£21.95 BUY NOW

Pros

• Adware Pro has decent scanning and spyware blocking abilities
• The free trial version is very good

Cons

• Adware Pro doesn’t deliver on most of what it claims
• Is not as good as some of the competition like Webroot Spysweeper and Counterspy at removing spyware

View side-by-side comparison of Spyware Removal Software

Lavasoft Ad-aware Pro is a good computer security product that includes all the best online protection features like antivirus and antispyware protection. It removes all malware (malicious software) like viruses, Trojans, worms, rootkits and spyware. And it has the ability to stop hackers and keyloggers from stealing your personal information.

Overall, Ad-aware Pro is not the best antivirus software suite, but it’s sufficient for Home PC use and has proved it has the tools to remove all known malware.

Scope of Protection

Ad-aware Pro provides protection for whatever activity you’re doing. It could be shopping, banking, downloading or socializing; Ad-aware Pro has all the tools to prevent malware infection. Its protection capabilities lie in its combined antivirus and antispyware protection. This is one of the top two-pronged efforts we’ve seen in our antivirus reviews and tests. And the first part of that involves detecting malware using its traditional file-signature matching. The second technique is through advanced heuristic detection and involves behaviour analysis of files to uncover threats.

Effectiveness

Despite receiving certification from Virus Bulletin, Ad-aware is just not as good as the top antivirus software like Norton, BitDefender and Kaspersky. It has the ability to stop a lot of malware and provide basic protection, but it could do better.

It has only been tested twice by Virus Bulletin, and it only passed once. Additionally, it hasn’t been tested by other third party organisations like ICSA, West Coast Labs or AV Comparatives

Ease of Installation

Installing Lavasoft Ad-aware is pretty simple, and the download is sent immediately from their site and is quick. The first update can take a little while, but from then on, the process is pretty fast.

Ease of Use

Ad-aware accommodates both experienced and new users. It has a simple mode which is more direct and simple to use, and an advanced mode which provides more settings and options. The interface is very easy to follow and adjust and one of the simplest we’ve reviewed.

Other Features

Ad-aware Pro has an enhanced online security feature known as Download Guard. It runs as you download files online and notifies you if a file is malicious. It works only in internet explorer though, but it helps you stop threats before they infect your PC.

It has a feature similar to Gamer Mode, known as “Do Not Disturb Mode”. With this feature, you can play games and video and movie presentations in full-screen mode without disturbance.

Updates

An outdated antivirus software product is the same as not having one at all. Luckily, Ad-aware Pro ensures it is always up-to-date with new threats by providing updates each hour of the day. You can also run a manual update just to be sure of course, but it’s configured to automatically download updates.

Summary

Lavasoft Ad-aware Pro is a good antivirus software product with a top list of features and tools. There are of course better antivirus suites, but it has proved to be effective at removing malware and providing total online protection.

• Spyware Cease provides you with real-time protection to prevent spyware infecting your computer
• They offer a 60 day money back guarantee
• Spyware Cease has an awesome interface which is very easy to use

View side-by-side comparison of Spyware Removal Software

Spyware Cease not only removes spyware from your PC, but is also designed to remove viruses too. It has many features you will need to remove these threats from your PC. And working with your antivirus software, it will ensure total online protection for all your machines.

We’ve found Spyware Cease to be effective at removing spyware threats. But it lags behind other antispyware software programs like Webroot Spy Sweeper, Ad-aware Pro and STOPZilla.

One outstanding feature in Spyware Cease is the easy-to-use interface. Compared to many other anti-spyware programs, it has good features that will allow you to provide maximum protection for your PC. And the installation of the software is completely simple and with a few clicks you can have it ready and working.

Spyware Cease is definitely not a scam as some review sites have labelled it. We have found it to be a decent spyware removal software program. And it was able to remove all the threats we installed on our test system during the review. And many customer reviews show it has the ability to protect from even the latest spyware threats.

We have included below the best features we found during our Spyware Cease review.

