Best Reviewed
Spam Filters
- Best web-based spam-filtering service ClearMyMail *Est. $25
- Best anti-spam software Cloudmark Desktop *Est. $40
- Free spam blocker Spamfighter *Est. $0
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- Free
- Versatile once you learn to use it
- Works with any computer system
- Effective once you "train" it
- Difficult setup for novices
- Eats some hard drive space
The problem with free anti-spam software is that you'll need some technical skill to use it. Reviewers like the effectiveness of POPFile 1.1 (and older versions) compared with other freebies, but it uses Bayesian filtering, which must be "trained" to recognize what you consider spam, while most paid anti-spam software is partially trained when you buy it. Even reviewers who write for a tech-savvy audience forewarn that this will be a time-consuming process, although the highly skilled can customize the program to do basically anything. One plus is that it works with any operating system, but consequently, another criticism is that it can slow down the computer's performance. For non-techies who want to save hard-drive space, reviews suggest ClearMyMail (*Est. $25 per year) or $3.50 per month, where messages are automatically routed to the program and filtered from there.
We found the best reviews at Choice magazine and About.com, the latter of which ranks 14 free spam filters and rates POPFile 1.0 as the best of the lot. Softpedia.com also has a brief evaluation.
Our Sources
1. Choice magazineDetails/Subscribe
Choice is Australia's consumer review magazine. Like ConsumerReports.org in the U.S., it prides itself on its independent testing and unbiased reviews. Editors include seven free spam filters, including POPFile, in their latest coverage. Software is tested on how well it identifies spam, how much legitimate email it blocks and how easy it is to use.
Review: Spam Filtering: Review & Compare, Editors of Choice magazine, Feb. 2009
2. About.com
Reviewer Heinz Tschabitscher oversees About.com's guide to email and rates 14 free anti-spam programs, although it's not clear what criterion was used to test them. POPFile 1.0, rated number one, is "powerful and flexible" but can eat a lot of memory and CPU load. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Top 14 Free Spam Filters for Windows, Heinz Tschabitscher, Not Dated
Softpedia.com has a short description of POPFile along with a short evaluation: "Overall, POPfile provides great flexibility and accurate filtering, however it does require at least some basic understanding of email and POP accounts in order to use it effectively." Users who have downloaded the software have also given it a rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars but have posted no user reviews.
Review: POPFile 1.1.1, Editors of and Contributors to Softpedia.com, As of April 2010
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