Malwarebytes vs HitmanPro: Best Secondary Scanner?
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No antivirus catches everything. Even the best security suites occasionally miss threats, especially zero-day malware and fileless attacks. This is where secondary scanners come in. Malwarebytes and HitmanPro are the two most popular options for users who want a backup layer of scanning on top of their primary antivirus. This comparison explains how each works and when to choose one over the other.
📊 How We Compared
Every product here was compared on vendor documentation, published pricing, and documented specifications, with published independent lab results referenced where the category has them.
Editor’s take: The choice between Malwarebytes and HitmanPro isn't really about features — it's about which trade-off matters more to your team, and that depends on your workflow, not the feature list.
Editor's Take
Both of these are secondary scanners, which means the comparison is not "which is better" but "which fits how you work": one is an on-demand cleaner you keep installed, the other is a portable tool you run when you suspect something. Neither replaces a real-time suite. If you only pick one, decide whether you want continuous cleanup or an emergency second opinion.
What Is a Secondary Scanner?
A secondary scanner runs alongside your primary antivirus to catch threats the primary might miss. The concept relies on the fact that no single detection engine achieves 100% detection. By running a second engine from a different vendor, you increase your overall detection rate significantly.
Malwarebytes and HitmanPro are both designed to coexist with other antivirus products without causing conflicts. Traditional wisdom says never run two antivirus programs at once, but these two products are specifically engineered to avoid the resource conflicts and false positives that running two full suites would cause.
Malwarebytes Premium Overview
Malwarebytes has evolved from a pure on-demand scanner into a full real-time protection suite. The Premium tier offers scheduled scanning, real-time threat blocking, web protection, and exploit mitigation. It uses a combination of signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, and heuristic monitoring.
The real-time engine is designed to run alongside Windows Defender or any other primary antivirus without conflict. Malwarebytes specifically avoids registering as a primary antivirus in Windows Security Center, which means Windows does not disable your main suite when Malwarebytes is installed.
HitmanPro Overview
HitmanPro, developed by SurfRight (now owned by Sophos), takes a different approach. It uses cloud-based scanning that aggregates detection engines from multiple vendors, including Bitdefender and Kaspersky signatures. When you run a HitmanPro scan, it sends file hashes and suspicious samples to the cloud for analysis by multiple engines simultaneously.
HitmanPro is primarily an on-demand tool. You run it when you suspect an infection or as a periodic check. It does not provide continuous real-time protection in its base form. HitmanPro.Alert, the premium version, adds real-time behavioral protection and exploit mitigation, but the core scanning remains cloud-based.
Cloud vs Local Detection
HitmanPro's cloud-based approach has a significant advantage: it benefits from the combined detection databases of multiple top-tier engines without installing multiple products. The drawback is that it requires an internet connection to scan effectively, and the scan time depends on upload speeds for suspicious files.
Malwarebytes stores its detection database locally, which means scans work offline and are not dependent on internet speed. For environments with poor connectivity or strict bandwidth limits, Malwarebytes is more practical.
Detection Capability Comparison
Malwarebytes is good at detecting potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), adware, and browser hijackers. Its detection of these nuisance-level threats is arguably the best in the industry. If your computer is riddled with pop-ups, browser redirects, and unwanted toolbars, Malwarebytes will find and remove them when other products miss them.
HitmanPro is stronger against deep system threats, including rootkits and bootkits. Its cloud multi-engine approach means that if any one contributing vendor has a signature for a threat, HitmanPro will detect it. This makes it particularly effective against novel threats that might slip past a single engine.
| Capability | Malwarebytes Premium | HitmanPro.Alert | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time protection | Yes, full real-time engine | Limited (behavioral only) | Malwarebytes |
| On-demand scanning | Yes, local signatures | Yes, cloud multi-engine | Tie |
| Adware/PUP removal | Excellent | Good | Malwarebytes |
| Rootkit detection | Good | Excellent | HitmanPro |
| Works offline | Yes | No (requires internet) | Malwarebytes |
| Scan speed | Medium (full local scan) | Fast (cloud hash matching) | HitmanPro |
| Exploit protection | Yes (anti-exploit module) | Yes (behavioral alerts) | Tie |
| Multi-engine scanning | No (single engine) | Yes (Bitdefender + Kaspersky + others) | HitmanPro |
| Price | $44.99/year | $24.95/year (1 PC) | HitmanPro |
Pricing and Licensing
Malwarebytes Premium costs $44.99 per year and covers one device. A multi-device plan covering 5 devices costs $59.99 per year. There is a free version that provides on-demand scanning but no real-time protection. The free version is useful for periodic manual scans but does not provide ongoing defense.
