Anti-Spyware: Reviews

Spyware Doctor 2011 offers the most effective spyware removal among stand-alone anti-spyware programs, according to reviews. In one comparison test, Spyware Doctor detected more spyware than any other software. Plus… expandreviewers say the interface is easy to use and is intuitive enough that even novice users will be able to protect their systems. A gaming mode helps prevent interruptions while playing games or watching movies. Free telephone support is another plus. While some users complain of system drag, conflicts and crashes, those are complaints we see repeated for nearly all stand-alone anti-spyware programs. One downside is that the free trial does not remove the malware it detects; that requires an upgrade to the paid version. Some reviewers say that limitation makes it difficult for users to decide if the paid software is worth a download. collapse

An Internet security suite includes anti-spyware software in addition to antivirus protection, firewalls, spam filters and parental controls. Using a suite helps prevent conflicts with other security software, a complaint… expandwe see often for stand-alone anti-spyware programs. Norton Internet Security 2011 gets the best reviews and scores highly in independent lab tests. It effectively removes all kinds of malware, including spyware, and gets high marks for its robust firewall. Unlike previous versions, Norton Internet Security is more streamlined and has less of an impact on system performance. Not everyone is a fan of the black interface, and some experts say the spam filter could be improved. Norton Internet Security is more expensive than an individual anti-spyware program, but it is a more elegant and inexpensive solution than installing multiple types of stand-alone security software. collapse

Lavasoft's Ad-Aware Free has an excellent reputation for detecting and removing spyware. Reviewers say it is effective in reducing the threat of spyware and it's easy to use as well. It runs unobtrusively in the… expandbackground and installs quickly. System scans can take some time, but they don't have a large impact on computer performance. Users also report that Ad-Aware Free doesn't conflict with mainstream security software from big names like Symantec. New in this edition, Lavasoft has added antivirus software to its traditional anti-spyware technology. However, tests show that Ad-Aware Free doesn't remove as many rootkits as it finds (spyware and malware programs often use rootkits to evade detection). As a result, experts recommend that you use Ad-Aware Free in connection with another type of antivirus software. There's no telephone support available for users of the free version, so you're limited to online help or user forums. collapse