The free version of Malwarebytes is great. You can use it to scan your system for malware, rootkits, and other security issues, and it's simple to block malicious domains and other potentially nasty sites.

However, have you ever thought about upgrading to the paid version of Malwarebytes? Although Malwarebytes is awesome for keeping its free version fully usable, the premium version takes this several steps further.

Which begs the question: Is it worth upgrading to the premium version of Malwarebytes, or should you stick with the free version?

1. Real-Time Protection Is Preemptive

malwarebytes real time protection settings

Exercise and good hygiene are cheaper than visits to the ER. Taking care of your car is cheaper than repairing it when it breaks down. Investing in robust locks and alarms is cheaper than replacing everything when your home is burglarized.

And so it is with computer security.

When it comes to malware, it's safer and more effective to catch potential infections before they take root than diagnosing and cleaning an infected system.

Malwarebytes Free only does manual scans, meaning it can only catch malware after you've been infected. Even if you scan every single day, there will always be a period between scans where your data and system are vulnerable.

Malwarebytes Premium offers real-time protection, which is always on in the background and actively scans files, executables, and websites for malware, ransomware, exploits, and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), preventing infections from happening in the first place. In addition, it's preemptive, so there's never a period of vulnerability.

Considering malware can even use screen resolution to its advantage, protection is vital. I like that you can also see Malwarbytes' global real-time protection numbers for the past 30 days, too.

malwarebytes real time protection 30 days stats

2. Scheduled Scans Are More Convenient

Suppose you don't care about the real-time protection offered by Malwarebytes Premium. Even so, there's a different feature that you may find useful: scheduled scans. Unfortunately, scheduled scans aren't available in the free version.

The most convenient use would be to set a recurring scan—perhaps daily or weekly or even once every 17 hours if you're quirky like that—that automatically runs on its own, so you don't have to worry about it.

You can also run one-time scans scheduled for a specific date and time in the future, which frees you of the need to track and remember.

If a scheduled scan, either one-time or recurring, ever fails to execute for some reason (e.g., your computer was off), you can enable a per-task recovery option that detects missed scans and runs at the next opportunity if it's still within a certain time frame from when it was supposed to run (e.g., within one hour).

3. Anti-Exploits and Anti-Ransomware

Malwarebytes used to have a separate product called Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit, which focused specifically on shielding the security holes and vulnerabilities in popular apps and web browsers against malicious and exploitative attacks.

This feature is now only available through Malwarebytes Premium.

Ransomware is another huge security risk, easily the most infamous form of consumer malware the world has ever seen. It's exactly what it sounds like: an infection that holds your data hostage and demands a ransom with the threat of deletion if you don't (which is what makes ransomware so terrifying).

The scary thing about ransomware is that you usually don't realize it's there until it strikes, and once it's on your system, it can be almost impossible to remove. Ransomware will encrypt your already encrypted data, so it's not like that's any help. Effective ransomware protection is hard to come by, but Malwarebytes Premium delivers.

There are steps you can take if you fall victim to ransomware, but none of it is an easy process, and it's best to avoid it, to begin with.

4. Malwarebytes Takes Security Seriously

Malwarebytes launched in 2006, the company formally incorporated two years later, and the team has been strictly security-focused this entire time. They've been around for quite a while, they're stronger than ever, and they're here to stay.

But that's not even the best part.

Malwarebytes works quickly to fix issues and is transparent about any difficulties they may encounter. For example, in 2016, they were privately notified of a few server-side vulnerabilities and had them fixed within days, then disclosed the incident on the Malwarebytes blog.

Malwarebytes also runs a public bug bounty program where anyone can report software vulnerabilities and be awarded cash prizes between $100 and $1,000, depending on the severity and urgency of the reported vulnerability.

There aren't many security brands that I'd call trustworthy, but of the rare ones that do exist, Malwarebytes sits up there with the best.

One thing to note is that Malwarebytes Premium licenses are per-device, meaning you'll need to license each machine you have. With that in mind, you can grab a significant discount on Malwarebytes Premium licenses, cutting up to 25% from a two-year license, or just check out the 14-day trial to see what you think. The 14-day trial is also useful in a pinch when you're sure something is lurking on your system but aren't quite sure what.

5. Get Tech-Challenged Family Members Off Your Back

malwarebytes home page

Are you tired of mom or dad calling and asking for computer help yet again because everything slowed to a crawl and "the Google" stopped working? It's most likely due to malware, and now you have to head over to clean up their mess.

Malwarebytes Premium can seriously reduce how often this happens or even eliminate the issue altogether.

Active real-time protection against web threats like malvertising, app exploits, and system viruses ensures that issues are caught behind the scenes. So even when grandma or grandpa are tempted to click on a flashing popup, they likely won't be affected by the malware itself and won't complain to you as often.

Is Malwarebytes Premium Worth It?

In a word, Yes. A Malwarebytes Premium subscription is totally worth the money. Full disclaimer, I've used Malwarebytes Premium for years at this point. Malwarebytes haven't sponsored this post nor provided me with a license, ever, but I'd still suggest upgrading to the Premium version because of the unintrusive level of protection it offers you.