Antivirus review · Ranked #8 of 8
Malwarebytes review 2026
A trusted cleanup tool with a false-positive problem. We reviewed Malwarebytes Standard using published lab results and prices we read on Malwarebytes's site.
Reviewed by the AVSO Editorial Desk
Prices and lab results verified How we scoreEditorial policy
Our verdict on Malwarebytes
7.4/10
Editorial score
#8 of 8 suites
Malwarebytes' free scanner is still a good second opinion for cleaning up an infected PC, and its paid app earned 18/18 at AV-TEST in August 2026. But in AV-Comparatives' tests it produced 32–39 false positives per round, received the lowest awards of our eight, and was not Approved in the 2025 summary.
Best for:Best second-opinion scanner
- Protection 40%
- 7.6
- Performance 15%
- 7.8
- Value 20%
- 7.0
- Features 15%
- 6.6
- Trust & transparency 10%
- 8.0
What it does well
- AV-TEST 18/18 and TOP PRODUCT (August 2026)
- Free on-demand scanner works as a second opinion next to another antivirus
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Simple tiers with VPN available in Plus
Where it falls short
- 32–39 false positives per AV-Comparatives protection test in 2026
- Lowest AV-Comparatives awards of our eight; not Approved for 2025
- Ultimate renews at $279.99, double its first-year price
Malwarebytes Standard · 3 devices
$59.99first year
Renewal price not stated by vendor
60-day money-back guarantee
We may earn a commission through affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.
On this page
Malwarebytes in brief
The two labs tell different stories about Malwarebytes. AV-TEST gave Malwarebytes Premium full marks (6/6/6, TOP PRODUCT) in its August 2026 Windows round. AV-Comparatives found a good detection rate, 98.8% in the Real-World test, but 39 false positives, so the award was lowered to STANDARD. In September's Malware Protection Test it had the lowest online protection of our eight (99.65%) and 32 false positives, rated TESTED.
AV-Comparatives did not grant Malwarebytes its Approved status for 2025. That does not make it dangerous to use, but it is the reason we rank it last as a primary antivirus.
Where it shines is cleanup. The free Malwarebytes scanner has no real-time protection, but it finds and removes infections already on a PC, and it can run alongside Microsoft Defender or another antivirus. The 60-day money-back window is also generous.
6 independent lab results for Malwarebytes, 2025–2026
Read on each lab's report page. Product versions are the ones the lab tested.
| Test | Result | Award | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AV-Comparatives2Real-World · Share of 400 live web threats blockedTested: Premium 5.4–5.5 | 98.8%39 false positives; award lowered for false positives | STANDARD | 15 Jun 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives3Malware · Online protection rate against malware samplesTested: Premium 5.6 | 99.65%84.2% offline detection, 32 false positives | TESTED | 15 Oct 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives4Malware · Online protection rate against malware samples | 99.59%23 false positives; award lowered for false positives | TESTED | 15 Apr 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives5Performance · Impact score; lower means less slowdown | 19.1Impact score, lower is better | ADVANCED | 20 Oct 2026 |
| AV-Comparatives6Summary 2025 · Year-end rating across the 2025 test series | Not approvedDid not reach AV-Comparatives' 2025 Approved status | Not approved | 14 Jan 2026 |
| AV-TEST7Windows · Protection / Performance / Usability, each out of 6Tested: Malwarebytes Premium 5.5 & 5.6 | 6 / 6 / 6 | TOP PRODUCT | Jul–Aug 2026 |
Not in: AV-C Advanced Threat · 2026; AV-TEST macOS · Jun 2026; AV-C macOS · 2026; AV-TEST Android · Sep 2026; AV-C Android · 2026. Absence is not a failure; vendors choose which tests to enter, and some tests cover few products.
What Malwarebytes costs, plan by plan
Checked on vendor site| Plan | Devices | First term | Renewal / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| StandardRanked planAntivirus, scam and ad blockerFamily (10 devices): $119.99 | 3 devices | $59.99 | Not stated |
| PlusAdds VPNFamily: $149.99 | 3 devices | $79.99 | Not stated |
| UltimateAdds identity protectionDiscount is first year only | 3 devices (1 adult) | $139.99 | $279.99 |
USD, before tax, read on 12 Nov 20261. 60-day money-back guarantee.
