This website says EtreCheck is malware – now I don't know who to trust. Please advise.

Etrecheck is not malware. However, be sure you're only downloading it from the actual Etrecheck website.

https://etrecheck.com/welcome

I would point out that the site you linked to doesn't say who authored it, what their expertise is, or anything else that would let you evaluate the veracity and accuracy. Do you really trust a site that posts things like:

MarCOs has dangerous programz that are rarely usuwx by a tiny.fraction.of.users. things lilike remote anrgemrmt .should.be opt.in and.not. ccome. rPeinstallwd on very smrarely MA

Also, Etrecheck is free so you don't need any coupons.

RaphaeliteGirl wrote:

I was about to pay for the PowerUser Package upgrade, and being out of work atm, thought I'd quickly google for a coupon code.

There are no coupon codes.

It says quite firmly and repeatedly that EtreCheck is malware. I expect I'm not the first person to stumble upon it, but I can find nothing in the support community clarifying either way. The site seems to have no financial skin in the game as I don't think they're selling anything

They aren't selling anything. They are just one of my cyber-stalkers. This particular stalker hasn't been active for a few years. But as you I'm sure you know, once something is posted on the internet, it never goes away.

Please comment as to the veracity of the website's claims

If you think that web site's content is truthful, then you most definitely should not purchase the EtreCheckPro Power User package.

Oh, and if EtreCheck is safe and anyone has a coupon code, please let me know.

While EtreCheckPro is safe, no one has any coupon codes.

I was assuming they may have their reasons for being anonymous - whatever they may be.

I also thought that given the claims – if untrue – are slanderous...

a) that you'd have to be quite certain to even make such a bold claim publicly and not fear retribution

Maybe that would be a good reason to post anonymously then? Or perhaps create fake names and fake online accounts?

b) that someone would have reported the website by now and had it removed - I can't be the first person to have stumbled across it

If you think the website is false and malicious, then I encourage you to report that to Google. I've tried but they ignore me. Since it is still collecting clicks like yours, that's all that matters to Google.

c) that the slandered creator of EntreCheck might want to know about this webpage and take action, given how high it appears in google search and the reputational damage it may cause.

If you weren't already aware, there are no laws on the internet. EtreCheck does not generate enough money to make any legal action a worthwhile investment. This person isn't my only stalker and isn't even my most annoying stalker. Had I known the amount of hassle that EtreCheck would have caused, I would never have written it. But as I mentioned above, it's too late to fix that now. I'm working on winding down EtreCheck and working on other products that will generate more money and fewer stalkers, but developing new software products takes time.

I've also now emailed Etresoft (John Daniel?) after finding a support email address.

I received no e-mail.

It's literally a choice between food and energy rn, so before every purchase (however reasonable to the average wallet) I just need to be extra cautious it's being spent wisely.

Then by all means, you should definitely pick food and energy. EtreCheck is a free app with lots of free features. You don't need to buy anything to use it.

Etrecheck is safe and reliable, always has been and is not malware IF, as was pointed out, you purchase it directly from the official site. I bought the paid version years ago and I have never had any problems with it, it is highly useful, and it has never in any way even resembled malware nor has it done anything that can remotely be described as malware and yes I have checked for other reasons. The developer participates here frequently and we have been know to disagree on many things regarding the world but I would defend his software to the bitter end. There are known people out there that for whatever reason have been know to attack the developer and his software. They are wrong.

The Power Package is well worth the stated cost and given that this is independent software from a small company you will not find a coupon for it. But buy it anyway, you will not regret it.

And I will echo the statements of the vary wise and intelligent people here and there comments regarding the site you found. Make the purchase from the site linked here, you will be glad you did.

ErikDPhillips wrote:

The OP states in the beginning of her inquiry that she is wanting to buy the PowerUser Package upgrade. That does, indeed, cost money....$17.99 according to the EtreCheck website.

Funny story. Back in the day, before I launched EtreCheck 5 in the Mac App Store, I hired an IP attorney to write a software license and a privacy policy. This was required by my business insurance. The cost for this cookie-cutter service was $750/hour. So, how many Power User packages do you think I would have to sell to pay for an international libel lawsuit against both a John Doe and Alphabet, Inc.?

