PhishClean vs Netcraft Extension

Netcraft is free and has one of the biggest phishing takedown operations behind it, so its list of bad sites is very current. PhishClean reads the page itself and keeps every check on your device. They do different jobs, so the right choice depends on what you want caught and what you are happy to send.

Netcraft details are from netcraft.com/apps/browser, checked November 2026. Features change, so check there before relying on a row.

The core difference: who does the checking

Netcraft: a server-side rating with a huge feed behind it

Netcraft has run its Web Server Survey since 1995 and takes down phishing sites for banks and brands, so the sites its extension blocks often come straight from live takedown work. For sites it has never seen, the extension shows a risk rating built from signals like how new the domain is, where it is hosted and whether it uses an odd port or a raw IP address. To do that it looks up the hostnames you visit. Netcraft says it collects those hostnames for the rating and its popularity ranking, that it cannot tell which pages an individual user visits, and that sites on private network addresses are never sent.

PhishClean: page checks that stay on your device

PhishClean looks at what the page does: a login form that posts to a different domain, a domain that imitates a brand with swapped or foreign letters, a shop selling brand goods at impossible prices, a hidden iframe, HTTPS quietly dropped to HTTP, or an API key or token left in the page. Its list of about 380,000 reported phishing hosts is downloaded twice a day and matched in the browser. No hostname, URL or page content is sent for any of this, and the source code is public so you can check.

Where Netcraft is stronger

• It is completely free, with no paid tier
• A very current blocklist, fed by Netcraft's own takedown operation
• Blocks in-browser crypto miners as well as card skimmers, free
• Site reports that show hosting, technology and how long a site has been around
• One-click reporting, which helps get a phishing site taken down for everyone
• Works in Opera, and has decades of history in internet security

Where PhishClean is stronger

• Privacy: nothing about the sites you visit is sent to us, and the code is public
• Search-result badges on Google, Bing and DuckDuckGo, so you see the risk before you click
• Leaked secrets: exposed API keys, JWTs and session tokens on the page
• HTTPS downgrades and hidden iframes on pages that look fine in the address bar
• Fake virus pages, “click Allow” notification traps and breach warnings
• Leaked password checks that send only the first 5 characters of a hash

Which should you choose?

PhishClean fits better if you:

• Don't want the hostnames you visit sent to any server
• Want badges on search results and a check on every link before you click
• Work with credentials, API keys or tokens in the browser
• Want to see exactly why a page was flagged, check by check

Netcraft fits better if you:

• Want solid protection and will not pay for it
• Want site reports and one-click phishing reporting
• Use Opera

Can you run both?

Yes. They do not get in each other's way: Netcraft adds its takedown feed, risk rating and site reports, PhishClean adds local checks and search badges. If both flag a page, take it seriously. If you only want one, the question is simple: free with server lookups, or on-device with a paid plan for the full set.

Frequently asked questions

Is PhishClean a good alternative to the Netcraft Extension?

Yes, if you want every check to run on your own device. Netcraft is free and backed by one of the largest phishing takedown operations, but it looks up the hostnames you visit with Netcraft's servers to rate them. PhishClean downloads its list of reported phishing sites and matches it in the browser, and its page checks (fake login forms, lookalike domains, leaked API keys and tokens, HTTPS downgrades, hidden iframes) also run locally. Netcraft costs nothing; PhishClean has a free tier and a paid plan.

Is the Netcraft Extension free?

Yes. Netcraft's extension is free on Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera. PhishClean keeps blocking of reported phishing sites, link checks, the password-destination check and the fake CAPTCHA and fake job-interview warnings free after a 7-day full trial; all 27 checks cost $9/month or $59/year.

Can I run PhishClean and Netcraft at the same time?

Yes. They do not conflict. Netcraft adds its risk rating, site reports and a very current takedown feed; PhishClean adds local page checks such as leaked tokens, HTTPS downgrades, hidden iframes and search-result badges.

Does the Netcraft Extension send my browsing to Netcraft?

Netcraft says it collects the hostnames of the websites its users visit, which it uses for the risk rating and popularity ranking, and that it has no way of knowing which pages an individual user visits. Sites on private network addresses are not sent. PhishClean sends no hostnames or URLs to us; it sends a random install ID for licence checks.

Does PhishClean work on Brave?

Yes. Brave installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store, so the Chrome version of PhishClean works there unchanged, and it runs alongside Brave Shields without conflict.

More comparisons: best anti-phishing extensions in 2026, Bitdefender Web Sage vs Netcraft, PhishClean vs SafeToOpen, PhishClean vs Bitdefender Web Sage.

Last updated: 5 November 2026