Before you pay
The free version does not protect you in real time. It is a cleanup scanner, not a replacement for an always-on antivirus.
Standard3 devices · opens malwarebytes.com
Who should get Malwarebytes, and who shouldn’t
Get it if you want…
- Best second-opinion scanner
- Free cleanup scanner
- 60-day money-back
- Scam blocker
Look elsewhere if…
- 32–39 false positives per AV-Comparatives protection test in 2026
- Lowest AV-Comparatives awards of our eight; not Approved for 2025
- Ultimate renews at $279.99, double its first-year price
Malwarebytes spec sheet
As published by Malwarebytes, checked 12 Nov 2026 against its official pricing page (opens in a new tab). Features are for the ranked plan.
| Editorial score | 7.4 / 10 |
|---|---|
| Our ranking | #8 of 8 |
| Ranked plan | Malwarebytes Standard |
| Developer | Malwarebytes |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara, California, USA |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
| Devices (ranked plan) | 3 devices |
| Money-back | 60 days |
| VPN | Plus tier |
| Password manager | Not included |
| Cloud backup | Not included |
| Breach / dark-web monitoring | Ultimate tier |
| Parental controls | Not included |
| Free version | Scanner only |
What we couldn't verify
One item we could not confirm on the vendor's site
- Renewal prices for Standard and Plus (no discount shown, renewal not stated)
Malwarebytes alternatives
The highest-ranked alternatives, side by side. Product names open their reviews.
| Compare4 picks | MalwarebytesThis review | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | Editorial score 7.4 out of 10 | Editorial score 9.0 out of 10 | Editorial score 8.8 out of 10 | Editorial score 8.6 out of 10 |
| First year | $59.99first year | $59.99first year | $49.99first yearLowest | $59.99first year |
| Renewal / year | Not stated | Not stated | $124.99 | Not stated |
| Real-World protection | 98.8%STANDARD | 99.5%ADVANCED+Highest | 99.3%ADVANCED+ | 98.5%ADVANCED |
| False positives | 39 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Performance impact | 19.1 | 8.7 | 4.9 | 9.5 |
| VPN | Plus tier | 200 MB/day | ||
| iOS app | ||||
| Get it |
Bitdefender reviewThe most consistent lab record of 2026Editorial score 9.0 out of 10
Norton reviewThe fullest feature set, with the steepest renewalEditorial score 8.8 out of 10
ESET reviewLight, precise and honestly pricedEditorial score 8.6 out of 10- Malwarebytes vs BitdefenderHead-to-head comparison
- Best free antivirusBuying guide
Malwarebytes: common questions
Is Malwarebytes Free enough on its own?
No. Malwarebytes' own download page describes the free version as a scanner that finds and removes infections already on your device. Real-time protection is a paid feature. Use it alongside Microsoft Defender or another antivirus.
Why does Malwarebytes rank last here?
Because of false positives. In AV-Comparatives' 2026 tests it flagged 32 to 39 clean files or sites per round, which lowered its awards to STANDARD and TESTED, and it was not Approved in AV-Comparatives' 2025 summary.
Our #1 pick for 2026
Still deciding? Bitdefender is our top pick
The most consistent lab record of 2026. Total Security: $59.99 first year · 30-day money-back guarantee.
We may earn a commission through affiliate links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources
All accessed
- 1.Malwarebytes pricing page. malwarebytes.com/pricing (opens in a new tab)
- 2.AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test, February–May 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/real-world-protection-test-february-may-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 3.AV-Comparatives Malware Protection Test, September 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/malware-protection-test-september-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 4.AV-Comparatives Malware Protection Test, March 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/malware-protection-test-march-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 5.AV-Comparatives Performance Test, September 2026. av-comparatives.org/tests/performance-test-september-2026/ (opens in a new tab)
- 6.AV-Comparatives Consumer Summary Report 2025. av-comparatives.org/tests/summary-report-2025/ (opens in a new tab)
- 7.AV-TEST Windows 11 home-user test, August 2026. av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/windows-11/august-2026/ (opens in a new tab)