Pretty much the only person who has ever seen any value in that hot mess of techno-gibberish is my other cyber-stalker who has been stalking and harassing me and my family for years. He's been kicked off pretty much every Apple social media forum on the internet except the one that frequently posts pictures of pre-Raphaelite girls. But still, he's very good at creating new, anonymous accounts and getting his minions to do the cyber-stalking and harassing for him.

It isn't against the law to post falsehoods on the internet. I keep reminding people about that, but it never seems to sink in. There is a false Apple story going viral right now. Anyone could verify it for themselves, but there is more (social) value to keep boosting it. There is zero incentive and no reason to ever remove false postings like the ones mentioned here. If you think about it, pretty much the only time anyone ever removes a post from the internet is when it's true. 😄

IdrisSeabright wrote:

All I can say is wow, that's creepy. Sorry you're still going through that.

Thanks! I'm sorry too. Unfortunately, I have no reason to expect it to end. Stalker's previous target totally dropped off the internet, but he's still being stalked too.

I do have some good news though. The moderators in that new Internet forum are on the ball. Stalker showed his true colours really fast this time. This is not to disparage the moderators here at Apple Support Communities. They have been great! They are definitely the standard by which to judge other forums.

My advice to others is to be very conscious of any personal information that you publish on the internet. Even if the information is true and not disparaging in any way, like a resume or LinkedIn page, consider how you'll feel if really creepy people start taking screenshots and reposting them on hidden areas of the Internet to talk about you and your family behind your back.

Back in 2014, stalker didn't seem any different than anyone else. Sometimes I cringe at what I used to post and tell people back then. I'm paying the price of naievete now.

Instead, this google site's webpage was returned near the top of my google search, and immediately gave me an uneasy feeling.

That site should give you an uneasy feeling, but for different reasons. That site itself shows no expertise at all.

BDAqua wrote:

I know of only one person that was so hung up on destroying etrecheck, & it was & is an abomination.

Alas, said individual has found yet a new Internet forum for his cyber-stalking. At first, I wasn't 100% sure about this thread. The OP account was created in 2012. Would somebody really create a sock-puppet account in 2012, save the login for a decade, and then use it in his 4-year long cyber-stalking campaign? Apparently yes. "RaphaeliteGirl" is most definitely the stalker.

etresoft wrote:

BDAqua wrote:

I know of only one person that was so hung up on destroying etrecheck, & it was & is an abomination.

Alas, said individual has found yet a new Internet forum for his cyber-stalking. At first, I wasn't 100% sure about this thread. The OP account was created in 2012. Would somebody really create a sock-puppet account in 2012, save the login for a decade, and then use it in his 4-year long cyber-stalking campaign? Apparently yes. "RaphaeliteGirl" is most definitely the stalker.

All I can say is wow, that's creepy. Sorry you're still going through that.

etresoft wrote:

My advice to others is to be very conscious of any personal information that you publish on the internet. Even if the information is true and not disparaging in any way, like a resume or LinkedIn page, consider how you'll feel if really creepy people start taking screenshots and reposting them on hidden areas of the Internet to talk about you and your family behind your back.

Excellent advice. I've certainly become more reticent over the years.

BDAqua wrote:

Gone. :)

But not forgotten.

It is important to remember that this is a classic stalker strategy. He wants to annoy the hosts so much that they ban me, and/or any use of EtreCheck from the forums, just so they don't have to deal with him anymore. This is a proven and effective strategy. At Apple's scale, it won't hurt them or the forums. There will be no need for me to maintain a free version of EtreCheck, so it probably won't hurt me either, at least not at first. It crazy to think about, but there is literally nothing any one can do but let inevitability run its course.

BDAqua wrote:

Must be something we can do to make it worth your while to keep Etrecheck alive & well!?

At this time, I still have plenty of incentive to keep EtreCheck going.

But I'm making plans... 🎶 there must be... 50 ways to leave your software...🎶

Stalker still won't give up: How can my friend have his ban lifted - f… - Apple Community

Posted at 9:13 AM this morning

I’ve put a call out for Etresoft to have a look at this.