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Best Vista Antispyware

PC Tools' Spyware Doctor 5.0 program for spyware detection and removal finished far ahead of its competitors in formal tests independently conducted by research company AV-Test.org.

PC World Staff

Check boxes to
Last Rated: August 21, 2007	BEST BUY! 1. PC Tools Spyware Doctor 5.0 Price when rated: $30, Renewal price: $30, Performance: Superior, Features: Superior, Design: Very Good Bottom Line: Spyware Doctor offers the best spyware and adware protection and is the only program that protects against phishing Web sites. Full Review • Test Report • Downloadable Version	Buy direct from PC Tools
Last Rated: August 21, 2007	2. Grisoft AVG Anti-Spyware 7.5 Price when rated: $30, Renewal price: $20, Performance: Superior, Features: Poor, Design: Very Good Bottom Line: The program's superior adware and spyware detection is marred by weak behavior-based detection and a high false-positive rate. Full Review • Test Report • Vendor's Web Site
Last Rated: August 21, 2007	3. Webroot SpySweeper 5.5 Price when rated: $30, Renewal price: $30, Performance: Good, Features: Good, Design: Very Good Bottom Line: Our former Best Buy is well designed and provides good behavior-based detection, but disinfection was not as solid. Full Review • Test Report • Downloadable Version

Last Rated: August 21, 2007	4. Microsoft Windows Defender 1.1 Price when rated: Free, Renewal price: Free, Performance: Good, Features: Poor, Design: Very Good Bottom Line: This free application did okay with adware, but it can't detect some types of spyware at all. Full Review • Test Report • Downloadable Version
Last Rated: August 20, 2007	5. Safer Networking Spybot Search & Destroy 1.4 Price when rated: Free, Renewal price: Free, Performance: Poor, Features: Good, Design: Good Bottom Line: Despite strong real-time protection, this free old favorite can't recognize and clean up many of today's threats. Full Review • Test Report • Downloadable Version

CHART NOTES: Tests were conducted at default settings except for speed tests, which, when run at default and best settings, produced the same results. Inactive samples included adware, banking-related spyware, and password stealers. Behavior-based tests determined whether software could detect changes to key areas of the system. Prices and ratings are as of 8/8/07.