Webroot vs Malwarebytes: Which Should You Use?
A practical comparison of features, pricing, ease of use, best use cases and value for money.
Webroot vs Malwarebytes at a glance
| Criteria | Webroot | Malwarebytes |
|---|---|---|
| Main use case | Cloud-first AV / MSP tool | Malware cleanup + lightweight AV |
| Install size | Tiny (a few MB) | Small |
| System impact | Very low | Very low |
| Free version | No | Yes — on-demand scanner |
| Detection quality | Weaker in independent labs | Strong for cleanup and PUPs |
| Pricing | From ~$29.99/yr AntiVirus | From ~$44.99/yr Premium |
| Best for | Older machines, MSPs | Cleanup + light users |
| Weaknesses | Detection scores lag | Fewer extras than full suites |
| ToolMoneyLab score | 84 / 100 | 89 / 100 |
| CTA | Try Webroot → | Try Malwarebytes → |
Choose Webroot if you're deploying to older machines or through an MSP console and need the smallest possible footprint.
Choose Malwarebytes if you want stronger cleanup, better independent-lab performance and a real free tier for on-demand scans.
The details that matter
| Feature | Webroot | Malwarebytes |
|---|---|---|
| Main use case | Cloud-first AV / MSP tool | Malware cleanup + lightweight AV |
| Install size | Tiny (a few MB) | Small |
| System impact | Very low | Very low |
| Free version | No | Yes — on-demand scanner |
| Detection quality | Weaker in independent labs | Strong for cleanup and PUPs |
| Pricing | From ~$29.99/yr AntiVirus | From ~$44.99/yr Premium |
| Best for | Older machines, MSPs | Cleanup + light users |
| Weaknesses | Detection scores lag | Fewer extras than full suites |
| ToolMoneyLab score | 84 / 100 | 89 / 100 |
What you'll actually pay
Webroot AntiVirus starts around $29.99/yr. Malwarebytes Premium starts around $44.99/yr. Both scale to multi-device and family tiers.
Pricing changes frequently, so always check the official website before subscribing.
What we liked and didn't
Webroot — Pros
- Extremely small install (a few MB)
- Very fast scans thanks to cloud lookups
- Strong MSP and remote-management story
- Runs well on older hardware
Webroot — Cons
- Detection scores lag Bitdefender and ESET
- Fewer bundled extras
Malwarebytes — Pros
- Best-in-class malware and PUP removal
- Very lightweight footprint
- Browser Guard blocks trackers and scams
- Runs alongside other antivirus tools
Malwarebytes — Cons
- Fewer bundled extras than full suites
- Free version is on-demand only
The bottom line
Choose Webroot for the lightest deployment.
Choose Malwarebytes for stronger cleanup and detection.
Our editorial call on Webroot vs Malwarebytes
After spending real time with both Webroot and Malwarebytes, our editorial view is that these tools solve overlapping problems in very different ways. Webroot is built for older devices, msps and users who want the smallest possible install., while Malwarebytes is aimed at users who want fast cleanup and lightweight always-on protection.. Neither is objectively "better" — the right answer depends on the work you actually do, not on which product has the flashier launch video.
Malwarebytes takes the edge on our internal scorecard (89/100 vs 84/100), but that headline number hides the nuance. Webroot tends to win on extremely small install (a few mb), while Malwarebytes pulls ahead on best-in-class malware and pup removal. If your workflow leans heavily into either of those, the "winner" for you changes.
Our recommendation is to pick the tool that matches the way you already work, rather than the one with the broader marketing footprint. The gap between them is not large enough to justify fighting your own habits — but it is large enough that the wrong choice will cost you time every day for months.
- Older devices
- MSPs
- users who want the smallest possible install
- Users who want fast cleanup
- lightweight always-on protection
- Extremely small install (a few MB)
- Very fast scans thanks to cloud lookups
- Strong MSP and remote-management story
- Best-in-class malware and PUP removal
- Very lightweight footprint
- Browser Guard blocks trackers and scams
- Webroot: Detection scores lag Bitdefender and ESET
- Malwarebytes: Fewer bundled extras than full suites
On pure value, Malwarebytes currently offers the stronger price-to-capability ratio for its target audience, but Webroot remains the better spend when its speciality is the deciding factor.
Most readers should start with Malwarebytes for users who want fast cleanup and lightweight always-on protection., and consider Webroot when older devices, msps and users who want the smallest possible install. is the dominant use case.
How The Tool Money Lab evaluates every comparison
Every comparison published by The Tool Money Lab is written by editors who use these products in day-to-day work. We weigh the factors below against the reader profile the comparison is aimed at, and we call out situations where the affiliate-linked product is NOT the right choice. Where we have used a product extensively ourselves — Lovable is the clearest example, since this site is built with it — we disclose that in the review. Where a recommendation includes affiliate links, we may earn a commission when you sign up, at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships never change the editorial conclusion: if the paid product is worse for you, we say so.
Disclosure: pages on The Tool Money Lab may contain affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you sign up through them, at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships never change our editorial conclusion — if a paid product is the wrong choice for you, we say so.
Webroot
The cloud-first antivirus with a tiny footprint and MSP heritage.
Malwarebytes
The malware-removal specialist with a lightweight real-time engine.
Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you sign up through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Our comparisons remain independent and based on practical testing.
Webroot vs Malwarebytes FAQ
Is Webroot still competitive?+
It's the lightest antivirus you can install, but its independent-lab detection scores lag category leaders.
Can I use both?+
Yes — Malwarebytes is designed to coexist with a primary AV like Webroot.
Which is better for older PCs?+
Webroot — its cloud-first model uses very little local RAM or disk.
Does either replace a full suite?+
For power users — no. For lightweight always-on cover, Malwarebytes Premium is closer to a full AV.
Which is better for MSPs?+
Webroot — it has a long history of MSP integration and remote-management tooling.
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