Malwarebytes Review 2026: AV-Comparatives Scores, Pricing & Browser Guard

Written by Amar GhafirUpdated September 29, 2026 · published June 2, 2026 · how we review

In spring 2026, two of the most respected antivirus labs tested Malwarebytes Premium and reached opposite conclusions. AV-TEST named it a TOP PRODUCT, with 17.5 points out of 18 and not a single false alarm. Around the same time, AV-Comparatives gave it only its basic STANDARD award, because it wrongly flagged 39 safe files. Both results are real. This Malwarebytes review explains why they differ and what that means if you’re deciding whether to pay for it.

Our short answer: Malwarebytes Premium is a light, capable antivirus with an excellent reputation for cleaning up adware and junk software. It’s no longer a clear step behind the big suites on detection, but it can be jumpier with false alarms, and on Windows it now competes with a free Microsoft Defender that tests very well.

Key Takeaways

• AV-TEST, March to April 2026: TOP PRODUCT, 6/6 for performance, zero false positives.
• AV-Comparatives, February to May 2026: 98.8% protection but 39 false alarms, STANDARD award.
• The free version is a manual scanner only; paid plans start at about $45 a year, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

What This Malwarebytes Review Is Based On

We don’t have our own malware lab, so we lean on the two independent testers that most of the industry trusts. This Malwarebytes review uses AV-TEST’s March and April 2026 report for Malwarebytes Premium 5.5 on Windows 11, AV-Comparatives’ Real-World Protection Test for February to May 2026, and Malwarebytes’ own plan and pricing pages. Lab scores change from one test round to the next, so we link to each report and give the dates.

This Malwarebytes review notes that earlier versions of this page described Malwarebytes as a step behind the leaders on detection. The 2026 results don’t support that any more, so we’ve updated the verdict.

Malwarebytes Pros and Cons

Two Labs, Two Verdicts: What the 2026 Tests Show

AV-TEST. In its March and April 2026 report, Malwarebytes blocked 99.4% and 98.9% of brand-new “zero-day” threats in the two months, against an industry average of 97.7%. It caught 100% and 99.9% of the widespread malware in the reference set. It scored the full 6 out of 6 for performance, and it didn’t raise one false warning on legitimate websites or software. That earned the TOP PRODUCT label.

AV-Comparatives. Its Real-World Protection Test ran 400 live attack scenarios against 21 products between February and May 2026. Malwarebytes protected against 98.8% of them, a solid result. But it also produced 39 false alarms on clean files, and AV-Comparatives lowers the award for products with high false-alarm counts. Malwarebytes finished with STANDARD, the entry-level award. For comparison, Bitdefender reached 99.5% with 5 false alarms, and Microsoft Defender 99.0% with none. Both earned ADVANCED+.

How can both be right? The labs use different sets of clean files to check for false alarms, and they weigh them differently. Malwarebytes has always taken a hard line on “potentially unwanted programs”: bundled toolbars, aggressive system cleaners and similar software that many other antiviruses let through. That strictness is part of why people like it for cleanups. It’s also a likely reason it flags more borderline files as suspicious in a broad test.

In practice, expect Malwarebytes to stop real threats reliably and to question a legitimate program now and then. If it quarantines something you trust, you can restore it and add an exclusion in a couple of clicks.

The Free Scanner Versus Premium

Many people know Malwarebytes from the free version, and it’s worth being clear about what that is. The free download is an on-demand scanner. It doesn’t run in the background, so it won’t stop a malicious file the moment you open it. You run it yourself when you suspect a problem, and it finds and removes what’s already there. It’s very good at that job, which is why technicians have recommended it for years.

The paid plans add real-time protection: scanning files as they arrive, blocking malicious and scam websites, stopping exploits that target your browser or apps, and watching for ransomware behaviour such as a program suddenly encrypting many files. The lab results above apply to the paid version, not the free scanner.

Malwarebytes also offers Browser Guard, a free extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari that blocks ads, trackers and known scam pages. You can use it with or without a paid plan.

Do You Need Malwarebytes If You Have Microsoft Defender?