HitmanPro costs $24.95 per year for a single PC, making it one of the most affordable security tools available. A 3-PC license costs $34.95 per year. HitmanPro also offers a free version that allows on-demand scanning with a 30-day trial of real-time features. After 30 days, the free version reverts to on-demand scanning only.
Key takeaway: Use Malwarebytes if you want continuous real-time supplemental protection alongside your main antivirus. Use HitmanPro if you want a fast, periodic on-demand scanner with multi-engine cloud detection.
When to Use Each
Choose Malwarebytes When:
- You want real-time protection that runs alongside your primary antivirus
- You frequently encounter adware, PUPs, and browser hijackers
- You need a scanner that works without internet access
- You want scheduled automatic scanning
- You need to protect multiple devices including Android and macOS
Choose HitmanPro When:
- You want a lightweight, on-demand scanner for periodic use
- You suspect a deep infection and want multi-engine verification
- You are concerned about rootkits or bootkits
- You want the fastest possible scan time
- Budget is a primary concern ($24.95 vs $44.99)
Using Both Together
Some security-conscious users run both Malwarebytes Premium (for real-time supplemental protection) and HitmanPro (for periodic on-demand multi-engine scans). This combination provides the broadest possible detection coverage. Malwarebytes catches adware and PUPs in real-time, while HitmanPro's cloud multi-engine approach catches threats that local engines might miss during periodic deep scans.
This approach costs $69.94 per year, which is less than many single premium suites. Combined with a free primary antivirus like Windows Defender, it provides enterprise-grade detection coverage at a fraction of the cost.
Malwarebytes vs HitmanPro: pros and cons
Malwarebytes Pros
- Full real-time protection engine
- Best-in-class adware and PUP removal
- Works offline with local signatures
- Cross-platform support (Windows, Mac, Android)
- Scheduled scanning capabilities
Malwarebytes Cons
- Higher price ($44.99/year)
- Single detection engine (no multi-engine)
- Scan times can be lengthy
- Not a replacement for a full antivirus suite
HitmanPro Pros
- Multi-engine cloud scanning
- Extremely fast scan times
- Excellent rootkit detection
- Very affordable ($24.95/year)
- Portable version available (no installation needed)
HitmanPro Cons
- Requires internet for effective scanning
- Limited real-time protection
- Windows-only (no Mac or mobile support)
- Cloud dependency raises privacy considerations
Malwarebytes vs HitmanPro pricing
Malwarebytes starts at $44.99/yr for the first year, covering 1 devices. After the first year, it renews at $59.99/yr. HitmanPro starts at $24.95/yr (Pro) for 1 devices, renewing at $34.95/yr.
Price alone does not tell the full story — consider what is included. Malwarebytes includes Not included (separate Malwarebytes Privacy VPN). HitmanPro includes No.
Independent lab test results
| Test | Malwarebytes | HitmanPro | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| AV-Test Protection | 5.5/6 | N/A (second-opinion scanner) | HitmanPro |
| AV-Comparatives Detection | 98.2% | N/A | Malwarebytes |
| System Impact | 4% | Minimal (on-demand scanner) | Tie |
| Ransomware Protection | 95% blocked (better as supplement) | N/A (second-opinion scanner) | HitmanPro |
| G2 User Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 | Tie |
Who Should Choose Malwarebytes
Supplemental protection alongside Windows Defender. Its standout features include Specialized anti-exploit protection, PUP/adware specialism.
Who Should Choose HitmanPro
Supplemental scanning alongside primary antivirus. Its standout features include Cloud-based second-opinion scanner, Excellent at finding hidden malware.
Verdict
For most users, Malwarebytes Premium is the better secondary scanner because it provides continuous real-time protection that fills gaps in your primary antivirus. Its PUP and adware detection is unmatched, and the ability to work offline makes it more versatile.
HitmanPro remains the best choice for users who want a periodic verification scanner with multi-engine coverage. Its speed and rootkit detection make it ideal for targeted investigations when you suspect something slipped past your primary defenses. At $24.95 per year, it is also the most budget-friendly option.
