Free Spyware Scanner for Windows

This application is great for those who want to know exactly how their computer is infected and the best ways to get rid of particularly nasty spyware components. Spy Cleaner Gold stands out in the spyware-removal field, but you'll have to pay for the quality. A slick interface sports controls similar to its competitors, offering options for scanning your drives and Registry, updating online, and saving the last, best system set-up as a backup.

Scanning is fairly quick compared to other programs in the category. We especially liked the way this application displays results, separating different kinds of adware and spyware into categories so we knew in what manner our computer is infected. We also appreciated that this program calls out spyware that it cannot remove, directing us to alternate removal methods.