Living in a digital time, in an era when we completely rely and partially depend on technology, we need to make sure we stay safe. This refers to have all your devices ad accounts protected. And, while you can, unfortunately, never be entirely protected from people trying to hack your e-mail address or social media profiles, you can ensure your device is.

The best way to do that, among a few others, is to install an anti-virus program. If you’re not sure which one to choose, let’s take a look at two of the most popular ones: Malwarebytes and Webroot.

Malwarebytes vs Webroot: Basics

While Malwarebytes and Webroot are both superior against viruses and other threats, they are quite different. Namely, Malwarebytes offers discounts if used on multiple devices whereas Webroot doesn’t but Webroot offers more features for the price. Malwarebytes is also easy to use even for complete novices whereas Webroot may seem tricky. But, Webroot offers powerful features for identity protection whereas Malwarebytes doesn’t. Plus, Webroot takes incredibly small space on the device’s memory and comes with many advanced features.

Of course, they also share some of their features, such as real-time antivirus protection, a low impact on the system, ransomware and malicious website protection, and effectiveness against a broad spectrum of viruses, including the emerging ones.

In order to better understand the features and functions of these antivirus programs, it’s best to look a bit deeper into each of them separately.

Malwarebytes Features

Malwarebytes comes packed with a lot of features. But, their availability depends on the version of the program you use: the free or the paid.

The free version includes:

• Real-time virus and threat protection – makes sure your device is always protected from viruses and other malicious processes.
• Ransomware protection – prevents ransomware from stealing your private (sensitive) data.
• Threat prevention – prevents viruses and malware to enter your device and access your data.
• Malicious website and bad URL protection – prevents websites from installing a virus on the same as well as accessing links that probably contain some kind of threat.

The paid version comes with all these features, plus:

• Virus identification and management – identifies the viruses that accessed your device, quarantines them, and removes them from the device. It can manage various types of threats, including common viruses, malware, PUPs, Trojans, and more.
• Future threats prevention – prevents future threats to access your device by using behavior analysis, signature identification, and heuristics.
• Hackers’ attacks prevention – prevents hackers from accessing your device and stealing your data.
• HyperScan mode – scans only for active threats which reduces the number of system resources used for scanning, thus having a low impact on your device performance.

Apart from these key features, Malwarebytes also has several other features, including:

• Quick deployments
• Flexible push-install options
• Network endpoints discovery
• Asset management
• Centralized threat management and reporting

Webroot Features

Considered as a basic antivirus program, Webroot offers some impressive features, including:

• Virus protection and removal – scans your device for viruses and other threats, identifies them, and removes them.
• Webcam protection – monitors and identifies webcam processes that want to access your privacy by taking photos and recording live videos.
• Malicious websites and anti-phishing protection – prevents you from visiting websites that want to steal your personal information.
• Identity theft protection – keeps your data of online accounts, such as login credentials and payment card information, safe.
• Quick scans – performs quick scans to lower the impact on the device.
• Offline protection – ensures your device is safe even when it’s not connected to the internet.
• Infrared shield – blocks websites that look suspicious, thus blocking treats as soon as they appear.
• Outbound firewall – block malicious apps on your device from connecting to the internet.
• Heuristics – helps prevent future threat attacks
• Multi-environment support

Malwarebytes vs Webroot: Features Comparison

Now that we’ve briefly looked at the features of each of these antivirus programs, we can compare them to identify which one is better and in which aspect. For an easier and better user experience, we’ve divided all aspects in question into various categories.

Ease of Use

We start with the basic aspect, which users consider one of the most important features as each user has a different tech-skills level. Comparing both programs, it can be noticed that Malwarebytes is super-easy to use, with an intuitive interface, which makes it suitable even for complete novices. Webroot, on the other hand, is quite easy to use, but it can be somewhat difficult for those that aren’t very tech-savvy. Therefore, Malwarebytes wins here.

Features

Both programs offer a broad range of impressive features that protect your device from viruses and malicious processes. They also do a great job in removing them. However, Malwarebytes focuses on protecting your device from threats and cyber criminals but nothing more than that.

On the other hand, Webroot offers more with its identity theft protection, webcam protection, offline protection, infrared shield, and an outbound firewall. Namely, it protects from hackers invading your privacy by taking photos and recording videos via your webcam. Also, it prevents threats from the internet access your devices and vice versa, viruses on your device from being connected to the internet. And, it protects your device even when you’re not online.

Although both of them share some of their features, it’s clear that Webroot outruns Malwarebytes in terms of their features as it protects your device much better.

Security

The great thing about these programs is that they both offer great security features, aiming to protect your device to the max. Namely, they both prevent viruses, malware, malicious sites and apps, and hackers from accessing your device. They both regularly scan your device looking for some sort of threat and if they find some, they quarantine it and remove it afterward.

Malwarebytes offers protection against common viruses, malicious websites, bad URLs, ransomware, and rootkit. In this way, it ensures your device doesn’t “get in contact” with potential threats that want to harm the system, invade your privacy, and steal your data.

Webroot, on the other hand, does all that, plus it protects your webcam from being accessed by hackers, prevents cybercriminals from accessing and stealing your identity, keeps your online account info safe, offers safe browsing and offline protection, and prevents threats already found on your device from getting to the internet. In this way, it not only protects your device but also the internet, thus elevating the security to a much higher level.

