Best Free Anti-Spyware to Use

Being an internet surfer has never been more dangerous than today. Spyware is all around us, and getting infected is incredibly easy as the newer tools have massively evolved and can now effortlessly find system vulnerabilities.

Fortunately, protecting your PC and data from ever-evolving threats is possible, and countless free tools can help. They're the topic of our article, and today, we'll delve deeper into the best free anti-spyware tools. We'll show you what features to consider when picking the best spyware remover tool, review top apps, and provide tips on achieving 100% protection.

How to Select the Best Free Anti-Spyware

Choosing a reliable and free anti-spyware app can be challenging, but knowing what to look for can make the task much more manageable. Therefore, you should consider the following aspects:

• Scan Features – Whether it's an anti-spyware app or antivirus program, the tool you pick should include various customizable quick and deep scan options to check your disk drives and peripheral devices thoroughly.
• Quarantine Tools – Instead of notifying you about detected threats, an anti-spyware tool should automatically and immediately quarantine potentially unwanted programs.
• Real-Time Protection – While most antivirus and anti-spyware apps offer on-demand scans, a handful of these tools provide continuous and automatic 24/7 protection.
• OS Compatibility – Many anti-spyware apps are Windows-oriented, but a few companies also offer Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android apps.

While most free versions don't have all of these features, the best spyware cleaner will provide at least essential versions of these features.

Best Free Spyware Remover & Cleaner

Now that we know what features are worth considering, we can delve into the best spyware remover apps that have at least a few of the abovementioned tools:

AVG Free Antivirus

The free AVG antivirus provides excellent computer, web, and email security. This fully-equipped app has a real-time guard with constant 24/7 monitoring, effectively detecting and removing spyware, adware, malware, viruses, trojans, worms, keyloggers, etc. While free, it offers customizable scanning tools, where Deep Scan stands out, making AVG one of the best spyware removers.

Key Features

• Deep Scan can be configured to scan the file's contents and open archived files;
• AVG can scan your files in a written-on-disk order, significantly increasing the scan's speed;
• There's a dedicated tool for checking external storage devices for spyware and adware.

Supported Platforms

• Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11;
• macOS 10.11, 10.12, 10.13, 10.14. 10.15, 11, 12 and 13.

Malwarebytes

As one of the most recognizable names in the security industry, Malwarebytes is among the best spyware cleaners you can get today. Installing and using the app is easy, and the free version comes with excellent anti-spyware tools, like heuristic analysis and AI threat-blocking features. However, real-time protection is only available in the premium version.

Key Features

• There's a heuristic analyzer tool that significantly helps detect and locate unwanted apps;
• It's available in File Explorer's context menu, letting you run a scan with a right-click from anywhere on the PC;
• Malwarebytes' AI-powered tools are excellent at blocking web threats and ransomware.

Supported Platforms

• Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11;
• macOS 10.12 – macOS 13;
• iOS (Malwarebytes Mobile Security).

TotalAV

The free version of the TotalAV tool comes with a basic scanner and essential anti-spyware tools. It's compatible with all popular device types and is straightforward to install on your system. However, the app lacks real-time monitoring, anti-phishing scams, automatic definition updates, or a VPN.

Key Features

• The free app lets you test-drive premium tools like Application Uninstaller, WebShield, and Data Breach Check for 48 hours;
• On-demand scan quickly combs through your system and is effective at finding threats;
• TotalAV includes malicious URL blocking and anti-phishing features.

Supported Platforms

• Windows;
• macOS;
• Android;
• iOS.

SUPERAntiSpyware

Although the SUPERAntiSpyware Pro edition gets much more love with advanced tools and AI, the free edition of this app is no slouch either. Paired with a next-gen scanning tool and interrogation features to detect hard-to-find threats, the free SUPERAntiSpyware effortlessly handles spyware, adware, malware, ransomware, as well as trojans, worms, hijackers, rootkits, and keyloggers.

Key Features

• It's a lightweight app that can fix Windows registries and broken network connections;
• It comes with an integrated SUPERAdBlocker for removing browser cookies;
• The app's Process Interrogation Technology scans for rootkits and hidden spyware.

Supported Platforms

• Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11.

Avast Free Antivirus

Developed by Avast Software, this free-antispyware tool is among the best programs you can get today. The antivirus tool has been in the security game since 1995, receiving countless updates and new features to help protect your device. Today, it's a cross-platform app with thorough and customizable scans, real-time protection, and various security tools.

Key Features

• Hardened Mode can immensely tighten up your device's security;
• You can block unrecognized files with CyberCapture and start scans from the File Explorer;
• It includes tools like VPN, Wi-Fi inspector, app updater, web and mail protection, etc.

Supported Platforms

• Windows 7 – 11;
• macOS 10.11 – macOS 13;
• Android (Avast Mobile Security);
• iOS (Avast Mobile Security).

