# Malwarebytes vs Phone Cleaner

The clearest difference is monetization model: Malwarebytes at free with in-app purchases against Phone Cleaner's subscription. Malwarebytes also leads on ratings volume (109K vs 7.7K) and chart position (#35 vs #196). Phone Cleaner's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Malwarebytes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Phone Cleaner sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. 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 4.5 for Phone Cleaner. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Malwarebytes has 109K ratings behind it against 7.7K, 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 40% of Phone Cleaner's.

Malwarebytes ships an update every 3 weeks, Phone Cleaner every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Malwarebytes | Phone Cleaner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (109K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/malwarebytes-mobile-security/id1327105431/reviews) | [4.5 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone-cleanerai-clean-storage/id6636528078/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **109K** | 7.7K |
| Positive reviews | **47.6% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#35** | #196 |
| Size | 128 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Malwarebytes](https://appshunter.io/developer/610302098) | [AppCentury Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1752438906) |

## What reviewers say

### Malwarebytes

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

**Currently charting:** #35 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


### Phone Cleaner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone-cleanerai-clean-storage/id6636528078)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Grossing · Utilities (US App Store)

Optimize your device's performance and extend battery life with this all-in-one management tool. Monitor health, boost speed, clean memory, and free up storage by deleting duplicate photos and videos. Get detailed device information and personalized tips for a smoother experience.

**Highlights:** Real-time device health monitoring, Battery optimization tips, Performance enhancement tools, Memory management suggestions, Detailed device information, Duplicate photo and video cleaner

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $16.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Week | $19.99 | per 7 days |
| Battery Premium 1 Year | $29.99 | per year |
| Battery Premium 1 Year | $34.99 | per year |
| Battery Premium 1 Year | $39.99 | per year |
| Battery Premium 1 Year | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🔋 Battery saver
- 🚀 Faster and smarter

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes during photo scanning
- 💰 Misleading free claims, requires paid subscription
- 🤬 Interrupts user activities
- 🗑️ Inaccurate duplicate detection

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes during photo scanning
- Inaccurate duplicate detection

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved duplicate detection accuracy


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Malwarebytes free?

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

### Is Phone Cleaner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Malwarebytes or Phone Cleaner?

Malwarebytes and Phone Cleaner are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 109K and 7.7K ratings respectively.

### Do Malwarebytes or Phone Cleaner have ads?

Neither Malwarebytes nor Phone Cleaner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Malwarebytes or Phone Cleaner?

Malwarebytes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Phone Cleaner every 2 weeks. Most recently, Malwarebytes was updated on September 24, 2026 and Phone Cleaner on September 22, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Malwarebytes or Phone Cleaner?

Malwarebytes currently peaks at #35 in the App Store charts, and Phone Cleaner at #196. 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.*