Accessing services, entertainment, and content in today's world is a matter of seconds. However, the internet of things, besides being the bottomless well of useful free information and cute cat pics, is littered with system-compromising malware. Ultimately, you risk infecting your system when trying to download apps that have not been digitally approved by Apple or access fraudulent websites. But how big of a risk are you running and, more importantly, is Malwarebytes app capable of solving the problem?
Malwarebytes for Teams — compatible with Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, and Android — is the cheapest. It covers between 1 and 20 devices and is therefore ideal for small businesses. The only difference between this version and the personal plans is priority support and additional Android protection. Malwarebytes is a global cybersecurity company that's been around for over 15 years. Its flagship product, Malwarebytes for Mac, allows you to scan for malware, adware, viruses and then safely get rid of them. Using Malwarebytes on Mac is easy enough: Download a free Malwarebytes app from its website.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac Features
Unlike the majority of other apps previously reviewed here, Malwarebytes does not specialize on cleaning. Instead its sole intention is to keep your Mac safe and malware-free. In other words, Malwarebytes, in its essence, is what you call an anti-malware application. This can be immediately noticed upon installation. The app's interface lists 4 main modules:
- Dashboard gives you some basic information regarding real-time protection and database version. You can also toggle Real-Time Protection on and off, check for updates, or run a scan.
- Scan is the bread and butter of the application as it allows to locate and remove malware.
- Quarantine houses threats defused by Real-Time Protection and/or manual scans. Quarantined items can then be reviewed and permanently deleted using the module.
- Settings tab serves as a shortcut to app's Preferences. It allows to make minor tweaks to the way Malwarebytes operates on your computer.
Despite being of simple nature, Malwarebytes for Mac is good at doing its job. It offers an extensive database and does well at detecting all sorts of threats.
Activation Price
Malwarebytes is a subscription-based application, but it can be downloaded for free from Malwarebytes website. The free version of the application allows you to clean infected Mac, while Premium subscription focuses on proactive blocking the threats in the first place.
Free version comes with a 30-day Premium Trial that lets you try all the features and see if you like it. To Activate your license, you will have to sign up for a minimum of 1 year at the price of $39.99. Malwarebytes also gives you an option of expanding your subscription on up to 10 devices as the initial package is limited to a single device. Adding a device will cost you $10 each. The great thing is that it works across PC, Mac, and Android, which makes additional expense somewhat justifiable.
Is Malwarebytes Safe to Use on Mac?
Malwarebytes has been in the anti-threat market for quite a while and has already managed to earn the trust of Windows users. It is safe to assume that the trust, along with key features, carried over to the macOS version of the application.
It's worth noting that if your computer has already been infected, there is always a risk of dealing damage when removing a virus. This, however, is rather a virus after-effect, than a result of app's work.
How to Remove Malwarebytes from Your Mac
Fortunately, uninstalling Malwarebytes for Mac is made plain and simple. Before removing the app, you can run another scan to detect potential virus infection, then quit Malwarebytes and open Finder. Go straight to Applications, locate Malwarebytes and drag the application to Trash.
Is Malwarebytes Any Good For Mac
Next, hold Shift-cmd-G, paste the following directory /Library/Application Support and hit Go. Find Malwarebytes folder and move it to Trash as well. Lastly, empty the Trash to completely delete Malwarebytes from your Mac.
Note: If you have previously purchased the subscription, do not forget to cancel it to prevent automatic billing.
ADWcleaner Review: Lightweight Alternative for Windows
Malwarebytes for Windows is typically used alongside the main antivirus program. It is not surprising if paying for an additional license may not sound appealing, especially, if you have already paid for the one for Mac. ADWcleaner is a great alternative developed by Malwarebytes which you can download it free of charge.
Is ADWcleaner Safe?
As it's already been mentioned, Malwarebytes has proven to be a trustworthy developer. Unlike a number of other utilities that you can download for free, ADWcleaner holds its own as safe, simple, and reliable program against adware. It also detects potentially unwanted program (PUPs) and helps uninstall irritating toolbars. ADWcleaner is completely safe and super lightweight.
Download Malwarebytes For Mac
Final Thoughts
Malwarebytes is reliable free application to use against malware. And that's really all it's got going for it. It's not pretty, not cheap, does not offer a range of useful tools and features. Malwarebytes was made with a single purpose and it excels at it. If you are looking to clean up an infected Mac – Malwarebytes is the way to go, but you shouldn't be expecting anything else from it.
