CounterSpy Reviewer's Comments

Go ahead and enjoy the Internet worry-free with our “TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award” winner CounterSpy from Sunbelt Software. CounterSpy includes every security feature we were looking for, is easy to customize and offers some of the best customer service and support we’ve experienced.

CounterSpy is fully compatible with Vista and can protect your computer from all kinds of threats including spyware, adware, malware, viruses and rootkits.

Unlike first generation security programs, CounterSpy runs behind the scenes without slowing down your system, as a matter of fact this program will not even slow down systems with less than 1 GB of RAM. Besides online protection, this program can also offer you privacy protection by completely erasing files and clearing your web browsing history. CounterSpy also works with Windows Vista.

CounterSpy Screenshots. Click for more
       


Ease of Setup/Use:  

CounterSpy is extremely easy to use. The program is divided into four categories, which are separated into sub-categories. This arrangement helps lead you intuitively through the program.

There is plenty of customization available in CounterSpy. We feel that one sign of well-developed software is its ability to bend to the needs of its user, regardless of their skill level; CounterSpy does better than most. For example, a novice can use features like Active Protection with the program’s default settings and receive excellent protection, but a more advanced user can select exactly what the program protects against and what it ignores, depending on preference.

Detection Effectiveness:  

CounterSpy is among the most effective spyware products on the market today. The program finds just about all the spyware and adware out there—successfully removing any spyware we tested.

The program also offers Active Protection, which runs in the background while your computer is on to shield your system from spyware and adware continuously. This feature won’t slow down the speed of your computer and is especially useful for people that are always connected to the Internet.

Removal Effectiveness:  

This is yet another reason why CounterSpy consistently ranks so high. Their research department works feverishly to stay on top of new and evolving threats, and with its frequent updates, removal is highly successful.

System Performance:  

CounterSpy is efficient in its use of memory and CPU cycles, even on systems with little in the way of either memory or processing power. We liked how we could multi-task even during an active full scan, with no noticeable slowdowns.

Scan Performance:  

Full scans took around 20 minutes, even on slower systems infested with malware.

Support/Documentation:  

Sunbelt Software offers excellent support for CounterSpy, including a toll-free technical support number, an extensive, built-in help application and email support. We also felt their customer service was a first-rate operation.

Sunbelt also maintains an active blog, with interesting, informative articles written by their very own research team and developers.

Summary:  

Sunbelt Software's CounterSpy can protect your computer and your privacy easily. This product received a four-star rating in nearly every category, works with Vista and XP and is low priced.