Adaware Antivirus

Characterized by a modern and clean user interface, the Adaware antivirus app is a reliable option against spyware by providing real-time protection, customizable, scheduled, and thorough on-demand scans, webcam and mic-blocking features, and web protection. It can also clean up unwanted files, repair Windows registries, and boost your PC's performance by managing memory and startup apps.

Key Features

• Adaware primarily stops spyware, but the tool also searches and blocks other digital threats;
• The app includes the boot sector, rootkit, registry, and archive scans;
• Even the free Adaware tool automatically scans for spyware 24/7.

Supported Platforms

• Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11.

Bitdefender Total Security

Although Bitdefender no longer includes free apps, Total Security still deserves a spot on this list. Its firewall, antispam, tune-up, online management, and ransomware protection make it one of the best spyware removers. While it's a premium app through a 30-day free trial, we strongly encourage you to try it.

Key Features

• The anti-spyware tool comes with VPN, firewall, and anti spam filters included;
• There are numerous parental control features inside the app;
• Bitdefender offers tune-up tools to increase the performance of your system.

Supported Platforms

• Windows;
• macOS;
• iOS;
• Android.

HouseCall

Developed by Trend Micro, HouseCall is a tiny, simple, portable app that scans your computer for spyware and removes unwanted programs. This lightweight program works on Windows and Mac, and although it doesn't take up a lot of space or system resources, it provides a complete malware, spyware, and adware scanner.

Key Features

• The lightweight app runs as an executable file you don't need to install before using;
• It offers highly customizable scans that can include your entire home network;
• HouseCall provides a detailed threat report, letting you take quick action after scanning.

Supported Platforms

• Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and 11;
• macOS 10.12 – macOS 13.

Bonus Tip: Ensuring Complete Data Safety

It's worth mentioning that neither free nor premium antivirus tools are 100% secure. Viruses and malware are rapidly evolving and increasing the complexity of their sophisticated attack strategies with the help of AI. That's why a few malicious programs will always be able to slip past your PC's defenses.

On top of that, most antiviruses, especially the free ones, collect a lot of user information. If sold to advertisers or leaked, it can indirectly compromise your device, leading to sensitive and financial info appearing on the web, identity theft, and data loss.

To ensure 100% data safety, we have some tips here for you.

👉Improve Your Computing Habits

Safe computing practices can significantly decrease the chances of losing sensitive and financial information.

Habits like keeping your computer updated, using the latest versions of drivers and apps, checking your program list for unwanted malicious apps, downloading from trusted sources, staying away from malicious Image names, using 2-step verification, etc., are all precious practices in today's world of sophisticated virus attacks and breaches.

👉Use a Data Recovery Tool

As mentioned, no best spyware cleaner is 100% secure. The ones we've discussed will block 98% of online threats, but there's always a chance that a newer, advanced malware or virus infects your PC and causes data loss.

That's why a dedicated data recovery application, like Wondershare Recoverit, is an excellent idea for preparing yourself for the worst-case scenario.

Supporting over 1,000 file types like pictures, music, videos, and documents and working well with over 2,000 different storage devices, this app makes it effortless to retrieve lost data.

Whether you've lost files due to virus attacks, interrupted file transfers, failing HDD/SSD, system crashes, or encryption and ransomware, Wondershare Recoverit can help. Using it in such situations is also straightforward:

1. Launch Wondershare Recoverit and select Hard Drives and Locations to the left.

   


Note: Click Hard Disk Drives to recover files from virus-infected internal hard drives; Select External Drives to recover deleted data from external devices;
2. Click on a disk drive that has experienced data loss, and the app will begin a scan.

   

3. Use file filters to look for particular data types.

   

4. Add keywords to look for specific files.

   

5. Preview files when Recoverit finds them to verify their integrity before recovering.

   

6. When ready, pause or stop the scan and hit Recover to save the found data to a PC. Alternatively, you can let the scan complete.

   

That's all there is to it. With safe computing practices and a reliable antivirus app, Recoverit will take your data security to another level, significantly reducing the risk of data loss on your PC or Mac.

Conclusion

The recent rise of spyware programs has led to an evolution in anti-spyware apps. Today, even free anti-spyware comes with heuristic analysis, deep scans, automatic updates, enhanced quarantine tools, and real-time protection, making your PC's security more manageable.

Selecting an app that will safeguard your data can be challenging with all the current competition. Thus, we've covered some essential features to look for in a free anti-spyware tool and reviewed the best spyware removers to make your choice easier.

When you combine such free spyware software with safe computing habits, you get a safe environment where sensitive information will be secure. Even if threats slip past your defenses, a reliable data recovery tool like Wondershare Recoverit can help save your vital files.