Learning about the best anti-cheat software can help you find games where cheating is less of a problem and everyone can have a better time. Today, you’ll discover what keeps your favorite games safer from cheats and hacks.
1) Easy Anti-Cheat
Easy Anti-Cheat is a popular tool that helps keep multiplayer games safe. You might have seen it in a bunch of big games you play with friends online. Its main job is to stop hacking and cheating, so everyone has a better game experience.
This anti-cheat software works in the background while you play. It checks for cheating tools, hacks, and HWID spoofers that can mess up the game for others. If it finds anyone breaking the rules, it can block them from playing.
Epic Games owns Easy Anti-Cheat, and lots of companies trust it to protect their games. It runs on Windows and other platforms, making it pretty flexible for game studios.
You usually don’t notice Easy Anti-Cheat running, but it’s always working in the background. Game developers like that it’s simple to set up and gets updated pretty often.
| Game Title | Type |
|---|---|
| Fortnite | Battle Royale |
| Apex Legends | Shooter |
| Dead by Daylight | Survival Horror |
| Rust | Survival |
| War Thunder | Vehicle Combat |
2) BattlEye
If you play online games, you may have seen BattlEye in action issuing HWID bans to players like its nothing. This anti-cheat tool is well-known in the gaming community.
BattlEye works behind the scenes to watch for cheats and hacks while you play. It looks for strange behavior in the game, checks known cheat signatures, and uses smart detection methods. You might not even notice it running, but it’s there.
Some people worry about privacy because BattlEye runs at a deep level on your computer. It uses kernel-level access to find cheats, which gives it powerful controls. Most of the time, this helps block even the sneakiest hacks and exploits.
| Game Title |
|---|
| Rainbow Six Siege |
| ARMA 3 |
| PUBG: Battlegrounds |
| DayZ |
| Escape from Tarkov |
| Unturned |
3) Vanguard by Riot Games
When you play games like VALORANT and League of Legends, you might notice the anti-cheat software called Vanguard from Riot Games. This program is made to stop cheaters and keep the game fair for everyone.
Vanguard works at a deep level in your computer, known as kernel mode. This helps it catch cheating tools that normal programs might miss. Some players like this because it helps stop hackers, but others are worried about their computer’s safety and privacy since kernel mode has a lot of control.
You don’t have to do anything special to run Vanguard. It installs with the game and runs in the background. If Vanguard finds cheating, you can get banned quickly.
Riot Games updates Vanguard often to keep up with new cheats. However, because it runs all the time, some people have had issues with computer crashes or other programs acting strangely.
| Game | Uses Vanguard? |
|---|---|
| VALORANT | Yes |
| League | Yes |
4) Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC)
Valve Anti-Cheat, or VAC, is the system created by Valve to help keep games fair. When you play games on Steam that use VAC, the software scans your computer for cheats. If VAC finds cheating programs, it will ban your account from playing on secure servers.
VAC runs quietly in the background, so you can focus on your game. Cheaters who get caught by VAC bans usually lose access to online multiplayer features for that game.
VAC bans are permanent and cannot be removed. This means your Steam account could be restricted from some games if you try to cheat. It's meant to protect honest players and keep the game enjoyable.
Still, no anti-cheat is perfect. Some cheaters find new tricks, so Valve updates VAC often. VAC covers a lot of popular games and is important for the Steam community.
| Game Title | Uses VAC |
|---|---|
| Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Yes |
| Team Fortress 2 | Yes |
| Dota 2 | Yes |
| Left 4 Dead 2 | Yes |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Yes |
5) PunkBuster
PunkBuster is a well-known anti-cheat program that has been around for a long time. You might see it in several popular online games, especially older ones. Its main job is to stop cheating by scanning your computer’s memory and looking for cheating software.
You don’t really have to do much as a player, because PunkBuster runs in the background while you play. It checks for things like aimbots, wallhacks, or other programs that give an unfair advantage. If it finds something, you could get kicked from the game server.
Some players have mixed opinions about PunkBuster. For some, it’s reliable and keeps gameplay fair. For others, it can sometimes remove players by mistake if a harmless program triggers it. Updates are not as common as before, but it is still used by certain games.
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| Game Title |
|---|
| Battlefield 2 |
| Battlefield 4 |
| Call of Duty 4 |
| Medal of Honor: Airborne |
| F.E.A.R. |
| America's Army |
6) FairFight
It works on the server, which means it checks data without changing your computer or game files.
This anti-cheat tool uses real-time checks to spot strange behavior during gameplay. It looks for things like impossible scores or abnormal movement patterns.
FairFight doesn’t scan your private files or run deep background checks. Instead, it watches for suspicious actions using rules set by game developers.
Because FairFight is customizable, each game can use its own rules for catching cheaters. If cheating is detected, FairFight can hand out automatic penalties like warnings or bans.
You don’t have to install anything extra to use FairFight when playing an online game. Its main goal is to help give you a fair and fun experience.
| Game Title |
|---|
| Rainbow Six Siege |
| Battlefield V |
| Battlefield 1 |
| Battlefield 4 |
| Star Wars Battlefront |
| Star Wars Battlefront II |
7) XIGNCODE3
XIGNCODE3 pops up in a bunch of well-known online games. It’s anti-cheat software from a Korean company called Wellbia, and its main job is to catch cheaters by scanning your game files and watching for hacks while you play.
It looks for weird or suspicious activity in real time, trying to block cheating programs before they mess up your match.
This tool does use a chunk of your computer’s resources. Some folks have noticed higher CPU usage, especially on older machines, but for most people it’s not a huge deal.
There’s been some criticism—mainly about privacy concerns or occasional bugs. Still, a lot of game companies stick with it because it’s effective at catching a wide range of cheats.
| Game Name |
|---|
| Black Desert Online |
| Phantasy Star Online 2 |
| Bless Online |
| Blade & Soul |
| The Quinfall |
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a bunch of anti-cheat systems out there, each with their own strengths. Maybe you’re wondering which ones are rated the best, how their features stack up, or what other players worry about.
What are the top-rated anti-cheat systems for PC gaming?
Easy Anti-Cheat, BattlEye, Riot’s Vanguard, Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC), and PunkBuster usually top the list. They show up in lots of popular games and do a decent job cutting down on cheating.
Each one has its own style—some scan for cheats, some run quietly in the background, and some rely on community reports.
Which free anti-cheat software is most effective for online games?
Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) is a big name, especially for Steam games like Counter-Strike and Team Fortress 2. PunkBuster is another free pick, though you’ll mostly spot it in older titles.
Both are pretty well-known and trusted by a lot of gamers.
How does Valorant's anti-cheat measure up against others?
Valorant uses Vanguard, which runs deep in your system as soon as your PC boots up. That lets it catch cheats before the game even launches.
It’s stricter than most, and it definitely catches more cheaters. But, yeah, the privacy and security stuff does make some people uneasy.
What makes Ricochet anti-cheat stand out in the gaming community?
Ricochet is best known for Call of Duty games. It runs on your PC to scan for cheating tools, and it can spot new types of cheats with advanced detection.
People like that it adapts quickly and gets updated a lot to keep up with new hacks.