• Download

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Overview

Download has a rating of 1.89 stars from 28 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Download ranks 7th among Downloads sites.

  • Service
    2
  • Value
    2
  • Shipping
    1
  • Returns
    1
  • Quality
    2
How would you rate Download?
Top Positive Review

“There is a lot to like about Cnet downloads”

Ed V.
7/17/10

There is a lot to like about Cnet downloads. Huge selection, can filter by price (or "free"), and more importantly they check each and every download for viruses or spyware. Thanks Cnet!

Top Critical Review

“Pirates software then adds their own malware”

J J.
10/8/21

I just noticed a piece of software I developed is on CNET. I never gave permission and there's no way to have it taken down. What they're doing is illegal. They're pirating software and giving it out for free. Almost as bad, they're known to package spy, bloat and malware in with their products to give the pirated software a bad rep even though it's CNET trying to make money with damaging addons. Don't download from them. They're dodgy on all sides.

Reviews (28)

Rating

Timeframe

Other

Thumbnail of user jj601
1 review
9 helpful votes
October 8th, 2021

I just noticed a piece of software I developed is on CNET. I never gave permission and there's no way to have it taken down. What they're doing is illegal. They're pirating software and giving it out for free. Almost as bad, they're known to package spy, bloat and malware in with their products to give the pirated software a bad rep even though it's CNET trying to make money with damaging addons. Don't download from them. They're dodgy on all sides.

Tip for consumers:
Don't touch it unless you want to support pirates by filling your computer full of bloatware or worse.

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user jayf696
1 review
1 helpful vote
November 12th, 2022

So they decided to add something that shuts down my PC every time I boot it up. It's $#*!ing stupid how it's still up, scamming people out of $#*! like that.

Tip for consumers:
Don't take your chances, it's not worth it.

Products used:
A virus they bundled with someone else's software.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user stephenj81
1 review
15 helpful votes
September 3rd, 2017

I can no longer visit their site as there are too many adverts and videos with excessively loud hardcore music blasting in your ears, which you cannot stop! It is such a tragedy as it use to be my favorite site.

Thumbnail of user robertd300
2 reviews
25 helpful votes
May 25th, 2017

CNET used to be a reputable and useful site, providing honest evaluations and safe downloads of software programs. The site is no longer useful or safe... everything comes with tons of malware, bloatware, spyware and adware. CNET now loads rating sites with bogus five-star ratings and google search interference by listing a full page of Cnet links. Their only usefulness is listing several alternate software sources, e.g. video converters, and the smart user will then go to the parent site and avoid the headache of an infected computer. Two thumbs down!

Thumbnail of user rf22
1 review
33 helpful votes
June 17th, 2014

Used these folks for years, I am big believer and user of shareware. But today for the second time I downloaded a file and got a virus. I can find no place on their site to report it or contact them. They are now on my blacklist. Looks like they have been taken over by hackers. Too bad, but beware do not download anything from them. Now I have random audio commercials playing even when there is no browser open. Naturally I am having a lot of difficulty figuring out how to fix this.

Thumbnail of user ms464
1 review
20 helpful votes
September 20th, 2017

In last 6 months, it has basically become only an advertising site so adware & malware is everywhere. I used to use this site with a lot of confidence 5 years ago but it is basically useless now to sort for best downloads for apps, utils, etc.

Tip for consumers:
use this site and it's download sub-site at your own risk; only with virtual machine

Thumbnail of user paulc100
1 review
31 helpful votes
July 24th, 2014

Cnet used to be great, now it's the one place you're guaranteed to download adware/malware and viruses, I wouldn't recommend this site to anyone who doesn't want to reinstall windows.
We need something to warn us about these kinds of sites, how that would work I don't know, but sites like cnet need to be removed one way or another. Sick of these sites being legitimized by ignorant people who don't even know what a boot block is.

Thumbnail of user nonamem1
1 review
18 helpful votes
February 3rd, 2014

User reviews plagerizing user reviews scam...

Comodo geekbuddy flat lined my dell xps... I see the cnet review which shows same bad behaviour and hours of work to repair it... and then cnet plagiarizes this guys review to say how magic and wonderful it is.
So CNET is in bed with comodo. How nice. Guess I wont be looking for advice from cnet or comodo. I don't need your geek buddy... your geek buddy stinks. I am my own geek buddy.

