#54 in Application SecurityUpdated 2026-08

ClamWin Free Antivirus

by ClamWin · Open source GPL virus scanner for Windows

10 — BenchRank score out of 100

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Overview

ClamWin Free Antivirus is a GPL-licensed virus and spyware scanner for Microsoft Windows, based on the ClamAV engine. It scans on demand rather than continuously, and includes a scheduler, automatic virus database downloads, right-click scanning from Windows Explorer and an Outlook add-in that removes infected attachments. The site states it is used by over 600,000 people daily.

Best for: Windows users who want a free, open-source on-demand scanner for viruses and spyware.
Pricing: No prices are shown; the software is free to download and use, with an optional donation to support development.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

Free of charge and open source under the GNU GPL
Scan scheduler plus automatic virus database updates
Right-click scanning in Explorer and an Outlook add-in
Runs on Windows 98 to 10 and Server 2003 to 2012

Trade-offs

No on-access real-time scanner; files must be scanned manually
Windows only — no macOS or Linux version is mentioned
Volunteer project funded by donations; help is via forums and mailing lists

How this score is made up

Each dimension is scored out of 100 and combined into the headline score using fixed weights.

MCP support: 0 out of 100
Documentation: 0 out of 100
Agent friendliness: 39 out of 100
Changelog: 0 out of 100
Marketing site structure: 25 out of 100
Operational trust: 0 out of 100

Measured, but not part of the score

Useful to know, but not a mark for or against the product — so these do not affect the ranking.

Openness: 40 out of 100
Maintenance: 85 out of 100

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