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Cybersecurity · head to head

Malwarebytes vs VMware Carbon Black

Malwarebytes logo

Malwarebytes

Cybersecurity

Protects every device, everywhere

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
V

VMware Carbon Black

Cybersecurity

Cloud-delivered endpoint protection and EDR, now owned by Broadcom and positioned alongside Symantec.

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; VMware Carbon Black broadcom's enterprise model concentrates direct sales and support on its largest accounts and moves everyone else to resellers, so a mid-size customer can lose named support contacts and face a substantially repriced renewal with limited notice.
  • They diverge on capability: Malwarebytes covers Malware detection & removal, VMware Carbon Black covers Endpoint Standard.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Malwarebytes and VMware Carbon Black actually diverge.

Attributes where Malwarebytes and VMware Carbon Black differ
AttributeMalwarebytesVMware Carbon Black
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidDesktop, Api
Founded20082002

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 VMware Carbon Black

  • Endpoint Standard
  • Enterprise EDR
  • Audit and Remediation
  • Single sensor
  • Live Response
  • Workload protection
  • Container security
  • Watchlists and feeds

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 VMware Carbon Black
  • Organisations needing real-time malware and ransomware protection via Premium subscriptionnot VMware Carbon Black
  • Users combining antivirus with privacy via Premium plus Privacy VPN bundlenot VMware Carbon Black

VMware Carbon Black

  • A SOC that wants unfiltered endpoint telemetry to hunt over rather than only vendor-generated alertsnot Malwarebytes
  • A vSphere estate that wants workload protection deployed through the hypervisor instead of installing an agent in every guestnot Malwarebytes
  • Replacing signature antivirus after an incident where the incumbent product had no record of what the attacker didnot Malwarebytes
  • An organisation already inside a Broadcom or Symantec enterprise agreement that can consolidate endpoint onto an existing contractnot 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

VMware Carbon Black

  • Broadcom's enterprise model concentrates direct sales and support on its largest accounts and moves everyone else to resellers, so a mid-size customer can lose named support contacts and face a substantially repriced renewal with limited notice.
  • Continuous EDR recording is retained for a defined window and longer retention is a paid tier, so the investigation you most need is often the one whose telemetry has already aged out, and that is discovered during the incident rather than before it.
  • The product assumes an operator: watchlists, policy tuning and alert triage are ongoing work, and organisations without a dedicated analyst or an MDR contract typically leave policies in monitor mode and pay for telemetry that is never reviewed.
  • The sensor operates in the same kernel and file-filter territory as other endpoint agents, so running it alongside an incumbent antivirus, DLP or backup agent commonly produces performance complaints and requires maintained exclusion lists on both sides.
  • Linux sensor support is tied to specific distribution and kernel versions, so a routine operating system upgrade can leave hosts without a supported sensor until a matching build ships, and anything outside the supported list gets no coverage at all.

Pricing, plan by plan

Malwarebytes

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Malwarebytes review.

VMware Carbon Black

On request
  • CB Endpoint StandardFree
    • NGAV
    • Behavioral EDR
    • Device control
  • CB Endpoint AdvancedFree
    • All Standard features
    • Threat hunting
    • Audit and remediation
  • CB Endpoint EnterpriseFree
    • All Advanced features
    • Advanced threat hunting
    • Live response

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 VMware Carbon Black if

  • You need endpoint standard.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want enterprise edr.
VMware Carbon Black review

Questions people ask

Is Malwarebytes or VMware Carbon Black better?
Neither clearly leads. Malwarebytes starts at Free and VMware Carbon Black at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Malwarebytes or VMware Carbon Black?
Malwarebytes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Malwarebytes and On request for VMware Carbon Black.
Does Malwarebytes or VMware Carbon Black run on more platforms?
Malwarebytes runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. VMware Carbon Black runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Malwarebytes for free?
Yes. Malwarebytes has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. VMware Carbon Black 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 VMware Carbon Black is typically brought in for.
What can Malwarebytes do that VMware Carbon Black cannot?
Malwarebytes covers Malware detection & removal, Ransomware protection, Real-time protection, Anti-exploit. VMware Carbon Black covers Endpoint Standard, Enterprise EDR, Audit and Remediation, Single sensor.

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
VMware Carbon Black: Who owns Carbon Black now?

Broadcom. It acquired VMware in November 2023, and Carbon Black now sits in Broadcom's enterprise security business alongside Symantec. VMware branding is being phased out.

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
VMware Carbon Black: Why do the docs use names I do not recognise?

The product has been renamed repeatedly. CB Defense is now Endpoint Standard, CB ThreatHunter is Enterprise EDR and CB LiveOps is Audit and Remediation. Older community answers and runbooks still use the previous names.

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
VMware Carbon Black: Does it replace my existing antivirus?

Yes on supported Windows, macOS and Linux versions, and running it alongside another antivirus is not recommended because the two agents contend for the same hooks. Check your compliance requirements, as some auditors still ask for a named antivirus product.

VMware Carbon Black: Do I need a full-time analyst to run it?

To get value from Enterprise EDR, effectively yes. The prevention tier can run with part-time attention, but the hunting and recording capability is only worth its cost if somebody is querying it, which is why many customers buy it through an MDR provider.

VMware Carbon Black: How is it licensed?

Per endpoint, per year, with the capability tier determining the rate and workload and container protection priced separately. Extended EDR data retention is an additional line item.

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