Free anti-malware software can be a perfectly acceptable way to keep your device clean and safe but it all depends on what your using your device for. High levels of internet browsing including internet banking, visiting sites social media sites like Facebook or Twitter and making online transactions could be where free anti-malware falls down.
Paid solutions offer additional features such as; Firewall, Browser protection and Spam filters. These have been designed and implemented by security software developers because virus developers have started targeting browsers and email clients as an easy way into a computer. There have been massive security exploits in browser plugins and extensions recently and so these days browser protection is a must.
Free solutions like Malwarebytes can be very good in the correct environments. As touched on above, by using your PC in a certain you’ll effectively qualify yourself for either a paid or free version. By playing offline games, writing word documents and not connecting to the internet you’ll be adequately protected from free anti-malware software and it will work very well.
Free anti-malware can also be used as a one-off virus removal tool as well as a monitoring and preventative tool. So, if you’re suspicious that your device has been infected get a free anti-malware tool installed asap to get it scanned. If you are infected then you should consider an upgraded version in order to prevent anymore future infections, clearly the protection you had previously wasn’t sufficient enough.
In conclusion, free anti-malware can work very effectively if the environment that it’s installed on is suitable. If internet browsing is the majority of activity that is being performed on the device then we recommend upgrading to a paid version which has some sort of browser protector, spam filter and a built-in firewall, you’ll be much more protected!