Internet Tracks and Password Thieves Cleaner

Cleaning your PC of malicious programs is a simple process with Spyware Cease. With a single click you can delete malicious cookies which are designed to spy on you and steal your personal details. And it also minimizes the risk of thieves stealing your passwords by securing your privacy.

Real-Time Guard

Spyware Cease doesn’t allow threats in, and then protect you afterwards. It has the new Guard feature which protects your PC in real-time from malware threats while minimizing interruptions at the same time.

It will notify you with a pop-up whenever a program attempts to modify your registry.

The pop-up won’t interfere with your PC use because it will be at the bottom right of your PC screen.

Auto and Scheduled Scan

Scans are easy to manage with Spyware Cease. By default, it will run a quick scan of system resources, windows directory and users’ directory for spyware threats. You’ll find it a very reliable way to clean-up threats on your PC.

But you also have the choice of scheduled automatic scans which you can set for specific times. The advantage is you can set the scans to run when you’re not using the PC.

Summary

Overall, Spyware Cease is an easy-to-use spyware removal software program that will provide the necessary protection for your PC from spyware.

Other spyware reviews to check out include SpyZooka and Spyware Doctor.

Pros

• SpyZooka works with all popular browsers to provide its users with total protection
• It has low resource usage

Cons

• It missed most of the threats on our test system
• It’s well behind the competition in spyware protection and we recommend you choose a more reputable program like Webroot Spysweeper.

View side-by-side comparison of Spyware Removal Software

You may not have heard of SpyZooka before. Or you may have seen reviews about it and some have been negative. And probably that’s true if you compare it to the likes of Webroot Spy Sweeper or STOPZilla.

Before you dismiss it completely, we would like to highlight some of the features we’ve seen in this spyware removal software that we are sure you will be interested in.

Before we jump into the features, there are some compatibility features that you need to be aware of.

Firstly, SpyZooka is set to work with all browsers. So you won’t have a compatibility problem whichever browser you use. We would advise though, that you stick with the popular ones like Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera as it has proved to work well with these.

You may have a compatibility issue with the latest Windows 7 Operating system. SpyZooka hasn’t been officially updated to support it. But the demo we used on our Windows 7 system worked fine and we didn’t experience any issues. It may be the full version that could cause issues and perhaps not work fully. You would be better off buying another spyware removal software program that is known to work with 7 like Ad-aware Pro or Webroot Spy sweeper.

As promised, here are the features we liked about SpyZooka

Effectiveness

SpyZooka detects, removes and blocks all spyware and adware threats on your PC. You won’t need another security product to help it defeat these threats.

It’s a good standalone antispyware program that has the ability to remove these threats in real-time. And it’s also effective at removing other malware threats like viruses, worms and Trojans.

Advanced features are automated

SpyZooka is easy-to-use because many of its features are automated. Which means you won’t have to worry about tweaking the advanced features to provide you with good protection. It will adjust them accordingly and meet your PC protection needs.

It will know when to clean your PC and when to update itself to keep up with the latest threats. So you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re protected 24/7.

Daily Updates

You will receive daily updates which ensure your software is kept up-to-date. And these updates will be available as soon as they are released. And they will help SpyZooka fight spyware on your PC. And this also helps keep up with new emerging threats that plague many PC users.

Summary

A good spyware removal software program is not enough to fight all malware threats on your PC of course. You’ll also need antivirus and firewall programs for complete online protection. And that’s one of the reasons we like SpyZooka. It works well with other security products to provide total online protection.

Other spyware removal software program reviews to read include Ad-aware Pro, Spyware Cease, and Spyware Doctor.

Pros

• Spyware Doctor 2011 has a very large database of spyware definitions which it uses to block 10 different types of threats
• It has three modes which includes a gamer mode that can run while you play your games
• It has a power saving mode that will delay running programs that consume resources until your laptop is plugged in so it won’t drain your battery

Cons

• It has inconsistent scanning results which can leave your PC vulnerable to threats
• It failed to detect some new threats we uploaded to the test system.

View side-by-side comparison of Spyware Removal Software

Spyware Doctor is one of the best spyware removal software programs. It is frequently updated, and the 2011 version is one of the best they’ve released.

