GridinSoft Anti-Malware vs Malwarebytes (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Malwarebytes grades higher than GridinSoft Anti-Malware: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
GridinSoft Anti-Malware grades higher on value for money. Malwarebytes grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware
Windows malware remover that runs beside Microsoft Defender
Malwarebytes
Malware scanner and real-time protection, with VPN and ID plans
Which one is for you
Pick GridinSoft Anti-Malware if
- Fits if you want a cleaner that runs beside Microsoft Defender
- Works for 2 home PCs on one licence
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or a phone, as only Windows is covered
- Not for you if you want a free plan, since you get 6 days and then pay
- Watch out: no renewal price is stated, only a 15% renewal discount link
- Tight if you run a business with several PCs, as Standard counts 1 business PC
Pick Malwarebytes if
- Fits if a computer is already acting up and you want a free scan to clean it
- Works for households of up to 10 devices on one family plan
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you have four or five devices, since that means the $119.99 family plan
- Skip it if you want the free version to stop threats, as it has no real-time, ransomware or phishing protection
- Not for you if you're on a Mac and want the firewall control, exploit protection and webcam monitoring Windows gets
- Watch out: Ultimate is $139.99 the first year, then $279.99, and plans bought online renew by themselves
- Too light for small businesses, as home plans are for personal use and Teams is sold separately
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGridinSoft Anti-MalwareFair | 2.2GPAMalwarebytesFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$39.95 a year, shown as $3.33 a month, for 1 business PC or 2 home PCs. That is the middle of this category and the renewal price is not stated. | DFive devices means Standard Family, $119.99 a year for up to 10, with no first-year deal on record. So two years cost $239.98, about $10 a month, in the dearest tenth of antivirus. With three devices or fewer, Standard at $59.99 a year halves that. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 6-day full trial with no credit card. There is no free plan. | CMalwarebytes Free scans Windows PCs and Macs and removes what it finds, for nothing. But it has no real-time, ransomware or phishing protection, so it cleans up after an infection rather than stopping one. |
| Features | CReal-time protection and cleanup, positioned to work beside Microsoft Defender rather than replace it. | CReal-time protection on Windows, Mac and Android, Browser Guard against scam sites, Scam Guard for messages, and a VPN from Plus up. The gap is in the listing itself: exploit protection, firewall control and webcam monitoring are Windows-only. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but it is a Windows program you install and run. | BNo store rating on record. It's a program you install and run, and the free scanner needs nothing set up before the first scan. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only: the page lists Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 7. | BWindows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and Browser Guard for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. No web app, integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. |
| Best for | a Windows cleanup tool that runs beside Defender | cleaning up a computer that's already infected |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: GridinSoft Anti-Malware and Malwarebytes. How we grade
Price against what you get
GridinSoft Anti-Malware starts at $3.33 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Malwarebytes starts at $5 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
Malwarebytes scores higher, and starts $1.67 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other antivirus apps on the chart, 8 score higher than GridinSoft Anti-Malware for less, and 5 score higher than Malwarebytes for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- GridinSoft Anti-Malware also covers system monitor.
- Malwarebytes also covers vPN and ad and tracker blocking.
At a glance
| GridinSoft Anti-Malware | Malwarebytes | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $39.95 per 12 months for 2 home PCs (shown as $3.33 a month; renewal price not stated) | $59.99 per year for up to 3 devices (Standard) |
| Free plan | None | Malwarebytes Free scans Windows PCs and Macs on demand and removes infections already there. It has no real-time, ransomware or phishing protection. |
| Free trial | 6-day full trial with all features, no credit card required. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Gridinsoft | Malwarebytes Inc. |
| Price read from | anti-malware.gridinsoft.com | malwarebytes.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
GridinSoft Anti-Malware
- Windows only: the page lists Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 7.
- The vendor positions the product as working alongside Microsoft Defender.
- Prices are shown as a monthly figure with a 12-month total, and the pricing cards load by script; no renewal price is stated, only a 15% renewal discount link.
- The Standard license counts 1 business PC or 2 home PCs.
Malwarebytes
- Malwarebytes Free has no real-time protection: it only finds and removes infections when you run a scan.
- Ultimate's $139.99 covers the first year only; it then renews at $279.99 a year, and subscriptions bought online renew automatically.
