# Anti-spyware software recommendations? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 28, 2005, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536 "2005-04-28T12:51:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536/1 "2005-04-28T12:51:09Z")
Any recommendations out there for good but affordable anti-spyware software? I already have some, but I need to come up with recommendations for a friend who’s on a tight budget. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536/2 "2005-04-28T12:54:03Z")
I have four. The best is the free [Microsoft Spyware Download](http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/default.mspx). No problems since I started using it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536/3 "2005-04-28T14:22:02Z")
Microsoft. It is very good a detecting major threats, updates automatically, and scans in the background. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536/4 "2005-04-28T14:36:14Z")
I loaded the Microsoft beta, it’s pretty good but I still seemed to pick up a few. Then I loaded [Spyware Blaster](http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) at the same time as the latest MS beta update. Whichever one is doing it, I haven’t had any problems since. (Used to run AdAware and SpyBot weekly and find scads.) ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536/5 "2005-04-29T00:49:50Z")
- - - From just about all corners I read that the Microsoft anti-spyware program is very, very good–so good in fact that it is assumed that they won’t give it away for free forever. If spyware is a problem your conputer regularly suffers, enjoy the MS program while you can. - Spybot S & D and Ad-Aware are probably the two highest-rated **free** ones after that. - Many antivirus programs have anti-spyware utilities included as well. I paid for a F-Secure subscription and it included some anti-spyware deal that looks suspiciously like Ad-Aware. It also included some “Registry Protector” thing that notifies you if anything has tried to make an un-notified change to the registry. ~ ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536/6 "2005-04-29T19:17:52Z")
I’ve found that Spybot works well. ---
**Author:** ![Improbability](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Improbability](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improbability)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536/7 "2005-04-30T17:04:41Z")
I don’t really like the Microsoft one at all; I think it crashes my computer. I think Spybot Search and Destroy is excellent. I also use Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-spyware-software-recommendations/301536/8 "2005-05-01T03:17:21Z")
The Microsoft one is a good, free choice. (Spybot and Ad-Aware are also good and free, so you can install all three.) You can also avoid a lot of spyware by not using Internet Explorer but instead using Firefox. Webroot Spysweeper gets high marks from the computer magazines but is not free. A one-year subscription costs $30.