Integrations

Having third-party integrations plays a great role in enhancing the protection offered by the antivirus program. Therefore, you’ll be pleased to find out that both of these programs integrate with numerous third-party apps.

Malwarebytes offers the following integrations serving different purposes:

• Endpoint management platforms: Microsoft, IBM, Forescout, Intel Security, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Tanium.
• Breach detection systems: Cisco, LastLine, Palo Alto Networks, and FireEye.
• Security information and event management: Intel Security, IBM, Splunk, ArcSight, and LogRhythm.
• Remote monitoring and management: NinjaMSP, Kaseya, Continuum, Lab Tech, Plum Choice, and PadialPoint.

Webroot also integrates with third-party apps but only for the business plan. As they claim on their site, they collaborate with the best vendors in business intelligence, professional services automation, remote monitoring and management, reporting, and more to help businesses grow more effectively and streamline their operations. It integrates with:

• Atera
• Datto RMM
• BrightGauge
• ConnectWise
• Continuum
• Kaseya
• Ninja RMM
• Pax8
• Pulseway
• Syncro
• Perch

Based on this, we can say that both programs offer more or less the same number of integrations. Malwarebytes may have a slight advance as it has a bit more integration partners than Webroot. Plus, the integrations are available in both plans, not like Webroot which offers them only in the business plan.

Supported Languages

Malwarebytes is available in 4 languages, including English, Dutch, Polish, and Turkish. On the other hand, Webroot is available only in English. Since there’s not much to discuss, we can conclude that Malwarebytes is better in this aspect because it’s accessible by people who don’t know English or feel more comfortable using their native language.

Supported Devices

Being able to use your antivirus program on various devices is a great advance because you will be able to protect each one you use from threats. A bit disappointing here is that none of these programs are available for most operative systems. However, they still work on 3 of them.

Malwarebytes is available on Windows, Mac, and Android whereas Webroot is available on Windows, Mac, and has a web-based version.

The winner?

We think it’s a tie because they are both available on Windows OS, Mac OS, and while Malwarebytes is available on Android devices, Webroot can be accessed online. In that way, they can work on the most common operative systems (devices).

Customer Support

Wouldn’t you love to be able to get help whenever you need it when using a product or an app?

Well, it’s a bit disappointing that none of these programs has live chat support, which most of us (if not all) find the most helpful. Nonetheless, they both offer support via phone and tickets. Plus, Malwarebytes offers trainings to users to learn how to use the program whereas Webroot offers email support. Therefore, we can say that here, too, it’s a tie.

Malwarebytes vs Webroot: Pricing

And, we come to the last, but one of the most important things to consider – the price. Let’s see what these programs have to offer here.

Malwarebytes Pricing Plans

Malwarebytes has two pricing plans: personal and business.

The personal plan offers three different prices based on the supported devices. Those are:

• 1 device – $3.33/month, billed annually
• 5 devices – $6.67/month, billed annually
• 5 devices + VPN – $8.33/month, billed annually

The business plan, on the other hand, offers three different packages based on the company’s needs and supported devices. Those are:

• For Teams – $49.99 – $799.80 per year, for 1 to 20 devices. Best for protecting less than 20 devices.
• Endpoint Protection – $699.90 – $5.939,01 per year, for 10 to 99 devices. For more than 99 devices, contact the sales. Best for protecting more than 10 devices, hence, larger businesses that want to protect their devices and manage endpoints remotely.
• Endpoint Protection and Response – $849.90 – $7.151,76 per year, for 10 to 99 devices. For more than 99 devices, contact the sales. Best for protecting more than 10 devices, hence, for larger businesses that want to protect their devices but also endpoint protection, detection, and response.

Free Trial

There is a 14-day free trial but users will be able to use the program with limited features.

Webroot Pricing Plans

Webroot, just like Malwarebytes, has two pricing plans: for home users and for businesses.

The plan for home users offers various prices, based on the number of supported devices and the type of solution chosen (according to your needs). Those are:

• AntiVirus – $39.99 for 1 device; $49.99 for 3 devices – annually
• Internet Security Plus – $59.99 for 3 devices; $69.99 for 5 devices – annually
• Internet Security Complete – $79.99 for 5 devices – annually
• Internet Security Complete (Family Pack) – $159.99 for 10 devices – annually
• Antivirus for PC Gamers – $39.99 for 1 device – annually
• WiFi Security VPN – $59.99 for 3 devices; $79.99 for 5 devices – annually

*If you purchase multi-year licenses, there are additional discounts.

The plan for businesses, on the other hand, offers various prices based on the business’ size and needs. Those are:

• Business Endpoint Protection – $150 for 5 seats; $690 for 25 seats; for 50+ seats, you need to request a quote
• DNS Protection – $150 for 5 seats; $690 for 25 seats; for 50+ seats, you need to request a quote
• Security Awareness Training – $150 for 5 seats; $690 for 25 seats; for 50+ seats, you need to request a quote

*There is tiered pricing and discounts for multiple-year licenses.

Free Trial

Yes, just like Malwarebytes, Webroot also offers a 14-day free trial.