# TotalAV vs Malwarebytes

TotalAV and Malwarebytes both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 48% of Malwarebytes's written reviews are positive against 24% of TotalAV's. Malwarebytes also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). TotalAV's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TotalAV sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Malwarebytes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for TotalAV against 4.5 for Malwarebytes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 72K and 109K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 24% of TotalAV's written reviews are positive against 48% of Malwarebytes's.

TotalAV ships an update every 6 weeks, Malwarebytes every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | TotalAV | Malwarebytes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (72K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/totalav/id1130411958/reviews)** | [4.5 (109K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/malwarebytes-mobile-security/id1327105431/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 72K | **109K** |
| Positive reviews | 24.5% of reviews | **47.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #92 | **#38** |
| Size | 60 MB | 128 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Total Security Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1125352474) | [Malwarebytes](https://appshunter.io/developer/610302098) |

## What reviewers say

### TotalAV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/totalav/id1130411958)

**Currently charting:** #92 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

Enhance your mobile security with features like dangerous website blocking, VPN protection for public Wi-Fi, and spam text filtering. It also offers tools to clean up your device by removing duplicate photos and contacts, and alerts you to potential data breaches.

**Highlights:** Smart Scan for security updates, Data Breach Check, Photos & Video Cleanup, Duplicate Contact Finder, WebShield (Premium), VPN for Public Wi-Fi (Premium)

**Features:** Safari Extension

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TotalAV VPN | $4.99 | per month |
| Total AV | $7.99 | per month |
| Total AV Monthly 2 | $7.99 | per month |
| TotalAV Monthly 4 | $7.99 | per month |
| TotalAV Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| TotalAV WebShield Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| TotalAV Monthly 2025 | $10.99 | per month |
| TotalAV Annual 2025 | $47.90 | per year |
| TotalAV 1 Year Subscription | $53.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient photo cleaning
- 💡 Useful security features
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Protects against phishing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections of VPN
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 💰 Deceptive pricing and hidden costs
- 🔒 Ineffective security
- 👎 Difficult to cancel subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with newer iOS versions
- Freezes and crashes phone
- Interferes with device connectivity

**Requested features**

- Automatic malware scanning
- Improved VPN reliability
- Transparent pricing and subscription management


### Malwarebytes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/malwarebytes-mobile-security/id1327105431)

**Currently charting:** #38 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

This app offers comprehensive mobile security and privacy protection for Apple devices. It includes features like ad blocking, scam text filtering, and identity protection. A free trial is available, with ongoing free protection and optional premium subscription features.

**Highlights:** Ad Blocking for Safari, Text Message Filtering, Digital Footprint Scanner, Identity Protection, Secure VPN, Web Protection, Call Protection

**Features:** Safari Extension, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Standard | $2.49 | per month |
| Standard | $19.99 | per year |
| Plus | $44.99 | per year |
| Standard (3 devices) | $59.99 | per year |
| Plus (3 devices) | $79.99 | per year |
| Advanced | $139.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Keeps devices updated and protected
- 🔒 Provides security and peace of mind
- 👍 Easy to use and set up
- 🚀 Excellent protection and performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Activation and subscription issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent or non-functional features
- 🐛 Fails to block spam calls and texts
- 🔋 Drains battery life
- 💰 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Activation and subscription problems
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Inability to scan or detect malware on devices

**Requested features**

- Add bulk reporting of scam numbers
- Improve text message filtering
- Implement automatic updates
- Provide more comprehensive dashboard and scanning capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TotalAV free?

TotalAV is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Malwarebytes free?

Malwarebytes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, TotalAV or Malwarebytes?

TotalAV is rated higher. TotalAV averages 4.6 out of 5 from 72K ratings, while Malwarebytes averages 4.5 from 109K ratings.

### Do TotalAV or Malwarebytes have ads?

Neither TotalAV nor Malwarebytes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TotalAV or Malwarebytes?

TotalAV ships an update every 6 weeks, and Malwarebytes every 3 weeks. Most recently, TotalAV was updated on September 25, 2026 and Malwarebytes on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, TotalAV or Malwarebytes?

TotalAV currently peaks at #92 in the App Store charts, and Malwarebytes at #38. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*