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Scam Guard is Malwarebytes' real-time AI scam detector, built into the Malwarebytes app and backed by a well-known antivirus brand's threat database. Scamanot is a free, privacy-first AI investigator built around the specific situations people actually get scammed in. Here's an honest breakdown of where each one fits.
| Feature | Scamanot | Malwarebytes Scam Guard |
|---|---|---|
| Core approach | Dedicated AI investigator per scam type | General-purpose AI chat, one interface for everything |
| Real-time / 24-7 response | Instant investigation, any time | Marketed as "24/7 real-time scam advice," and that claim holds up |
| Accepts screenshots / images | Supported per tool | Core input type — submit a number, text, email, URL, or image |
| Requires a paid subscription to use at all | No — full free tier, no card required | Yes — bundled only inside Malwarebytes Premium Security |
| Available without installing antivirus software | Web-based, nothing to install | Requires the Malwarebytes app on Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android |
| Rental listing / marketplace seller checker | Dedicated tools | Handled generically through chat |
| Voice clone / robocall checker | Dedicated tool | Handled generically through chat |
| Query data retention | Never stored — by design | Retained locally for 30 days "for convenience"; reported scams feed Malwarebytes' shared database |
| Free tier | 10 free investigations/day, no card required | No standalone free tier for Scam Guard itself |
| Paid tier for unlimited / power use | Guardian $9/mo, Pro $19/mo unlimited | Only via a full Malwarebytes Premium Security subscription |
This one's real, not just marketing copy. Scam Guard watches for suspicious texts, emails, and calls around the clock instead of waiting for you to ask. If you want that kind of background monitoring built into your device, it actually does the job.
If you already pay for Malwarebytes Premium Security for antivirus and browser protection, Scam Guard rides along at no extra cost. One bill covers both.
Malwarebytes has years of threat-research infrastructure and a recognizable name, which buys instant trust for people who already use their antivirus software.
Scam Guard only exists inside Malwarebytes Premium Security — there's no way to use it without paying for the full suite. Scamanot's free tier stands on its own: 10 investigations a day, no card, no bundled software required.
A rental scam, a romance scam, and a fake IRS call don't follow the same script. Scamanot routes each one to a tool built specifically for that situation's red flags, instead of asking one general-purpose chat to recognize all of them equally well.
Scam Guard keeps your queries locally for 30 days "for convenience," and scams you report feed into Malwarebytes' shared database. Scamanot doesn't store your search queries at all. That's a design decision, not a retention window someone could shorten or extend later.
Best when you already run Malwarebytes Premium Security and want scam-checking folded into the antivirus subscription you're paying for anyway.
Best when you want a scam checker on its own — free, no antivirus purchase required, and built specifically for the situation you're facing.
If you already pay for Malwarebytes and want everything under one subscription → Scam Guard's bundled convenience makes sense.
If you want a free, standalone tool built just for scam investigation, with nothing else to buy → that's the whole reason Scamanot exists.
Freelancers and budget-conscious users checking things occasionally rarely need a full security suite just to answer "is this a scam?"
| Scamanot | Malwarebytes Scam Guard | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 10 investigations/day, no card required | None — Scam Guard isn't available outside a paid plan |
| Entry paid tier | Guardian $9/mo — 50 investigations/day | Requires Malwarebytes Premium Security (full antivirus suite pricing) |
| Unlimited tier | Pro $19/mo — unlimited investigations | Included at the Premium Security tier, alongside antivirus and browser protection |
| One-time report | $12 single deep report | Not applicable |
Scam Guard's price is really the price of a Malwarebytes Premium Security subscription — you can't buy the scam-checking feature on its own. Scamanot's paid tiers exist for one thing only: more investigations per day, for people who check things often, with a genuinely free option for everyone else.
Free to start, no credit card required, no antivirus subscription needed. Describe the message, listing, or call — we'll investigate it with a tool built for exactly that situation.
Comparing more than one scam-checking tool? See how Scamanot also stacks up against Bitdefender Scamio and Scam Detector.
Investigate Now — Free →No, and we won't pretend otherwise. Scamanot investigates on demand, the moment you submit something. There's no background monitoring or push-alert system like an installed antivirus app can run. If you want always-on scanning built into your device, Scam Guard actually delivers that. If you want a fast, free answer the moment something feels off, that's what Scamanot is for.
No. Scamanot is a standalone web tool — no antivirus purchase, no app install, no subscription required for the free tier. Scam Guard, by contrast, is only available inside a Malwarebytes Premium Security subscription.
Scamanot never stores your search queries — that's a core design decision. Malwarebytes states it keeps queries locally for 30 days for convenience and maintains a zero-logging policy for sensitive personal information, though scams you report do feed into their shared threat database.
If you're already paying for Malwarebytes Premium Security, Scam Guard is a reasonable option already included in your plan. Scamanot makes more sense if you want a tool built specifically for your situation (rental listings, romance scams, voice-clone calls) without needing a full antivirus subscription at all.
Scamanot provides information and analysis to assist users in making their own decisions. It does not guarantee the accuracy of its findings or that any investigated entity is safe or legitimate, and is not liable for financial decisions made based on its reports.
Malwarebytes® and Scam Guard™ are trademarks of Malwarebytes Inc. This page is an independent comparison published by Scamanot for informational purposes and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Malwarebytes. Details about Scam Guard reflect Malwarebytes' own public description of the product as of this page's publish date and may change — verify current features and pricing on malwarebytes.com before relying on this comparison.