Updated on: April 16, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best malware scanner for websites in 2024:
- 🥇 Sucuri SiteCheck: Versatile scanner that can check any website or page in a matter of seconds and make sure that it’s virus-free. The premium version can remove malware and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
When you have your own website, it’s vital to make sure it isn’t infected by malware. There are nasty threats out there that can harm your customers, ruin your reputation as a safe merchant, or even lead to your whole website being hijacked. I wanted to find some convenient tools website owners can use to run quick scans and make sure that there’s no malware infecting their sites.
So I started testing website malware scanners and vulnerability checkers. I wanted to find some that actually work — a lot of website scanners are outdated, only work for a small number of websites, or give highly technical reports that would require research for anyone, even tech enthusiasts, to fully understand.
I’m glad to say that I was able to find 5 great website malware scanners that work well, are easy to use, and are free. My favorite scanner for non-WordPress websites is Sucuri SiteCheck. It’s fast, free, and has a good premium option that can also remove any malware it catches. If you’re using a WordPress website, I recommend the WordPress Plugins Detector – Vulnerability Checker. It only takes a few seconds and doesn’t require any downloads. That said, you can’t really go wrong with any of the scanners on my list.
Quick summary of the best malware scanner for websites:
- 🥇 1. Sucuri SiteCheck — Best overall website malware scanner in 2024 (fast & free with blocklist monitoring).
- 🥈 2. Quttera — Versatile and fast malware scanner that’s not limited to specific platforms.
- 🥉 3. VirusTotal — Free website malware scanner that uses more than 70 antivirus scanners.
How to Choose the Best Malware Scanner for Websites in 2024:
- Look for a high malware detection rate. The ability to detect 100% (or almost 100%) of malware is essential for any good scanner. I only included scanners that use massive malware databases, machine learning, or a combination of both to find any and all threats to your website.
- Find a scanner that’s easy to use. It’s generally a good idea, especially for new users, to avoid scanners that provide overly complex and a lot of technical jargon. I also don’t recommend scanners that don’t have intuitive UIs. I made sure that all the scanners on my list are beginner-friendly.
- Make sure the scanner is compatible with your website. A lot of website scanners are built for specific website platforms. For example, MalCare is a WordPress-only scanner, so if your website isn’t made on WordPress, it won’t do anything for you. I included information on what type of website each scanner works for so you don’t have to do any guesswork.
- Find a fast scanner. Many free scanners can take an unnecessarily long time to conduct simple scans. To stop you from wasting your time, I looked for the fastest scanners available.
- Look for a truly free scanner. It can be very frustrating when you find a product that seems like a perfect fit, only to be hit with a paywall just before it reveals the results of the scan. I made sure the scanners on this list are truly free to use, though many have premium options you can use to remove the malware on your website and access real-time website protection to keep your site safe going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to scan a website for malware?
Simply choose one of the scanners from my list (I recommend Sucuri SiteCheck) and paste your website’s URL in the search bar. Your website will then be scanned for malware and other threats.
Most website scanners use massive malware databases to find threats, while some use machine learning to boost their ability to detect malware — the best use a combination of both. If you have found malware on your website during your scans, the next step is to remove it. Most of the products on this list, like Sucuri and Quttera, offer premium products that remove threats for you and add real-time protection for your site.
What kind of malware can infect a website?
Infected websites can be afflicted with a variety of problems — including malware that infects visitor’s devices with viruses, redirects users to different websites, hijacks your whole site, encrypts and ransoms your business’s data, and more. Hackers can harm your website’s customers, your reputation, your sales, and at worst even shut down your entire company or site.
If you think your website might be a victim of malware or hackers, the first thing you need to do is run a malware scan. For a fast and free check-up on a WordPress-based website, I’d recommend the WordPress Plugins Detector – Vulnerability Checker. It uses a massive malware directory to find any known threats in a matter of seconds.
How do I know if my website has malware?
The simplest way to answer this question is by running a website malware scan (or vulnerability checker). The WordPress Plugins Detector – Vulnerability Checker is my recommendation for WordPress-based websites, while Sucuri SiteCheck is my top pick for websites built using other methods.
There are some signs you might notice before scanning, like increased spam or pop-ups appearing, or your website taking significantly longer to load. If you have been noticing these problems, then I’d say it’s time to scan it immediately using one of the free tools above. I tested all five to make sure they’re all fast, easy-to-use, and if you do opt for the premium versions, they’re worth your money.
Can I scan my website for free?
Yes! Using any of the tools I included on my list, you can scan any website for free. Sucuri, Quterra, and VirusTotal can scan any website and run a quick checkup on it, while the WordPress Plugins Detector – Vulnerability Checker and MalCare are two great options for WordPress websites.
Now, while you can scan them for free, you probably won’t be able to remove the malware on your site for free. Malware removal tools are typically only included in the premium version of each of the respective scanners. Sucuri, Quttera, and MalCare all have premium options to get rid of malware on your website and give you real-time protection against future threats.