Comparison

Malwarebytes vs Verizon Protect

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Malwarebytes

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
Read full description

Malwarebytes delivers mobile security and digital protection beyond your device. We help protect you against online scams, harmful websites, annoying ads, sketchy calls, identity risks, and more. From banking to personal accounts, your phone carries some of your most important information. Malwarebytes keeps you safe with simple, smart security. Malwarebytes is designed for everybody: professionals, families, and first-time smartphone users. No complicated setup. No IT expertise needed. Just easy protection that safeguards your digital life. Start your 7-day free trial to unlock all features. SCAM & CALL PROTECTION Scammers use fake calls, texts, malicious links, and websites to imitate banks, delivery services, retailers, and other trusted brands. Alongside robocall filtering, Malwarebytes helps protect against: - Suspicious text scams and phishing attempts - Malicious links and unsafe websites - Brand impersonation and social engineering attacks - Annoying spam calls SAFER BROWSING & AD BLOCKER Web Protection: Blocks phishing sites and risky links before you enter payment or personal data. Ad blocking: Reduce intrusive ads and trackers while browsing. FAST VPN FOR PRIVATE BROWSING Incognito alone does not hide all of your online activity. Malwarebytes VPN helps protect your privacy on public Wi-Fi or while traveling. Encrypt your internet connection for added privacy Shield your IP address from trackers and advertisers Browse more safely on public Wi-Fi IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION Your email addresses, passwords, and personal information may be exposed in data breaches without you knowing. Digital Footprint Scanner: Run an email scan and check where your personal information may have been leaked. Data breach insights: See where your information may have been exposed and review steps to help secure affected accounts. 24/7 monitoring: Get real-time support and up to $2 million in identity theft insurance WHY CHOOSE MALWAREBYTES? - Mobile security against scams, spam calls, sketchy websites, and more privacy risks. - Built by Malwarebytes, with 17+ years as a trusted name in antivirus and cybersecurity. - Secure VPN and digital footprint tools for added privacy - Simple protection without complicated setup - No third-party ads in the Malwarebytes app - 4 million daily threats blocked Malwarebytes for iOS FAQs: - Can Malwarebytes help protect my iPhone from scam texts and phishing links? Malwarebytes helps detect suspicious text scams, phishing attempts, malicious links, and brand impersonation. - Can Malwarebytes protect me on public Wi-Fi? Malwarebytes VPN encrypts your internet connection, protects your privacy on public Wi-Fi, and alerts you to turn on VPN whenever you join an unsecure network. - Can Malwarebytes check whether my information was exposed in a data breach? The Digital Footprint Scanner checks your email against known data breaches and shows you how to secure your accounts. - Does Malwarebytes scan iPhones for viruses? Because of iOS platform restrictions, Malwarebytes does not perform traditional malware-file scans on iPhone. Instead, it focuses on proactive protection against phishing sites, scam texts, spam calls, malicious links, and unsafe websites. TRIAL & DEVICE INFORMATION 7-day free trial: Unlock device protection features during the trial (Identity Theft Protection not included). Premium features require a subscription after the trial unless canceled. Manage your subscription in Apple ID settings. Family Sharing: Premium subscription features are not eligible for Family Sharing. Compatible with iOS 18 or later with an active internet connection. iPad users can benefit from Web Protection (Premium) and Ad Blocking (Included) for safer Safari browsing. Identity Protection features vary by region. Terms: https://www.malwarebytes.com/tos EULA: https://www.malwarebytes.com/eula

About

Verizon Protect

Enhance your digital safety and reduce identity theft risk with a suite of security tools. Features include safe browsing, device and Wi-Fi scans, VPN, dark web monitoring, and identity management.

