Malwarebytes vs PC Matic
Features, use cases, pros and cons, and pricing side by side — and which one to pick.
Quick verdict: Choose Malwarebytes if you want a documented all-in-one security suite with human support; pick PC Matic only if starting free matters more than knowing exactly what you get.
Best for: Households that want one subscription covering up to 10 devices, People more worried about scam links and phishing than classic viruses
Read the full Malwarebytes reviewBest for: Home users who want a single product covering viruses, ransomware, and identity theft instead of multiple overlapping tools, Non-technical users who prefer default-deny protection over responding to constant security alerts
Read the full PC Matic reviewCommission may apply at no extra cost
Malwarebytes vs PC Matic: features compared
Compare key features side by side
Feature Comparison Summary
Which should you choose?
Choose Malwarebytes if
- You want antivirus, VPN, and identity protection in one subscription.
- You need coverage for 3, 10, or 20 devices, including family plans.
- You value 24/7 human support and a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Choose PC Matic if
- You're comfortable researching features yourself before committing.
Malwarebytes vs PC Matic: pros and cons
Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes bundles antivirus, scam checking, a VPN (from Plus), and identity protection with up to $2M insurance (Ultimate) into one annual subscription, backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee. That's broad coverage, but billing is annual-only and lower tiers skip key features. Overall, it's a solid, recommendable pick for households and multi-device users who don't need monthly billing.
Pros
- Scam Guard is included in every plan, letting you paste a suspicious link or screenshot for a verdict before you click—plus Browser Guard is billed as the world's first browser extension built specifically to detect and stop tech support scams.
- Ultimate tiers bundle full identity protection — dark web scanning, credit monitoring, live agent-supported recovery, an online personal data remover, and up to $2 million in identity theft insurance.
- Family Ultimate covers 2 adults, 10 kids, and 10 devices under a single $199.99/year subscription, which is unusually broad coverage for one annual plan.
Cons
- There is no monthly billing option—all nine plans are billed annually, and the pricing page doesn't spell out cancellation steps, so you should review the terms of service before checkout.
- Core tiers leave gaps — the VPN requires Plus or above, while identity protection, the $2M insurance, and the personal data remover are locked to Ultimate ($139.99+/yr), so the $59.99 Standard plan is antivirus and browsing protection only.
- Individual Ultimate covers just one adult; households or couples wanting identity protection for two adults must step up to the Family Ultimate plan.
PC Matic
PC Matic swaps signature-matching for application allowlisting, so unknown malware and ransomware are denied before they run — a real structural advantage against zero-day attacks. The trade-offs are possible blocking of legitimate new software, yearly-only billing, and no independent lab results in view. Overall, it's a credible pick for non-technical home users who'll trial the free plan first.
Pros
- Allowlisting blocks brand-new and zero-day malware by default — threats with no signature in any database are still denied execution, unlike signature-dependent scanners.
- Ransomware defense is structural rather than reactive — an unrecognized encryption process is stopped before it runs, not detected mid-attack.
- All-in-one consolidation covers viruses, ransomware, and identity theft in a single product, avoiding the cost and complexity of stacking multiple security tools.
Cons
- Allowlisting can block legitimate but not-yet-vetted software, so installing new or niche applications may require manually whitelisting them.
- Paid protection is structured around yearly subscriptions; users who prefer month-to-month flexibility should confirm current billing terms with the vendor.
- The scope of the free plan is not fully detailed, so verify what it includes before relying on it as full-time protection.
Malwarebytes and PC Matic in detail
Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes is an all-in-one cybersecurity suite for individuals, families, and small businesses. It combines real-time antivirus, safe web browsing with scam and ad blocking, a privacy VPN, and identity theft protection with up to $2 million in insurance. It runs on PCs, Macs, Androids, and iPhones, and a free virus and malware scan is available before you buy.
Standout features
- Real-time antivirus that catches what others miss
- Scam Guard: check before you click
- Cleaner, faster browsing with Browser Guard
- Privacy and identity protection built in
Use cases
- One subscription for the whole family
- Safer browsing on public Wi-Fi
- Double-check shady links before you click
- Protect devices at a small business
PC Matic
PC Matic is an all-in-one security platform that combines antivirus, ransomware defense, and identity theft protection in a single product. Its core defense mechanism is application allowlisting: instead of trying to recognize and blacklist every piece of malware ever created, the software maintains a catalog of trusted applications and blocks anything unfamiliar from executing. This inverts the traditional antivirus model, so unknown threats are denied by default rather than caught only after they have been identified and cataloged. The platform is built to guard against sophisticated cyber attacks, including modern ransomware that mutates faster than signature files can be updated.
Standout features
- Application Allowlisting Engine
- Ransomware Protection
- Identity Theft Protection
- All-in-One Consolidated Security
Use cases
- Households Protecting Irreplaceable Files
- Non-Technical Users Who Want Set-and-Forget Security
- Users Concerned About Zero-Day and Novel Attacks
Pricing compared
List prices from each vendor's pricing page, before taxes and add-ons. Costs are per month.
| Pricing compared | Malwarebytes | PC Matic |
|---|---|---|
| From (cheapest paid plan) | $5/mo Standard (Individual) | $2.50/mo PC Matic Privacy (add-on) |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | Yes | Not stated |
| Money-back guarantee | 60 days | Not stated |
| Annual billing savings | — | — |
| Pricing model | Flat price | Flat price |
| Cost for 1 user | $5/mo Standard (Individual) plan, billed annually | $2.50/moCheaper PC Matic Privacy (add-on) plan, billed annually |
| Cost for 5 users | $5/mo Standard (Individual) plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) | $2.50/mo PC Matic Privacy (add-on) plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Cost for 10 users | $5/mo Standard (Individual) plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) | $2.50/mo PC Matic Privacy (add-on) plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Cost for 25 users | $5/mo Standard (Individual) plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) | $2.50/mo PC Matic Privacy (add-on) plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Plans | 9 | 6 |
| Prices checked | Checked Sep 28, 2026 | Vendor page checked Oct 13, 2026 |
| Price history | Tracking prices since Sep 7, 2026. No price change detected yet. | Tracking prices since Oct 1, 2026. No price change detected yet. |
- Cheapest plan that fits each team size. Per-user plans are multiplied by the number of users (respecting stated minimums and seat packs). Plans that include some users cost their base price plus the extra-user price for each user beyond those included. Flat-priced plans with no stated user limit are counted as one licence per user.
Cheaper for your team size
For 1 user (billed annually), PC Matic costs $2.50/mo vs Malwarebytes at $5/mo.
Computed from published list prices on the dates shown. Excludes taxes, add-ons and promotions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which protects more devices?
Malwarebytes plans cover 3, 10, or 20 devices, including family tiers for two adults and ten kids. PC Matic's device limits aren't published, so confirm before you buy.