Free Spam Blockers

Free spam-filtering tools

Most reviewers say free spam tools do not work as well as commercial anti-spam software and services, and their tests confirm a lower degree of accuracy. Similarly, free versions of commercial spam filters have fewer features or annoying prompts to pay for the upgrade. We found reviews of many free spam filters, and each has champions and detractors. POPFile, Spamfighter and Expurgate are the most recommended.

Ian "Gizmo" Richards, former editor of Support Alert newsletter and owner of the Gizmo's Freeware website, says, "Most free spam filters are way too complex to set up and use." He recommends Bayesian filters only for experienced users, or at least people who are willing to make the time investment needed to do the required training. POPFile and SpamBayes are the best Bayesian filters, he says. For inexperienced users, Richards believes the free version of MailWasher is the best choice. However, we found little support elsewhere for the free version of MailWasher. It gets a very brief review at Download.com, whose editors say it's more like a demo for the Pro version. Download users rate it at a middling 3.5 stars out of 5.

POPFile, which uses Bayesian filtering to weed out spam, is rated the number one free spam blocker by About.com's Heinz Tschabitscher. He does admit, though, that it can put strain on a computer's CPU and RAM resources. User reviews largely agree. POPFile gets a very good 4-star rating at Download.com. One user cautions that it's not for computer novices, though, and another notes a "noticeable delay in mail download time."

While commercial Bayesian filters such as MailWasher are partially pre-trained, POPFile is not. You will have to make a time investment before the program is usable. The open-source program works with Linux and Macintosh operating systems as well as with Windows. Installation and setup instructions are complex. The process might be intimidating for many.

Expurgate is another free program that has been gaining some positive attention. About.com's Heinz Tschabitscher says that while it's not as effective as a Bayesian filter like POPFile, it's easier to use because it doesn't require complex configuration, maintenance or training. GeekWithLaptop.com bloggers also like the ease of use.

BullGuard Spamfilter uses multiple techniques to catch spam and keep false positives to a minimum, including a rules-based filter and a community-based component that uses information sent in by other users to further identify spam emails. Finally, the program's whitelist can be set up to automatically include all email addresses -- including copied email addresses -- the user writes to. Web User's Scott Colvey finds the filtering opaque and not customizable, however. Reports say that initial performance is only so-so, but that it improves over time as the program "learns" what to let in and what to block.

Which? magazine's editors say that BullGuard Spamfilter is easy to use and offers decent filtration for a free program; however, it gets an overall rating of only 66 percent. Heinz Tschabitscher at About.com gives Spamfilter a 4-star rating. He likes the ease of use and overall performance; he doesn't like the lack of IMAP support.

Spamfighter is available in a paid Pro addition (*Est. $30 per year) and a free edition. The program is network-based, like Cloudmark Desktop and iHateSpam, and uses the opinions of a community of a couple of million users to make its spam or not-spam decisions. In keeping with this border-free approach, Spamfighter can filter or block emails in over 20 major languages. Spamfighter has some downsides, though. It only works with Microsoft mail programs (Outlook, Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail), and the free version appends a small advertisement to the end of outgoing email. Still, reviewers agree that it works effectively and easily.

Both the paid and free versions are reviewed by Web User, which honors Spamfighter with a Gold Award along with perfect scores for features, performance, ease of use and value. Spamfighter Pro also gets a Gold Award, beating out Cloudmark. PCMag.com's Neil J. Rubenking calls the free edition a "great solution," but adds that those who would rather have the functionality of the Pro version should try Cloudmark instead. In Web User's performance tests, Spamfighter filtered 100 percent of the test spam. Editor Robert Nixon calls the program an "excellent value." Gizmo's Freeware names Spamfighter as among its three best free spam filters for average users. TopTenReviews.com also raves about its simplicity and community-based filtering. Reviewer consensus is that if you use Microsoft mail clients and you can put up with ads in your email -- or are willing to pay $30 per year to get rid of them -- Spamfighter is worth a serious look.

Spamato is another free option that has drawn some positive press attention. Gizmo's Freeware likes this open-source option, placing it just behind POPFile for experienced users. While Spamato uses a variety of anti-spam techniques and works with any email client, it requires the installation of extra plug-ins to do so. Heinz Tschabitscher at About.com agrees, but worries that "the less technically-inclined may be intimidated." He adds, "This is a pity because they miss out on all the Bayesian, rules-based and community filtering of which Spamato is expertly capable."

Google's Gmail and Mozilla's Thunderbird also offer integrated spam filters. We found favorable reviews of both, including their junk-mail filtering capabilities. They are viable alternatives to Outlook Express or Windows Mail, but lack the multifaceted functionality of Outlook. For more information about Gmail, see the ConsumerSearch report on webmail.