Highlights
  • Safe browsing
  • Device scan
  • Wi-Fi scan
  • Secure VPN
  • Dark web monitoring
  • Password manager
  • Identity restoration
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Enjoy a suite of tools designed to enhance your digital safety with the Verizon Protect security app, and reduce the likelihood of identity theft. Here’s how Verizon Protect keeps you protected: • Secure connect includes: Safe browsing: Helps protect you from malicious websites and phishing attempts Wi-Fi scan: Analyzes your Wi-Fi network potential security vulnerabilities • Device health: Helps protect your device from threats and software risks. With Digital Secure Premium*, you’ll get end-point security for your mobile devices, including: • Secure connect includes: Secure VPN: Encrypts your internet connection and masks your IP address for increased privacy and security. • Digital Footprint Manager includes: Dark web monitoring: Scans the dark web for your personal information and alerts you to potential data exposures. • Security advisor: Access experts 24/7 via chat for help with your security needs. • Protect your PC/Mac: Extends protection to personal computers. With Identity Secure*, you’ll get tools and services to help reduce the likelihood of identity theft, including: • Digital Footprint Manager includes: Password and identity manager: Securely stores and manages your passwords, as well as autofill them across websites and apps. Data broker list removal: Help you delete private information from sites that sell it. • Social media monitoring: Monitor your social accounts for takeovers & reputation risks. • Locked folder: Provides a secure and encrypted space to store sensitive files, photos, and videos • Identity restoration services: Assists in case of identity theft, helping you restore your identity and mitigate damages. It’s your digital world. Keep it yours. Download Verizon Protect today! *Digital Secure Premium services and Identity Secure services require paid subscriptions, which can be added via this app or My Verizon Online.

Screenshots

Malwarebytes4 screens
Verizon Protect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Verizon Protect at none against Malwarebytes's 6. Verizon Protect also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 48%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Malwarebytes's advantage is chart position (#35 vs #204). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Malwarebytes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Verizon Protect asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Verizon Protect holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 109K and 45K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Malwarebytes's written reviews are positive against 75% of Verizon Protect's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Malwarebytes ships an update every 3 weeks, Verizon Protect fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Malwarebytes versus Verizon Protect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMalwarebytesVerizon Protect
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (109K ratings)4.7 (45K ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.6% of reviews74.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings109K — better45K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#35 — better#204
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size128 MB328 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMalwarebytesVerizon Wireless

Customer experience

Malwarebytes

All ratings109,165 ratings
Positive88.4%
Neutral4.2%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews2,825 reviews
Positive47.6%
Neutral9.2%
Negative43.2%

Verizon Protect

All ratings45,361 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral3.5%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews786 reviews
Positive74.9%
Neutral4.1%
Negative21.0%

User reviews

Malwarebytes

From 109K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Verizon Protect

From 45K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔒 Secure WiFi connection
  • 🚀 Effective web security
  • 💡 Useful security scanning tools
  • 👍 Helpful for identifying breaches

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues with WiFi and VPN
  • 🔋 Drains battery life
  • ⚠️ Unreliable protection and alerts
  • 🤔 Questionable data privacy practices

Bugs and requests

Malwarebytes

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

Verizon Protect

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Safe WiFi feature randomly turns off
  • Identity protection fails to activate
  • App crashes when clearing threat history
  • Incompatible with certain network connections

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improve WiFi and VPN stability
  • Provide more detailed breach information
  • Add option to manually update the app
  • Integrate with other security solutions

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Malwarebytes

Subscriptions6
  • Standard7 Days trial$2.491 Month
  • Standard7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Plus7 Days trial$44.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • Standard (3 devices)7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Plus (3 devices)7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Advanced1 Year trial$139.991 Year
None

Verizon Protect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Malwarebytes free?
Malwarebytes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Verizon Protect free?
Verizon Protect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Malwarebytes or Verizon Protect?
Verizon Protect is rated higher. Malwarebytes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 109K ratings, while Verizon Protect averages 4.7 from 45K ratings.
Do Malwarebytes or Verizon Protect have ads?
Neither Malwarebytes nor Verizon Protect shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Malwarebytes or Verizon Protect?
Malwarebytes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Verizon Protect fortnightly. Most recently, Malwarebytes was updated on September 24, 2026 and Verizon Protect on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Malwarebytes or Verizon Protect?
Malwarebytes currently peaks at #35 in the App Store charts, and Verizon Protect at #204. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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