It has a good level of protection and shields your PC from traditional and new spyware threats. And it also has the ability to protect you from other malware threats like viruses, worms and Trojans.

And it doesn’t leave you vulnerable to keyloggers, drive-by downloads, Active X objects and viral activity.

We recommend it because of the effectiveness that we’ve found in its features. And we attribute this to its three protection modes.

You have the Game Mode that runs while you play games without your PC slowing down. And it also prevents pop-ups from interfering with your full screen action.

The saving mode is powerful too and delays running resource intensive tasks until your laptop is plugged in, so it won’t drain your battery.

Ease of Use

Spyware Doctor is one of the easiest antispyware software programs to install. It has a simple interface with everything you’ll need just a click away in their tab design. It doesn’t have submenus and dialogs which can be confusing for many users. So handling the software is simple and ensures you’re protected from all spyware threats.

Effectiveness

Spyware Doctor has high spyware detection rates and that’s what you need to protect your PC. It’s no ordinary spyware removal software program and has the features to prove it. And you’ll be happy to know that it doesn’t just protect you from known threats, but also provides effective detection and removal of undocumented threats.

Spyware Doctor fares well against the competition and also relies on a signature or definition list of known threats to protect you. It instantly analyses and makes quick choices about suspicious programs.

Performance

Spyware Doctor causes little slowdown of your PC during scans or updates. You’ll find it even faster if you have a new PC or laptop with a GB (Gigabyte) of RAM. However, if you’re doing a resource taxing activity like gaming or video editing, we would recommend you acquire more RAM. And also to schedule scans when you’re away from your PC.

You have the choice of slow or quick scans with Spyware Doctor. And this will depend on your settings and the number of files it has to scan. Both scans have advantages and disadvantages and your choice will depend on your needs.

Summary

Overall, Spyware Doctor has been impressive and we’ve found it to be one of the best spyware removal software programs. It competes with many other anti-spyware programs and has been holding its own over the years.

Other antispyware reviews to check out include Ad-aware Pro, Spyware Cease, SpyZooka 2.5, STOPZilla and Webroot Spy Sweeper.

Pros

• STOPzilla stops all spyware and phishing attacks in real-time so your interaction is reduced
• It keeps track of detected infections and creates an activity log to be used later
• It includes advanced pop-up protection
• Updates are provided automatically

Cons

• STOPzilla’s features need to be strengthened and not expanded to match some of the competition
• Full scans take a long time – 25 minutes when we tested.

View side-by-side comparison of Spyware Removal Software

STOPZilla is one of the best antispyware software products. It has a wide list of tools that help stop spyware, adware, viruses and other malicious attacks. And it protects your PC in real-time, ensuring that threats are stopped before they even reach your PC. In the unlikely event of a Trojan or other infection, STOPZilla will engage its best tools to remove the threat with its fast scan speeds.

It’s not one of the cheapest spyware removal software tools, but the price tag is definitely worth it considering the level of protection it provides.

Ease of Use/Setup

STOPZilla has a simple installation process that takes a few minutes to complete and allows you to familiarize with the software. The download version is available from the STOPZilla website and here you can learn its main features like Scans, Schedules, Pop-ups and Real-time Protection.

When you’ve fully installed the software, you can begin to configure it to your specific needs. You can schedule scans and allow STOPZilla to perform its protection work without interruption. Its scans run in real-time so your intervention is reduced.

It has four scans which include Quick, Intelligent, Full and Customized. You can pick one of these based on the type of sweep you want to carry out.

Updates can also be set to run automatically to ensure that your PC is always up-to-date with the most current updates.

Effectiveness

STOPZilla has high spyware detection and removal rates. West Coast Labs independent tests gave it a Checkmark certification for spyware protection. This means it successfully removes all Trojans, dialers, and other new malware (malicious software) threats. And it has the ability to detect and remove drive-by downloads, phishing scams and browser hijackers.