This is the question most Windows users should ask first. Microsoft Defender comes free with Windows, and in the same AV-Comparatives round it scored slightly higher than Malwarebytes, with no false alarms at all. For many people, Defender on its own is enough, as our guide to whether Microsoft Defender is enough explains.

There’s a good free combination, too. The free Malwarebytes scanner doesn’t register itself as your main antivirus, so Defender keeps running. You leave Defender on for everyday protection and run a Malwarebytes scan every few weeks, or whenever something seems off. That pairing costs nothing and covers most home users well.

Malwarebytes Premium, by contrast, becomes your main antivirus when installed and takes over from Defender’s real-time scanning. It makes the most sense if you want its stricter stance on unwanted software, its scam-site blocking, or one subscription that also covers Macs, Android phones and iPhones. Our comparison of Windows Defender vs third-party antivirus goes into the trade-offs.

Where Malwarebytes Stands Out, and What It Leaves Out

Its biggest strength is cleanup. If a PC is already full of adware, browser hijackers or fake “optimiser” programs, Malwarebytes is one of the best tools for clearing them out, and our guide on removing malware from Windows uses it for exactly that. It’s also light. AV-TEST’s perfect performance score matches what users report: most people won’t notice it running.

On a Mac, that lightness matters even more, and Malwarebytes is one of the more popular choices for people who want some protection without slowing their machine down. Whether a Mac needs antivirus at all is its own question, which we cover in do you need antivirus on a Mac.

What it leaves out is just as important. There’s no firewall of its own, no parental controls and no password manager. The VPN only comes with the higher plans. If you want a single subscription that handles all of that, Norton 360 and Bitdefender include far more. Malwarebytes has chosen to do fewer things, and to keep the software small.

Using Malwarebytes on a PC That’s Already Infected

This is the situation where the free scanner earns its reputation, and a careful routine makes it work better. Start by disconnecting the computer from the internet if you suspect something serious, such as ransomware or a program sending out spam. That stops the malware from downloading more components or leaking data while you work.

If the malware blocks Malwarebytes from installing or running, restart Windows in Safe Mode with Networking, which loads only essential drivers, and install it from there. Let it update its detection database, then run a full Threat Scan and quarantine everything it finds. Restart normally and run a second scan to confirm the system comes back clean. Then open each browser and remove any extensions you don’t recognise, since hijackers often live there.

The last step is the one most people skip. From a different, clean device, change the passwords for your email, bank and any account you used on the infected PC, and turn on two-factor authentication. Malware that steals passwords can do its damage before it’s removed, and a clean scan won’t undo that.

Malwarebytes Plans and Pricing in 2026

First-year prices as listed in September 2026. Malwarebytes varies prices by device count and runs frequent offers, so check its pricing page before you buy. All paid plans have a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the renewal price. Pricing trackers report that some Malwarebytes plans renew at up to double the first-year rate. Turn off auto-renewal after you buy, or set a reminder, so you can compare offers before the second year starts.

Malwarebytes vs Bitdefender vs Microsoft Defender

*AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Test, February to May 2026, 400 test cases.

For more options side by side, including free antivirus choices, see our best antivirus rankings.

Who Should Pay for Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes Premium suits people who want a light, no-fuss antivirus across Windows, Mac and mobile, households that keep picking up adware and junk programs, and anyone who has cleaned up a PC with the free scanner and wants that protection running all the time. A small office with a few mixed devices can use it too, although Malwarebytes sells separate business plans with central management that suit more than a handful of machines better.

It’s harder to justify for a careful Windows user who is happy with Defender, or for someone who wants a full security suite with a firewall, parental controls and a password manager in one place. For them, Defender with the free Malwarebytes scanner, or a suite like Bitdefender, is better value.

Final Verdict

Malwarebytes has closed the detection gap. A TOP PRODUCT award from AV-TEST and a 98.8% protection rate from AV-Comparatives put it firmly among the capable antiviruses of 2026, and it remains one of the lightest. The weak spot is false alarms, which cost it a higher award in one of the two big tests.

This Malwarebytes review recommends Premium for people who want a simple, light antivirus across several platforms. On Windows alone, try Defender plus the free scanner first. Pay for Premium if you want more than that.

Malwarebytes Review: Frequently Asked Questions