# Malwarebytes vs PrivacyHawk

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Malwarebytes at 111K against PrivacyHawk's 8.4K. Malwarebytes also leads on chart position (#37 vs #166). PrivacyHawk's advantage is review sentiment (59% vs 48%) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Malwarebytes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and PrivacyHawk sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 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 — 4.5 for Malwarebytes against 4.6 for PrivacyHawk. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Malwarebytes has 111K ratings behind it against 8.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 48% of Malwarebytes's written reviews are positive against 59% of PrivacyHawk's.

Malwarebytes ships an update every 2 weeks, PrivacyHawk monthly. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Malwarebytes | PrivacyHawk |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (111K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/malwarebytes-mobile-security/id1327105431/reviews) | **[4.6 (8.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/privacyhawk/id1592733501/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **111K** | 8.4K |
| Positive reviews | 47.7% of reviews | **59.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#37** | #166 |
| Size | 133 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Malwarebytes](https://appshunter.io/developer/610302098) | [PrivacyHawk, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588159157) |

## What reviewers say

### Malwarebytes

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

**Currently charting:** #37 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


### PrivacyHawk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/privacyhawk/id1592733501)

**Currently charting:** #166 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

Take control of your personal data by managing, controlling, and deleting it from businesses that exploit it. Reduce your digital footprint, decrease spam, and protect yourself from identity theft and scams.

**Highlights:** Delete data from unwanted databases, Send 'Do Not Sell' requests, Unsubscribe from spam emails, Opt out of data brokers, Protect multiple email addresses, Identity theft protection (Platinum)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PHawk Premium Monthly 9.99 | $9.99 | per month |
| PHawk Premium Monthly 14.99 | $14.99 | per month |
| PHawk Platinum Monthly 14.99 | $14.99 | per month |
| PHawk Premium Monthly 19.99 | $19.99 | per month |
| PHawk Platinum Monthly 29.99 | $29.99 | per month |
| PHawk Platinum Monthly 34.99 | $34.99 | per month |
| PH Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| PH Semi-Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per 6 months |
| PH Annual Subscription | $74.99 | per year |
| PHawk Platinum Annual 74.99 | $74.99 | per year |
| PH Annual Subscription | $79.99 | per year |
| PH Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| PH Annual Subscription | $119.99 | per year |
| PH Annual Sub 1 Week Trial | $119.99 | per year |
| PH Annual Subscription | $124.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Protects personal data
- 👍 Comprehensive scanning
- 🔒 Improves privacy score
- 👍 Automated data removal

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate scan results
- 💰 Paywall for full features
- 🐛 Incomplete data removal

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on login screen
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Credit card data protection
- Expanded email provider support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Malwarebytes free?

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

### Is PrivacyHawk free?

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

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

PrivacyHawk is rated higher. Malwarebytes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 111K ratings, while PrivacyHawk averages 4.6 from 8.4K ratings.

### Do Malwarebytes or PrivacyHawk have ads?

Neither Malwarebytes nor PrivacyHawk shows ads.

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

Malwarebytes ships an update every 2 weeks, and PrivacyHawk monthly. Most recently, Malwarebytes was updated on October 15, 2026 and PrivacyHawk on October 15, 2026.

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

Malwarebytes currently peaks at #37 in the App Store charts, and PrivacyHawk at #166. 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.*