Introduction of ClamWin Antivirus
No matter how well you take care of your computer and keep it clean, accidents happen sometimes. Viruses can invade your computer at any time, and they can be hard to remove if you don’t have an antivirus in place. That’s why I decided to review ClamWin Antivirus, one of the many available antiviruses on the market today.
Who is this software good for?
Anyone who owns a Windows computer and is looking for a simple, lightweight way to protect their files from malware. It’s also easy enough that even non-tech savvy users can operate it. If you have Windows 10, we recommend checking out Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium. It’s got everything that ClamWin does and more, plus more robust protection and some extra tools (such as application whitelisting).
If what you’re looking for is a lightweight, no-frills antivirus application that won’t take up much room on your hard drive or slow down your system with unnecessary features, then ClamWin might be exactly what you need. It uses less memory than other comparable products and can scan files in just a few seconds. Plus, it only costs around $0.10 per year to use (although there is a fee involved). You might notice that we recommended Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium above, and that’s because we do recommend their premium version; however, we think their free version is great too!
What features does this program have?
Includes up-to-date virus definitions, regular updates, real-time scanning and many other features. This program won’t slow down your PC like some other programs do. Works on both 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows 10 and older versions as well. Although not free, ClamWin is very affordable at just $0.50 per month or $19 per year. A paid upgrade is available that adds automatic scanning and updating but we think that just paying the $0.50 a month is enough protection for most people who want simple virus protection without slowing down their PC by adding unnecessary bells and whistles..
ClamWin Antivirus Pros and Cons
Viruses are still one of the biggest threats to a computer and its data. Computer viruses can come in all shapes and sizes, which is why it’s important that users have protection from them. Many different antivirus programs have been made over time, but not all programs are created equal. In order to determine whether or not a certain program is good enough, we need to take a look at its pros and cons.
In terms of pros, ClamWin does come with a number of key features that can prove useful. First off, there’s automatic updates. With automatic updates, users never have to worry about keeping their virus definitions up-to-date on their own; they just update and go about their business. There’s also real-time protection, which can identify viruses before they have a chance to infect a machine and potentially harm important data. Since ClamWin is free and open source, another big pro is that it won’t cost money or waste time trying to secure valuable data in the event that something happens. Finally, since ClamWin is easy to install and set up, many users will find it more than adequate for protecting their computers from viruses.
How much does this software cost?
You can download a free version of ClamWin from their official website. It contains most, but not all, of the features that are available in their premium edition. If you are concerned about data security and wish to be able to scan attached documents, e-mail messages, and more, then purchasing a license is probably worth it for you.
The software is completely free, which is a great price point in and of itself. However, they also have a premium version that includes more features, like email scanning and hard drive scanning. The cost varies depending on how long you choose to purchase a license; one year costs just under $15 (USD), while five years costs over $50. If you’re looking for some extra protection and don’t mind paying a little extra money, then I would definitely recommend looking into their premium version.
Do I need anything else in order to use this software?
ClamWin is completely free and open source. You can get a hold of it from their website here. They also provide instructions on how to download, install, and use their software here. Installing is pretty easy—just double click on their executable file and you’re good to go! It may take a few minutes for them to load everything up at first so just be patient. Once it loads, though, you’ll be greeted with their interface and will be ready to go in no time at all.
You can read more about Clamwin and what they offer here. They also have a pretty good tutorial and guide available on their site in case you’re having any trouble installing or using their software. You can access it here. It’ll help answer any questions that you may have about getting started, and may even provide a few tips for making sure that everything is running smoothly on your end.
Where can I get help with this software if I need it?
Unlike with more expensive security software, there’s no big-name company behind ClamWin. You’ll find a handful of online forums and wikis that provide answers for common questions, but there’s a real shortage when it comes to help from tech support or paid support. You can always search Google on a general issue, but if you need professional assistance from developers, look elsewhere (like Norton or Kaspersky).
How do I contact customer support?: There are no telephone numbers for live chat or customer service, which is often a drawback with free software. Still, there are other ways to get help: You can look online through sites like Google or Facebook groups (there’s one dedicated to ClamWin), and there’s even a form on ClamWin’s website where you can submit questions. If none of these options work, try posting on their forum; users often offer assistance here.
What are some final words about this software?
This software is great because it’s so lightweight. Weighing in at less than 6MB, ClamWin will run on most any machine, even older ones that haven’t been updated in a while. Also, because it has such a small footprint, you’ll barely notice its running. You don’t have to schedule scans or update definitions; just set and forget. You can also run manual scans when you need them instead of making sure your machine is always up-to-date. There are also versions for Mac and Linux machines, though I’ve never tried those myself. With all that said, we wouldn’t recommend running only ClamWin as your primary antivirus—it’s good but far from perfect.
There are certainly better options out there, but all in all, ClamWin is a solid choice. It might not be as effective as some other products on the market, but it has a small footprint and does its job well enough. If you’re looking for something lightweight and easy to use, I’d recommend giving ClamWin a try!
ClamWin Antivirus Features
- Scanning Scheduler
- Standalone virus scanner
- Remove infected attachments automatically