- Several protections, such as exploit protection, firewall control and webcam monitoring, are Windows-only.
- Home plans are for personal use; small businesses are sold Malwarebytes for Teams separately.
Key features
GridinSoft Anti-Malware
- Malware scanning and removal
- Quick, Standard and Advanced Removal options; detected items show threat level and a recommended action, and can be quarantined or restored.
- Real-time protection
- The vendor describes three protection layers that can be switched on, with PUP detection as a toggle.
- Browser Reset
- Restores default browser settings and removes unwanted extensions after a hijack.
- Webcam Protection
- Blocks unauthorized camera access by unknown apps.
- Scheduled scans
- Scans can run daily, weekly or every two weeks.
Malwarebytes
- Real-time malware protection
- Premium Security blocks malware, ransomware and potentially unwanted programs as they arrive on Windows, Mac and Android. The free version only cleans up afterwards.
- Browser Guard
- A free extension for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari that blocks ads, third-party trackers and sites known to spread malware or scams.
- Scam Guard and text and call filtering
- Scam Guard checks suspicious messages and links and suggests what to do. Phones get scam text filtering, and the iPhone app also blocks spam calls.
- Privacy VPN
- Plus, Plus Family and Ultimate include a WireGuard-based VPN with no metering of data, on desktop and mobile.
- Windows-only extras
- On Windows, Premium Security adds exploit and brute force protection, firewall control, webcam monitoring, a file shredder and system tweaks.
- Identity protection
- Ultimate adds dark web and account alerts, three-bureau credit monitoring, recovery specialists, $2 million identity insurance and a personal data remover.
Plans
GridinSoft Anti-Malware
Standard$39.95
per 12 months for 1 business PC or 2 home PCs; no renewal price
Real-time protection and cleanup. The page shows $3.33 a month and a $19.95 saving; a 6-month term toggle also exists.
Family$49.95
per 12 months for up to 3 home PCs; renewal price not stated
Standard features for 3 home PCs, shown as $4.16 a month with a $25.05 saving.
Extended$59.95
per 12 months for up to 5 home PCs; renewal price not stated
Standard features for 5 home PCs, shown as $5.00 a month with a $29.95 saving.
Malwarebytes
Free$0
On-demand scanner that finds and removes malware already on the device. Free apps for Android and iOS too.
Standard$59.99
per year for up to 3 devices
Premium Security antivirus with Browser Guard's scam, ad and tracker blocking and data breach alerts. Also sold for a single device.
Plus$79.99
per year for up to 3 devices
Everything in Standard plus Privacy VPN, a WireGuard VPN with no data cap.
Standard Family$119.99
per year for up to 10 devices
Standard's antivirus and Browser Guard for up to 10 devices.
Plus Family$149.99
per year for up to 10 devices
Antivirus, Browser Guard and Privacy VPN for up to 10 devices.
Ultimate$279.99
per year for 3 devices at renewal, after a first year for $139.99
Adds identity protection with $2M insurance and a data remover for 1 adult. First year $139.99. Family: $199.99, then $399.99.
Ways to pay less
GridinSoft Anti-Malware
- Other savings
15% off license renewal
The pricing page links to a renewal route for existing customers with a 15% discount.
Malwarebytes
- Other savings
Ultimate at $139.99 for the first year
The pricing page shows Ultimate at 50% off, $139.99 instead of $279.99, and Ultimate Family at $199.99 instead of $399.99. The discount is for the first year only.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, GridinSoft Anti-Malware or Malwarebytes?
As of Nov 13, 2026, GridinSoft Anti-Malware is cheaper to start with: $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against $5 a month when paid by the year for Malwarebytes. GridinSoft Anti-Malware starts at $39.95 per 12 months for 2 home PCs (shown as $3.33 a month; renewal price not stated), and Malwarebytes starts at $59.99 per year for up to 3 devices (Standard).
Which has a free plan, GridinSoft Anti-Malware or Malwarebytes?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Malwarebytes has a free plan. GridinSoft Anti-Malware does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do GridinSoft Anti-Malware and Malwarebytes run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Malwarebytes lists macOS, iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
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- Malwarebytes vs Bitdefender
- Malwarebytes vs Norton 360
- Malwarebytes vs Avast
- Malwarebytes vs ESET
- Malwarebytes vs McAfee
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.