# ClamAV review (2026): is it any good? > Free open-source antivirus engine and command-line scanner Checked Nov 12, 2026 ยท graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA. ClamAV is an open-source antivirus engine, licensed under GPLv2 and maintained by Cisco. It ships a multi-threaded scanner daemon, command-line scanning tools and a signature updater, and is aimed at mail gateways, servers and other automated scanning. Its own documentation says it is not a traditional desktop antivirus suite. - **Category:** Antivirus & Malware Protection - **Made by:** Cisco - **Website:** https://www.clamav.net - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux - **Who should skip it:** Not for you if you want a desktop antivirus with a window, because there's no graphical app. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 12, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 12, 2026, ClamAV is free to use. - **Pricing model:** Free - **Free plan:** Free and open source under the GNU General Public License v2, with signature updates published by Cisco. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | ClamAV | $0 | Open-source engine, scanner daemon and updater. You install and run it yourself, with no paid edition. | Read from https://docs.clamav.net/ on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with ClamAV before buying. ## Key features - **Command-line and daemon scanning:** Includes a command-line scanner for on-demand file scans and a multi-threaded scanner daemon, with an automatic signature updater. - **Mail gateway focus:** The docs describe it as designed especially for e-mail scanning on mail gateways, and the About page lists a milter interface for sendmail. - **Archive and file format support:** Scans inside archives such as Zip, RAR, 7Zip, Tar and ISO, and reads PE, ELF and Mach-O executables, Office files, PDF and HTML. - **On-access scanning on Linux:** The ClamOnAcc client for the ClamD daemon scans files as they are accessed on modern Linux, and can block access until a file has been scanned. - **Signed signature databases:** Signature databases are signed, so the scanner only executes trusted definitions, and the databases are updated several times a day. ## Good for - Mail servers and gateways that need a malware scanning step - Linux and server admins who are comfortable with a command line - Anyone who wants an auditable, free scanning engine ## Worth knowing - ClamAV's own docs say it is not a traditional antivirus or endpoint security suite and point to Cisco Secure Endpoint for that. - Real-time on-access scanning is documented for Linux only. - The downloads page offers installers and source packages; it does not offer a desktop app with a graphical interface or a mobile app. - The docs recommend at least 3 GiB of RAM and 5 GiB of free disk space for the scanner with the standard signature database. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.4 out of 4**, graded Nov 12, 2026. ClamAV is a free, open-source scanner for files and mail servers. Its own docs say it isn't a traditional antivirus or endpoint suite. It has no desktop app, runs from the command line and watches files in real time only on Linux. - **Value for money: A.** Free and open source under the GPL v2, with signature updates from Cisco. Anyone can download and run it. - **Free plan and trial: A.** Free outright, with no plan limits on record. The docs suggest 3 GiB of RAM and 5 GiB of disk for the standard database. - **Features: D.** Command-line and daemon scanning, archive support, signed databases and mail gateway focus. The docs point to Cisco Secure Endpoint for a full antivirus. - **Ease of use: D.** No store rating on record, and you work through a command line and config files. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Windows, Mac and Linux, but computers only: no phone app and no graphical interface. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Cisco's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among antivirus apps - ClamAV's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 32 of the 56 other antivirus apps we grade, and level with 8. - It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 55 of 56) and worst on features (D, above 0). - ClamAV has no paid plan. - On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/antivirus ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** ClamAV is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. - You could not: An engine that recognises new malware as it appears. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. **Tags:** Malware protection, Open source ## Alternatives - [Malwarebytes](https://toolgpa.com/tools/malwarebytes): Malware scanner and real-time protection, with VPN and ID plans. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/clamav-vs-malwarebytes) - [ESET](https://toolgpa.com/tools/eset): Antivirus and home security plans priced by device count. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/clamav-vs-eset) - [Sophos Home](https://toolgpa.com/tools/sophos-home): Business-grade antivirus for up to 10 Windows PCs and Macs. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/clamav-vs-sophos-home) - [Emsisoft Anti-Malware](https://toolgpa.com/tools/emsisoft): Dual-engine malware scanner for home PCs, with a web console. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/clamav-vs-emsisoft) - [Avira](https://toolgpa.com/tools/avira): Free antivirus suite with a VPN, PC cleaner and password manager. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/avira-vs-clamav) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026: - https://www.clamav.net - https://www.clamav.net/downloads - https://www.clamav.net/about - https://docs.clamav.net/ Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/clamav Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).