The Software Encyclopedia

Spyware Software Reviews - Choosing the Best Software

by Brandon Cornett
Publisher, Software Learning Center

The very word spyware strikes fear in the hearts of many computer owners. But it doesn't have to! Today, there are a variety of software products that can block spyware from your computer and remove any spyware that has already found its way in. Our spyware software reviews and articles will help you understand how these products work, so you can choose the one that's best for you.




NoAdware

NoAdware - Highly Recommended Software

NoAdware is one of the spyware software products that are highly recommended by the publishers of this website. If you would like to skip my review and download your free trial immediately, please be my guest. I won't be offended that you've skipped my software review!

NoAdware is a popular anti-spyware product that has been featured in a variety of news programs across the nation. This software offers a wide range of features for a great price.

Learn more or take the trial





AdwareBot - Spyware / Adware Software

AdwareBot - Also Recommended

AdwareBot is another great tool for blocking and removing spyware from your computer. Once again, you can skip the review of this software product if you'd like and download a free trial right now. The full software review for this product is continued below.




What is Spyware Anyway?

According to Microsoft's computer security center, spyware is "a general term used to describe software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent first."

That's as accurate a definition of spyware as any I've seen. The same page goes on to describe one of the most common (and most hated) characteristics of spyware:

"These programs can change your Web browser's home page or search page, or add additional components to your browser you don't need or want. These programs also make it very difficult for you to change your settings back to the way you originally had them." I had this kind of spyware on my computer once, and it was a real challenge to get rid of.

Using Software to Defeat Spyware

When a particular form of computer virus comes onto the scene, a software product designed to defeat the virus is not far behind. Such is the case with spyware software (also referred to as anti-spyware software). This type of software scans your computer in search of known spyware profiles, and then identifies, isolates and removes those spyware files.

My Personal Spyware Software Review

Do an Internet search for the phrase spyware software or spyware removal and you will encounter hundreds of products that claim (A) rid your computer of any existing spyware and (B) prevent future spyware "attacks." But as with any other software product, not all spyware tools are created equal. Some are superb, others are mediocre, and a few are an outright waste of money.

So how does one go about choosing a worthwhile software program? For one thing, you should do as much research as possible. You have to be a smart shopper when it comes to software, and that means plenty of reading. Spyware software reviews (such as this one) are a good source of information.

It's also wise to use free trials before purchasing a spyware program — or any other type of software for that matter. Most legitimate software programs will offer a free trial of their product. If they do not offer a free trial, I recommend avoiding them altogether.

NoAdware: My Recommendation for Anti-Spyware Software

If you're totally lost when it comes to spyware software products and the companies who offer them, let me point you in a good direction. I recommend checking out NoAdware, which is one of the most popular and effective software products in this category.

Note: As the publisher of this website, I don't often make software reviews and recommendations — I usually publish the reviews of our website visitors. But I am so fond of this anti-spyware tool that I wanted to give it a personal review.

According to the makers of NoAdware, your PC could be infected with adware or spyware if: (A) your PC is running extremely slow, (B) you encounter a lot of those annoying popup ads, and/or (C) your home page keeps changing without your telling it to.

NoAdware

That's the problem, and NoAdware promises you a solution. Their spyware software will do a deep scan of your PC to find any spyware, adware, or web bug traces that might be currently infecting your computer.

But that's the "reactive" side of things. As for being proactive, their spyware blocking software will also shield your computer from future occurrences of spyware and adware.

Their software also has a handy scheduling feature, so you can schedule the times you want the software to scan your computer for spyware and adware.

Of course, you can run the scans manually, if you want to, but the schedule feature is a nice backup in case you forget to run the spyware scans.

Here's another thing I like about this spyware software product (and then I'll stop gushing about it). You can actually get a hold of their support team, by email or by live chat. In an age where many software companies have a "sell it and forget it" mentality, I just find this refreshing!

Like any good software provider, NoAdware offers a free trial of their anti-spyware program. You can start your free trial right here.

I hope my spyware software reviews have helped you better understand the world of anti-spyware programs, and I wish you all the best with your product selection.

Brandon Cornett
Publisher, Software Learning Center