this can take longer than you would expect.

Malwarebytes Home Screen

On the home screen, you’ll see several system status windows for security and online privacy, as well as your PC’s current status.

Along the top, you’ll see two buttons:

• Activate subscription: This will let you sign in to your subscription account or enter a license key or MB Code.

• Buy now: This takes you to their subscription services page, where you can choose from three subscription plans based on your needs.

The left side toolbar includes:

• Dashboard: This is the default home screen when you open the application

• Identity Protection: This new feature lets you know if your personal information is available on the Dark Web. You can also subscribe to identity protection through dark web monitoring.

• Settings: This is where you configure Malwarebytes to your needs. Most of these settings require an active subscription.
• Claim a 14-day free trial: If you’re using Malwarebytes Free, this button will let you try the premium services free for 14 days.

As you can see, the user interface is easy to understand.

Malwarebytes Performance

This application is almost immeasurable in terms of system resource demand.

Also, in the current version, you can define custom performance settings.

• Prioritize scans (faster scans)

• Prioritize the system (less performance impact)

The default prioritizes scans, but even at this setting, it barely uses any resources so that either setting will work.

Using the default “Prioritize scans” setting, I ran a scan on my primary boot drive (C:\), which has 750 GB of stored data. It took about 1:50 minutes to scan 248,742 files and used only about 150 MB of RAM, with just under 2 percent CPU utilization.

This app’s resource usage is far lower than that of the other free apps we mentioned earlier, which used all the system resources they could find.

Performance results will vary depending on your system specifications, such as your CPU and storage drive performance.

However, since the app sips your system resources, you can keep working while it runs in the background.

Malwarebytes Scan Screen

During an active scan, you will see real-time feedback on progress, with each category checked off as it is completed.

You’ll also see a running Scan time, Items scanned, and Detections (if any) throughout the process.

You can remove items from your machine or keep them if they were found and quarantined under the default settings.

But why would I want to keep a quarantined file? Sometimes, even malware scanners can make mistakes.

If you’re like me and install third-party add-ons for your games, some of them may be flagged as undesirable programs (PUPs).

If you’re running crypto-mining software, you can count on most security software to identify it as malware or a virus.

When it comes to free tools, Malwarebytes works well and integrates with many other popular security suites, including Windows Security.

Other Popular Free Antivirus/Malware Scanners?

While the Malwarebytes Free version is part of my PC security toolkit, there are several other popular free antivirus/malware scanners that many people swear by.

Here are just a few of them:

• Avast Free Antivirus: Avast has long been popular for offering robust protection without slowing down your system. It provides real-time protection, a wide range of features, and a user-friendly interface.

• AVG Antivirus Free: AVG, now part of the Avast family, offers similar robust protection. AVG’s additional features, like email protection and safe web browsing, set it apart. These features make it a comprehensive tool for safeguarding your PC.

• Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition: Bitdefender is known for its powerful, fast scanning capabilities. The free antivirus edition offers essential virus protection. This makes it ideal for anyone looking for a lightweight solution that won’t bog down their system.

• Microsoft Defender: If you’re running Windows, you already have access to Microsoft Defender, formerly known as Windows Defender. It’s pre-installed and provides decent protection with regular updates. It’s a great, no-cost option that integrates seamlessly with the Windows operating system.

While I have no recommendation for one free antivirus/malware solution over another, many user reviews can give you an idea of which brands are worth trying.

And while these alternatives are free to try, remember that whether to buy is up to you.

The best malware scanner is one that keeps you protected from malware infections and doesn’t interfere with your day-to-day computer use.