Spamfighter Review

Martin Brinkmann
Dec 22, 2010
Updated • Mar 23, 2016
Email, Windows software
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33

Spamfighter is a free program for Windows that acts as a proxy between email servers and clients to prevent spam from landing in the email client's inbox.

If you are using a desktop email client like Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird you know that the anti-spam capabilities are limited to that one client. Sometimes, you may also benefit from anti-spam technologies implemented by the email provider on top of that.

This can be a problem if more than one email client is used on the computer. But there is another problem. What if the antispam module of the desktop email client is not catching all the spam?

Spamfighter promises to provide a solution for both of these issues. The software, which is available as a free and professional version, fights spam on a system wide level.

The software supports Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird. Computer users with one or multiple of those clients configured on their system can use it to run all mails arriving on the system through the program to block the bulk of spam before it lands in the client.

Spamfighter Review

New users need to create a Spamfighter account right in the application after installation. All they need to supply is an email address and password.

The application always starts in the Overview window which displays information and statistics. Among them the number of processed emails, the emails that have been blocked by Spamfighter or by the user, the time saved and the spam ratio. Community statistics are displayed as well, they currently read 45 billion processed emails of which more than 37 billion were spam, that's a ratio of 85%.

Spamfighter taps right into all compatible email clients that are configured on the system. The program supports all supported operating systems of Windows, as well as the following email clients (at the time of writing this update):

  • Outlook 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016 (Office)
  • Outlook Express 5.5 (and later) (32 Bit)
  • Windows Mail (Only 32bit)
  • Windows Live Mail (Only POP3)
  • Mozilla Thunderbird

The controls in the email client can be used to block or unblock emails among other things. Spamfighter will automatically create a new spamfighter folder in the email client where all emails that have been identified as spam are stored in. It is possible to unlock emails from there with the unblock button, or move emails to the spam folder with the block button.

Emails in the spam folder can be accessed normally which means that they are still accessible and not gone for good. All spam that is manually blocked is reported to the Spamfighter community so that all community members benefit from spam reports by members.

Additional controls are accessible under the more button.

more options

Here it is possible to blacklist or whitelist domains or email addresses. Whitelisting means that emails will never be identified as spam, blacklisting does the opposite of that. This can be very useful to make sure that emails from specific domains, say a work domain, will always arrive no matter what.

The spam folder can be changed in the main program. Here it is furthermore possible to select if spam mails should be flagged as read or unread when moved, and whether Spamfighter should rescan the folder on startup which will rescan all unread emails that are stored in selected folders of the email client.

Filters can be edited in the main program as well. Here it is possible to add entries to blacklists and whitelists, or import lists from comma separated data files or compatible email clients.

Another interesting option is language recognition. Using it is possible to reject emails based on their language. Say you are from the United States and only receive emails in English. You could then select to only receive email messages in English which would automatically flag emails written in different languages as spam. The other option available is to block emails from select languages only. It pretty much works the same way, the difference is that you will receive emails in all languages but the ones that you have selected to reject automatically.

The free version has several limitations that you need to be aware of. First, Spamfighter adds a footer message to emails that you sent, and you may see text ads in the toolbar of the program.

It lacks access to the language filter, and is limited in regards to user accounts that can be protected by it.

Spamfighter Standard vs. Pro

As mentioned earlier, Spamfighter is available as a free (standard) and paid (pro) version. The pro version supports all features of the standard version, plus extra features.

The following features are only available in the pro version of Spamfighter:

  • Protects all the email accounts on your PC
  • The right to use SPAMfighter in a company/organization
  • Unique language filtering tool that empowers you to stop emails written in specific languages
  • Option to move the toolbar in Microsoft Outlook
  • Free phone support - Call us and get help if you need it
  • Unlimited Blacklist/Whitelist entries
  • No SPAMfighter footer in your emails
  • Commercial-free email client

Spamfigther Verdict

Spamfighter Pro is an excellent program for computer users who run at least one of the supported desktop email clients. Its core features are the cloud based approach to identifying new spam messages and the filtering system, especially the language filter.

The program is easy to setup and use as it integrates automatically with supported email clients. Experienced computer users will find the whitelisting and blacklisting of email addresses and domains useful, inexperienced users that it works very well right of the box.

Summary
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Author Rating
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Software Name
Spamfighter Pro
Operating System
Windows
Software Category
Email
Price
EUR 25
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Comments

  1. Mayur said on December 26, 2010 at 1:20 am
    Reply

    I’m currently using Gmail, live built-in spam filter,
    Count m in for giveaway.
    Thanks for giveaway

  2. Nick said on December 25, 2010 at 10:46 am
    Reply

    I use the spyware version and would like the spamfighter.

  3. Rich said on December 25, 2010 at 10:41 am
    Reply

    Count me in for one.

