EmailBest Reviewed
Spam Filters
- Best web-based spam-filtering service ClearMyMail *Est. $3
- Best anti-spam software Cloudmark Desktop *Est. $40
- Free spam blocker BullGuard Spamfilter *Est. $0
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Best web-based spam-filtering service
- Very accurate
- Low false positives
- Works with all operating systems
- Works with all POP3 email clients
- Non-POP webmail accounts not supported
- Setup can be complicated
- Ongoing costs
ClearMyMail is a subscription-based anti-spam service that, according to the manufacturer, filters messages 18 ways before sending them on to the user's inbox. Because the filtration takes place remotely, there's none of the system drag associated with locally installed software. The downside is that ClearMyMail can be cumbersome to set up. Reviewers like the fact that, unlike most spam filters, ClearMyMail can be used with any operating system and even portable devices like a BlackBerry. The service does very well in independent tests, catching close to 100 percent of test spam with very few false positives. If you prefer an anti-spam program that installs directly onto your computer, reviewers recommend Cloudmark Desktop (*est. $40 per year).
ClearMyMail is reviewed by two U.K.-based technology magazines: PC Advisor and WebUser. Both offer some basic testing and balanced reviews. TechRadar.com, a British website, has an interesting write-up based on a 30-day test. All three reviews are informative and relatively objective, but we would have liked to see some in-depth comparison with other anti-spam products.
Our Sources
1. PC Advisor
There's some informal testing mentioned in this mostly descriptive review. ClearMyMail gets the PC Advisor Gold award; author John E. Dunn is impressed with the accuracy and low false-positive rate.
Review: ClearMyMail Spam Blocker and Antivirus Software Review, John E Dunn, April 14, 2008
2. WebUser
ClearMyMail doesn't do quite as well in WebUser's eyes, earning third place instead of first. Performance on the site's tests is admirable, though: perfect spam detection with no false negatives.
Review: ClearMyMail Review, Robin Nixon, March 27, 2008
Editors at TechRadar.com report that ClearMyMail had perfect performance in the site's 30-day informal test. The site reports that ClearMyMail blocked 392 emails in its 30-day test, or about 94 percent of what was received. Most impressively, not one spam message got through, while not one legitimate message was blocked.
Review: ClearMyMail Review, Editors of TechRadar.com, June 28, 2007
This very short review doesn't go into detail about testing or performance. Andrew Zarkesh gives ClearMyMail a four-star rating, saying it works well for accounts that get a lot spam.
Review: Review: ClearMyMail Utility Software, Andrew Zarkesh, Oct. 2007
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