Malwarebytes vs TotalAV (March 2026)
| MMalwarebytes | TTotalAV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Free Tier | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Best For | Users seeking lightweight antivirus protection, Businesses needing endpoint security | Budget-conscious users seeking comprehensive protection, Families needing multi-device coverage |
Both Malwarebytes and TotalAV earn a 4.2/5 rating — your choice depends on which feature set and pricing model fits your workflow best.
Quick Overview
Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes is a comprehensive antivirus and anti-malware solution that provides real-time protection against viruses, ...
- Best for: Users seeking lightweight antivirus protection, Businesses needing endpoint security
- Starting price: Free
- Category: Antivirus Software
- Founded: 2008
- Pricing model: freemium
TotalAV
Award-winning antivirus software that provides real-time protection against malware, viruses, and online threats across ...
- Best for: Budget-conscious users seeking comprehensive protection, Families needing multi-device coverage
- Starting price: Free
- Category: Antivirus Software
- Founded: 2016
- Pricing model: subscription
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Malwarebytes | TotalAV |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time Protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ransomware Protection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Browser Guard | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web Protection | ✓ | ✗ |
| VPN | ✓ | ✗ |
| Exploit Protection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Scans | ✓ | ✗ |
| Identity Theft Protection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Threat Quarantine | ✓ | ✗ |
| Machine Learning Detection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Malware Detection | ✗ | ✓ |
| WebShield Protection | ✗ | ✓ |
| VPN Service | ✗ | ✓ |
| Password Manager | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ad Blocker | ✗ | ✓ |
| System Optimization | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data Breach Monitoring | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi-Platform Support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cloud Storage | ✗ | ✓ |
Pricing Comparison
Prices last verified: March 16, 2026
Malwarebytes
TotalAV
Pros & Cons
Malwarebytes
- Minimal impact on system performance
- Strong ransomware protection
- Free version available with basic protection
- 60-day money-back guarantee
- Limited malware detection in real-time tests
- Free version lacks real-time protection
- Fewer features compared to comprehensive security suites
- No integrated firewall or password manager
TotalAV
- Perfect scores in AV-TEST evaluations
- Minimal impact on system performance
- Excellent WebShield malicious site blocking
- Competitive pricing with valuable bundles
- Significant price increase upon renewal
- Lacks behavior-based detection capabilities
- Auto-renewal enabled by default
- Mac protection scores lower than Windows/Android
Which Is Best for You?
Choose Malwarebytes if:
- Users seeking lightweight antivirus protection
- Businesses needing endpoint security
- Removing existing malware infections
- Supplementing primary antivirus software
- You want to start with a free plan
- Budget is a priority ($39.99 vs $99)
Choose TotalAV if:
- Budget-conscious users seeking comprehensive protection
- Families needing multi-device coverage
- Users wanting antivirus plus VPN bundle
- Beginners who prefer simple interfaces
- You want to start with a free plan
Our Verdict
After thorough analysis, Malwarebytes takes the lead in this comparison, though both tools share an identical 4.2/5 rating.
Malwarebytes is best for Users seeking lightweight antivirus protection and Businesses needing endpoint security. Minimal impact on system performance.
TotalAV remains a strong alternative, especially for Budget-conscious users seeking comprehensive protection and Families needing multi-device coverage. Perfect scores in AV-TEST evaluations.
Pricing-wise, Malwarebytes is the more affordable starting option. Evaluate free trials of both before committing.