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Cybersecurity · head to head

Malwarebytes vs Semperis

Malwarebytes logo

Malwarebytes

Cybersecurity

Protects every device, everywhere

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Semperis logo

Semperis

Cybersecurity

Identity threat detection and Active Directory forest recovery for AD, Entra ID and Okta, from a privately held US vendor.

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Malwarebytes has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Malwarebytes pricing page information is incomplete or dynamically loaded, making transparent pricing comparison difficult for potential customers; Semperis scope is limited to Active Directory, Entra ID and Okta, so an organisation whose critical identity lives elsewhere gets little from it, and the recovery value declines in direct proportion to how much has already moved off on-premises AD.
  • They diverge on capability: Malwarebytes covers Malware detection & removal, Semperis covers Active Directory Forest Recovery.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Malwarebytes and Semperis actually diverge.

Attributes where Malwarebytes and Semperis differ
AttributeMalwarebytesSemperis
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Malwarebytes

  • Malware detection & removal
  • Ransomware protection
  • Real-time protection
  • Anti-exploit
  • Anti-phishing
  • Browser Guard
  • VPN
  • Brute Force Protection

Only in Semperis

  • Active Directory Forest Recovery
  • Malware-free restore
  • Replication-stream monitoring
  • Automated rollback
  • Attack indicator scoring
  • Entra ID and Okta coverage
  • Purple Knight
  • Forest Druid

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Malwarebytes

  • Budget-conscious users performing manual scans via free versionnot Semperis
  • Organisations needing real-time malware and ransomware protection via Premium subscriptionnot Semperis
  • Users combining antivirus with privacy via Premium plus Privacy VPN bundlenot Semperis

Semperis

  • An organisation that cannot answer an auditor or insurer asking how long it would take to rebuild Active Directory after a destructive attacknot Malwarebytes
  • Post-incident recovery where domain controllers are compromised and restoring from system-state backup would reintroduce the attacker's footholdnot Malwarebytes
  • Continuous detection of privileged group changes and directory-level tampering that domain controller security logs missnot Malwarebytes
  • Hybrid estates where AD, Entra ID and Okta all matter and no single tool currently shows changes across the threenot Malwarebytes

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Malwarebytes

  • Pricing page information is incomplete or dynamically loaded, making transparent pricing comparison difficult for potential customers
  • Specific price amounts for different tiers (Individual, Family, Small business) are not clearly displayed on the main pricing page
  • No mention of free tier or free trial duration on pricing page, unclear what features are included in each tier

Semperis

  • Scope is limited to Active Directory, Entra ID and Okta, so an organisation whose critical identity lives elsewhere gets little from it, and the recovery value declines in direct proportion to how much has already moved off on-premises AD.
  • The licence buys tooling, not a proven runbook: forest recovery is only worth what your last rehearsal demonstrated, and a plan that has never been executed end to end in a lab is an untested assumption regardless of what was purchased.
  • It overlaps with backup and directory management products from Quest, Veeam, Commvault and others, so the buyer must argue internally why a dedicated product is needed alongside a backup contract that already claims to protect Active Directory.
  • Running Directory Services Protector well requires someone who understands AD internals, replication metadata and Tier 0 attack paths, and without that person the alerts on privileged changes are either ignored or auto-reverted in ways that break legitimate administration.
  • Licensing is driven by identity object counts, so directories carrying years of stale user accounts and service principals pay for objects that should have been deleted, and the cleanup project that would reduce the bill is the one nobody has time for.

Pricing, plan by plan

Malwarebytes

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Malwarebytes review.

Semperis

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Semperis review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Malwarebytes if

  • You need malware detection & removal.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ransomware protection.
Malwarebytes review

Choose Semperis if

  • You need active directory forest recovery.
  • You also want malware-free restore.
Semperis review

Questions people ask

Is Malwarebytes or Semperis better?
Neither clearly leads. Malwarebytes starts at Free and Semperis at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Malwarebytes or Semperis?
Malwarebytes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Malwarebytes and On request for Semperis.
Does Malwarebytes or Semperis run on more platforms?
Malwarebytes runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Semperis runs on Web.
Can I use Malwarebytes for free?
Yes. Malwarebytes has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Semperis starts at On request.
What is Malwarebytes best used for?
Malwarebytes is most often used for budget-conscious users performing manual scans via free version, organisations needing real-time malware and ransomware protection via premium subscription, users combining antivirus with privacy via premium plus privacy vpn bundle. Of those, budget-conscious users performing manual scans via free version and organisations needing real-time malware and ransomware protection via premium subscription are not what Semperis is typically brought in for.
What can Malwarebytes do that Semperis cannot?
Malwarebytes covers Malware detection & removal, Ransomware protection, Real-time protection, Anti-exploit. Semperis covers Active Directory Forest Recovery, Malware-free restore, Replication-stream monitoring, Automated rollback.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Malwarebytes: What is the refund policy for Malwarebytes subscriptions?

Malwarebytes offers a 60-day money back guarantee on all purchases. This allows customers to test the product across their devices (PC, Mac, Android, iOS) with full refund protection if unsatisfied.

Source
Semperis: Does this replace my backups?

No. It replaces the Active Directory recovery procedure specifically. You still need backups for everything else, and the point of Semperis is that a generic system-state backup of a domain controller is a poor way to recover a forest because it restores the operating system along with whatever compromised it.

Malwarebytes: What platforms does Malwarebytes support?

Malwarebytes works on Windows PC, macOS, Android, and iOS. Multi-platform protection is available across all subscription tiers including Individual, Family, Small business, and Standard single device options.

Source
Semperis: Is it useful if we are cloud-only on Entra ID?

Partly. Directory Services Protector covers Entra ID and Okta for change tracking and posture, but the forest recovery product, which is the strongest reason to buy, applies to on-premises Active Directory. A genuinely cloud-only organisation should weigh it against Microsoft's own tooling.

Malwarebytes: What is included in customer support with Malwarebytes?

Free customer support is included with all Malwarebytes subscription tiers. The product is backed by a 60-day money back guarantee for risk-free purchasing.

Source
Semperis: Are Purple Knight and Forest Druid really free?

Yes, both are free downloads with no licence requirement, and they are widely used by organisations that are not Semperis customers. They are also, transparently, the top of the sales funnel.

Semperis: How long does forest recovery actually take?

The honest answer is whatever your rehearsal took. The vendor's case is hours instead of days, and automation genuinely removes most manual steps, but the number that matters for your board is the one from a test in your own environment.

Semperis: Does it require agents on domain controllers?

It collects directory changes from the AD replication stream, which is what lets it see changes that bypass the security log. Deployment details vary by product and version, so confirm the exact architecture against your domain controller change-control rules.

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