STOPZilla has a team that’s always on the lookout for new spyware threats, and they constantly work to update the software to keep out new threats. They keep track of infections detected and keep a log of these for future use.

Performance

System slowdown during scans is a problem that plagues STOPZilla. The only way to prevent this is by running scheduled scans when you are not using the PC. And if you do use it during a scan, expect to sacrifice some speed for it to run properly.

The STOPZilla scan speeds aren’t particularly fast, and a full scan takes about 25 minutes to complete. We’ve seen faster antispyware products like Webroot which take significantly less time than STOPZilla scans. You will of course be able to perform other PC functions as you run a scan, but it’s best to perform the scan while you aren’t using the PC.

Technical Support

STOPZilla is always on hand when you have a technical problem or just have an enquiry about your software. You can access this support through email, phone and live chat. We’ve found their customer service to be good and it matches even the top antivirus software products.

You can also find help on their website in the FAQs section, and here you’ll find instructional tutorials which are very easy to follow. The software interface has a Help section which is as good as the one on the website.

Summary

STOPZilla has spyware detection and removal capabilities that match many of the major products like Webroot Spy sweeper and Ad-aware Pro. Overall, it’s a good antispyware software solution that will provide you the best protection online.

BUY NOW £24.95

Pros

• Webroot Spysweeper 2011 is the best antispyware software in the market at removing spyware, cookie trackers and Trojans
• It includes free online and phone technical support
• It has a large definition database which it refers to for information about a threat
• This year’s interface is very easy-to-use and you’ll find simple to configure to your needs

Cons

• Webroot Spysweeper has compatibility issues with other software security programs

View side-by-side comparison of Spyware Removal Software

Webroot spy sweeper is the most effective antispyware software in the market, with the ability to defeat the most malicious spyware threats. It has beaten many other spyware removal programs in detection and removal of spyware. And the 2011 version has gone further than the competition in updating its software

Because of the rise in spyware threats, antivirus software alone is insufficient to remove these threats. A dedicated spyware remover is needed, and this is what Webroot provides. It has combined antispyware and anti-virus protection, which we’ve found to be the most effective combination in the industry. You can be assured that your personal data will be safe and that even annoying spyware cookies will be completely removed from your system.

Ease of Use/Installation

Webroot Spy sweeper is primarily designed for the home user and so installation is a simple and straightforward process. It doesn’t take an IT expert to configure or set it up. The interface is also very easy to use. It’s a friendly green interface with left navigation menus for the main tabs, Home, Sweep, Shields, Options, Schedule and Help. From here you can configure automatic scans and alerts and allow Webroot to carry out its work with little interference.

Webroot now includes online backup, and you can access these backups anywhere.

It also includes Gamer Mode, which allows you to play games and watch videos in full-screen mode without interruption.

Effectiveness

Webroot is constantly evolving and has the ability to combat the latest spyware, malware, parasites, data miners and adware. It keeps track of what these threats are doing and constantly updates itself to ensure your PC is protected each time you go online.

Its 15 shields defend against troublesome threats like Trojans, keyloggers, cookie trackers and browser hijackers. And it will run 12 recommended shields if you aren’t sure what kind of protection you need.

Webroot scans all incoming and outgoing email including attachments to ensure you aren’t infected through your email communications. The ability to scan outgoing mail is unique and ensures that you don’t accidentally send malware to people you are communicating with. And its antiphishing feature ensures you’re shielded from cyber criminals trying to steal your personal information like passwords and bank and credit cards.

Not only is Webroot superb at detection, it has also the leading removal rates we’ve seen in our reviews. You can quarantine any threats you’ve found in your system including spying cookies, and with one click permanently remove them. Its ability to detect and remove these threats goes further than Microsoft windows operating system, which constantly misses a lot of malware.

Technical Support

Webroot provides free technical support through phone, email and twitter. They also post a user manual and FAQs online and they offer professional installation, troubleshooting and malware removal.

Summary

Webroot Spy sweeper 2011 is certainly the best antispyware software program in the industry. It has the best detection and removal rates and is constantly updating its software to keep up to date with the latest threats.