Thumbnail of user job125
1 review
33 helpful votes
October 16th, 2014

Beware! Used to be great, but is a scam now. I hate them now, downloads has done nothing but secretly install garbage and almost ruin my pcs with crapware they sneak, They need a Class Action against them

Thumbnail of user deeem
2 reviews
29 helpful votes
July 16th, 2014

STAY AWAY
This site no longer scans for VIRUSES for it's downloads. Many reviews on their downloads from users indicate Viruses found.
My last download was halted by McAfee and resulting in the following virus being detected:
Artemis! DC8F485C2C24 (Trojan)

Thumbnail of user inaa3
2 reviews
38 helpful votes
December 23rd, 2014

The site is riddled with viruses and malware.
I wouldn't advise anyone to use this, you'll end up spending hours trying to clean up your computer afterwards

Thumbnail of user albertp24
2 reviews
27 helpful votes
February 1st, 2015

CNET used to be my favorite website. I would stay up all night trying different programs. Sad to see all this malware. Im cleaning out my computer as i write this.

Thumbnail of user same59
1 review
26 helpful votes
April 10th, 2014

Do NOT go there unless you want malware and headaches. Anyone who gives it even one star has not used that site. Keep away.

Thumbnail of user lisav1
5 reviews
38 helpful votes
March 27th, 2010

This is part of the CNET site, but only has software downloads. I have downloaded several software programs from it. Most are free trials, where is does something, then you have to buy the software to do what you really need it to do.

The user reviews are ify, so take them with a grain of salt.

Thumbnail of user michelr10
2 reviews
25 helpful votes
September 26th, 2014

I downloaded "Best Bulk Email Software" from Cnet, a soft which has a very high rating. Actually the software is buggy and the mail servers they provide are black listed. Put twice a review on Cnet to mention this. It was never published

Thumbnail of user lindab87
1 review
28 helpful votes
October 10th, 2014

They used to be great but now they try to install bloat/spyware on yr computer at the same time you install any of the hosted programs. If you wish to use them then just be very aware of what you are agreeing to during installation. I just tried to install a program downloaded off CNET only to find that it wanted to install 3 other pieces of software at the same time. The bloat/spyware was all about shopping & advertising which luckily I caught before it could infect my system. I would rather pay for software rather than allow this sort of rubbish to infect my computer & then have to pay to get rid of it!
That is the last time I use their website because it is quite sneaky about how they do it.

Thumbnail of user disnar
1 review
20 helpful votes
Thumbnail of user gizzmoj
1 review
22 helpful votes
July 2nd, 2013

It now offers spyware with its installation software. This is now officially a dangerous site.

Thumbnail of user brianh68
1 review
21 helpful votes
November 23rd, 2013

For years I used download.com (now download.cnet.com) to get great products both free and paid. But the seedy underbelly of the internet has latched itself to that once great site while CNET has slept and many of the items you download have viruses or worse!

As of late I tried to download "Macgo Blu-ray Player" from their site and initially my Norton Anti-Virus said it was good. But when I installed it Norton then said that it had to trap a Trojan virus! The worse experience of the year was a trialware version of software that claimed to have many features similar to Microsoft's Viso. What I got was a hijacked computer!

So BIG SHAME on cnet for not doing a better job of policing the software that is being offered through their site. So my one-time review of 5 stars for this site many years ago has been reduced to a "You had better have GREAT defenses on your computer when you install OR ELSE!"

So stay away until CNET fixes their issues.

Thumbnail of user roberti8
5 reviews
39 helpful votes
August 16th, 2015

At one time, I recommended CNET's download.com to anyone looking for software downloads. It was my own first choice until the company broke it's policy of scanning all software downloads for viruses, malware, or adware by installing its own malware and adware. This is what happens when MBAs start taking over and everything has to be monetized, because all those people can read are dollar signs. Obviously, Sean Murphy's fixation on the almighty has blinded him to the fact that he has invited parasites that soon will consume its host. I no longer consider download.com an ethical company and would use it only as a last resort in the event of an emergency.

Thumbnail of user stevej14
1 review
20 helpful votes
August 18th, 2011

I never got the Civil War Generals II game. What I did get was a barely working computer that I will probably have to pay someone to fix.

They are lucky I can not physically find them.

Thumbnail of user ronk
139 reviews
1,046 helpful votes
July 12th, 2011

Site should be banned, along with several other freeware hawkers. You can bet most anything downloaded with have malware, or worse, so try to avoid. How-To-Geek, explains it all:
http://bit.ly/1A5x1cW

Thumbnail of user sophians
11 reviews
39 helpful votes
January 20th, 2013

An awesome website where users can download free software’s of their choice. Good job!

Thumbnail of user edv
6 reviews
27 helpful votes
July 17th, 2010

There is a lot to like about Cnet downloads. Huge selection, can filter by price (or "free"), and more importantly they check each and every download for viruses or spyware. Thanks Cnet!

Thumbnail of user ianm11
140 reviews
749 helpful votes
June 4th, 2011

I agree with the below comments. Its part of the CNET Community. I have downloaded many programs with no problems whatsoever. Highly recommended site.

3 ratings were submitted through the Sitejabber Browser Extension or converted from reviews due to lack of content.

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