Comparison · Link & file scanning
Dr.Web vs PolySwarm Scanbot
For most people checking files and links, Dr.Web (@DrWebBot) is the better pick: it is the antivirus vendor's own bot, linked from free.drweb.com, it replies in English, German or Russian, and in a group its quiet mode speaks up only when it finds a threat. PolySwarm Scanbot (@PolySwarmBot) is official too, announced on PolySwarm's blog, and pools verdicts from 30+ antivirus and specialist engines instead of one, but it is English-only and has had no public updates since its 2020 launch. Choose PolySwarm when you want several engines to weigh in on a file, or a group bot that deletes malicious posts by itself once you give it admin rights.
@DrWebBot
FreeOfficial
83/ 100
#1 in Link & file scanningThe genuine official bot of Doctor Web, a long-established Russian antivirus vendor — send it a file or link in a private chat or a group and it scans for malware and phishing using Dr.Web's own cloud engine.
@PolySwarmBot
FreeOfficial
73/ 100
The official bot of PolySwarm, a threat-detection marketplace: send it a file or a link and it returns a combined verdict from 30+ antivirus and specialist engines — or add it to a group to scan everything members post.
By the numbers
Dr.Web is ahead: 83 against 73 out of 100 for PolySwarm Scanbot. Dr.Web wins on reliability & speed, popularity & trust, safety & privacy, freshness, no intrusive ads. Both are free to use.
At a glance
| Dr.Web | PolySwarm Scanbot | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly users | 17.4K | — |
| Pricing and limits | Free | Free |
| Languages | EN · RU · DE | EN |
| Inline mode | no | no |
| Mini App | no | no |
| Works in groups | yes | yes |
| Works in channels | no | no |
| Accepts voice | no | no |
| Accepts files | yes | yes |
| Requires phone number | no | no |
| Requires registration | no | no |
| Shows ads | no | no |
| Official | yes | yes |
| Developer | Doctor Web (Dr.Web) | PolySwarm |
| Last check | October 22, 2026 | October 22, 2026 |
Score by criterion
| Criterion | Weight | Dr.Web | PolySwarm Scanbot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functionality | 25 | 8 | 8 |
| Reliability & speed | 15 | 9 | 7 |
| Popularity & trust | 15 | 7 | 4 |
| Price & free tier | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Usability | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Safety & privacy | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Freshness | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Localization | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| No intrusive ads | 5 | 10 | 9 |
| Total | 100 | 83 | 73 |
Pros and cons
Dr.Web
- Genuinely official, run by a real antivirus company
- Works both one-on-one and inside group chats
- Quiet mode avoids notification spam in busy groups
- Sizeable, sustained monthly usage (17,000+)
- Files are uploaded to Dr.Web's cloud for scanning, not checked locally
- Group mode requires admin rights to add the bot
- File-size limits not published on the bot's own profile
PolySwarm Scanbot
- Official bot of a real threat-detection company, confirmed on its blog
- Many engines in one verdict instead of a single antivirus
- Group mode can remove malicious posts automatically
- Free for private and group use
- No public updates about the bot since its 2020 launch
- Deleting posts requires admin rights in the group
Frequently asked questions
Dr.Web or PolySwarm Scanbot: which is better?
Dr.Web is ahead: 83 against 73 out of 100 for PolySwarm Scanbot. Dr.Web wins on reliability & speed, popularity & trust, safety & privacy, freshness, no intrusive ads. Both are free to use.
Are Dr.Web and PolySwarm Scanbot free?
Dr.Web: Free. PolySwarm Scanbot: Free.
Do Dr.Web and PolySwarm Scanbot work in groups?
Dr.Web: yes. PolySwarm Scanbot: yes.