ConsumerReports.org

 
September 2006
Ratings Antispyware

 

Webroot Spy Sweeper
Spybot web page
  Webroot Spybot


Availbility Most products at stores through October 2006.
Within types, in performance order.  indicate Quick Picks. Products with equal scores are listed alphabetically.
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Quick pick Product Price Annual fee Official site Overall score Test results Features
   









 

F-Secure Anti-Spyware 2006

$60 $50 f-secure.com
89.

Webroot Spy Sweeper 4.5

25 20 webroot.com
89.
 

PC Tools Spyware Doctor 3.8

30 20 pctools.com
88.
   
 

Trend Micro Anti-Spyware 3

30 30 trendmicro.com
85.
 
 

Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Plus 1.06

30 10 lavasoft.de
79.
 

Spybot Search and Destroy 1.4

Free None spybot.info
77.
 
 

Zone Labs Zone Alarm Anti-Spyware 6.5

30 20 zonealarm.com
76.
 

Sunbelt Software CounterSpy

20 10 sunbeltsoftware.com
70.
   
 

CA/eTrust Pest Patrol

30 20 pestpatrol.com
67.
   
 

BitDefender Antispyware 9

30 22 bitdefender.com
51.
   
 

McAfee AntiSpyware 2006

30 30 http://us.mcafee.com
44.
   
 

Microsoft Windows Defender (beta 1)

Free None microsoft.com
43.
   
Available only by download.

Guide to the Ratings

Overall score combines blocking, features, and ease of use. Blocking shows how completely the product detected a number of different spyware behaviors and blocked or removed the initiator. Features includes auto update and real-time protection. Ease of use indicates how intuitive the interface is and how easy it is to perform common functions. Protects browser means spyware is prevented from changing your home page and redirecting Web searches. Protects start-up shows which products detect and stop spyware from starting automatically at boot-up. Describes spyware provides extra guidance to help decide whether to remove a detected item. Also in suite means similar software is available in the mfr.’s security suite. Price is for the retail, boxed version; downloads are usually available. All except Trend Micro let you set computer scans for a specific time. All let you selectively restore programs removed as spyware.