  4. Anthony said on December 25, 2010 at 10:40 am
    Reply

    Want one.

  5. john d said on December 24, 2010 at 12:10 am
    Reply

    thanks. Please count me for the license.

    john d

  6. MerleOne said on December 23, 2010 at 4:42 pm
    Reply

    I am currently using AntiSpamSniper for WLM. Thanks for counting me in, if it’s still possible !

  7. Mrs.gil said on December 23, 2010 at 10:56 am
    Reply

    I don’t use any special SPAM configuration either.

  8. Johan Gustavsson said on December 23, 2010 at 1:25 am
    Reply

    I would really like to a license for this spam-killer, I am using it right now, but it expires 12/31-2010… So could I have one more year, Please?

  9. leslie said on December 23, 2010 at 1:13 am
    Reply

    Hello Martin, another great giveaway.

    I use Gmail spam filter for my gmail account, but I normally use Windows Mail. I use it for my most important work, and this could really help me with removing spam.

    I used to use the anti-spam feature from my KIS 2011 trial to protect WM, but it expired.

    Winning this could really help me out. Please count me in.

  10. Samar said on December 23, 2010 at 12:52 am
    Reply

    I do not have any specialized anti spam ware as such. Would be great to have this.
    Please count me in.

  11. GT said on December 22, 2010 at 8:51 pm
    Reply

    hello,
    thanking you for the giveaway. I use gmail spam filter.

    Please count me in this givingaway of Spamfighter Review And Giveaway [Ghacks Christmas Giveaway]. I want one license only.

    Regards,
    Mr. G.T.

  12. Robert Palmar said on December 22, 2010 at 8:50 pm
    Reply

    Deal me in.

  13. Sputnik said on December 22, 2010 at 7:28 pm
    Reply

    This would be terrific to win a free licence of it !

    Thank you !

  14. eric said on December 22, 2010 at 6:47 pm
    Reply

    count me in. thanks!

  15. Jeff said on December 22, 2010 at 5:02 pm
    Reply

    Count me in.

    Using AVG.

    Thanks!

  16. PC Babble said on December 22, 2010 at 4:27 pm
    Reply

    I was using TheBat for an email client and using AntiSpamSniper plugin for it. I had issues with the email database in TheBat and customer service refused to fix it. Now I use eMClient and I have nothing for spam.

  17. Jonathan said on December 22, 2010 at 4:24 pm
    Reply

    The only method I have is the built in protection from my G-mail and other online accounts, so this would be interesting in trying out!

  18. ded said on December 22, 2010 at 4:07 pm
    Reply

    Hi.
    I do not use a specific anti-spam.

  19. hlm said on December 22, 2010 at 4:07 pm
    Reply

    I’m using the default Gmail spam protection combined with boxbe services. Thanks Ghacks

  20. leofelix said on December 22, 2010 at 3:57 pm
    Reply

    Hi,
    I use ultrafunk popcorn portable, free and stand alone

  21. BadLuckLuke said on December 22, 2010 at 3:21 pm
    Reply

    My antispam is… wait, I ‘m not currently using any protection!!! I REALLY NEED THIS!!!

  22. mickay said on December 22, 2010 at 3:20 pm
    Reply

    I’m currently using Gmail built-in spam filter, no standalone solutions.

  23. Jawwad said on December 22, 2010 at 3:08 pm
    Reply

    Very good ……i love it. count me in

  24. Asriel Rusdyawan said on December 22, 2010 at 3:07 pm
    Reply

    This time I don’t have any AntiSpam Software but I hope I can win this Giveaway!

    THX, LJBU!

  25. panos said on December 22, 2010 at 2:21 pm
    Reply

    No antispam at this time

  26. hlm said on December 22, 2010 at 2:20 pm
    Reply

    For spam, I do rely on boxbe.com (very interesting and helpful service I must say), hope Ghacks maybe could review their services in the future. Other than that nothing much, Gmail already filtered the email considered as spam for me. Thanks Ghacks

  27. plopi said on December 22, 2010 at 1:18 pm
    Reply

    Well, I use GMail antispam for my personal account, and at work, a combination of paid products and not giving my address to every website :)

  28. ha14 said on December 22, 2010 at 12:34 pm
    Reply

    Verry usefull in home and business environment. Thank you for this occasion

  29. Reggie said on December 22, 2010 at 12:24 pm
    Reply

    Sweet giveaway! I have no special spam programs on my comp – but I need one! So please count me in! Thanks ghacks!

  30. qwer0 said on December 22, 2010 at 12:20 pm
    Reply

    My antispam is my eye to see the title of mail and then i decide to remove it or not :)

  31. Ahmad said on December 22, 2010 at 12:19 pm
    Reply

    At least one win :-p

  32. matroska said on December 22, 2010 at 11:55 am
    Reply

    I hope I win this time, because this nice software which should exist on my computer :D

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