Malwarebytes vs Zemana AntiMalware (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Malwarebytes grades higher than Zemana AntiMalware: 2.2 against 1.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Malwarebytes grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. Zemana AntiMalware grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Malwarebytes
Malware scanner and real-time protection, with VPN and ID plans
Which one is for you
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
Pick Zemana AntiMalware if
- Fits if you want a scan-and-remove tool on an older Windows PC
- Works for a second opinion beside your main antivirus
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a price before you try it, as none is shown
- Skip it if you use a Mac or a phone, as only Windows is covered
- Watch out: the footer copyright runs only to 2022, so the product may not be kept up
- Too light for a full antivirus: the listing records no real-time protection details
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAMalwarebytesFair | 1.4GPAZemana AntiMalwareWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CNo price is published on the pages read, so it sits at the ordinary grade. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | FNothing free on record: no free plan and no trial, and a demo request is not a trial. |
| Features | 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. | DA scanner and remover for Windows, and the listing records no more, so it appears to need another antivirus alongside it. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo store rating on record, but it is a Windows program you install and run. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | DWindows only, XP to 11. No Mac or phone version is listed. |
| Best for | cleaning up a computer that's already infected | a Windows malware scan with no price on its site |
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: Malwarebytes and Zemana AntiMalware. How we grade
Where they differ
- Malwarebytes also covers vPN and ad and tracker blocking.
- Zemana AntiMalware also covers system monitor.
At a glance
| Malwarebytes | Zemana AntiMalware | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $59.99 per year for up to 3 devices (Standard) | Not published |
| Free plan | Malwarebytes Free scans Windows PCs and Macs on demand and removes infections already there. It has no real-time, ransomware or phishing protection. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Malwarebytes Inc. | Zemana Ltd. |
| Price read from | malwarebytes.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Zemana AntiMalware
- No pricing or edition comparison appears on the pages read, so cost and free-versus-paid differences are not recorded.
- The site footer carries a 2007 to 2022 copyright, so the pages may not be current.
- The page lists XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and 11 in 32-bit and 64-bit and offers no Mac or mobile version.
Key features
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.
Zemana AntiMalware
- Fast scan
- Scans a PC for malware, spyware and viruses and removes what it finds.
- Malware removal
- The vendor says it detects and removes browser add-ons, adware, unwanted apps, toolbars and other malware.
- Companion product
- The site lists Zemana AntiLogger as a second product.
- Wide Windows support
- The download page lists XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 and 11 in 32-bit and 64-bit editions.
- Feedback-led development
- The page asks visitors which feature they want next and says it develops the product on that feedback.
Plans
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.
Zemana AntiMalware
Pricing could not be confirmed. See zemana.com.
Ways to pay less
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.
Zemana AntiMalware
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Malwarebytes or Zemana AntiMalware?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Malwarebytes starts at $59.99 per year for up to 3 devices (Standard), and Zemana AntiMalware has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Malwarebytes or Zemana AntiMalware?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Malwarebytes has a free plan. Zemana AntiMalware does not.
Which platforms do Malwarebytes and Zemana AntiMalware 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
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.