Please say why you prefer what you do and, if possible, provide links if it's due to superior or inferior performance of one product or another.
I'm in the process of looking for updated security software, and one of the things I'm trying to figure out is keystroke encryption, as well as other related protection. I've been using KeyScrambler Free for years and have been mostly happy with it, but I'm looking for possible better alternatives. By better I mean more effective protection, protection with more programs, more secure (e.g. KeyScrambler can easily be killed by malware), and more encompassing (clipboard protection, screen capture protection, etc). While I consider it important, it is a last line of defense, so it will only be necessary in the event I actually get infected AND the infection isn't caught and wiped out. Also, I use KeePass, though admittedly I usually copy/paste because auto-input doesn't always work, so really clipboard protection is just as important. So it's not really worth it to me to pay much for, and the only reason I'm even considering ZAL and SpyShelter is because of the additional protection they also offer, but even then it's a tough call to be paying an annual subscription for them, especially if I get adequate malware/HIPS protection elsewhere (I'm still researching this, but thinking something like Avast + firewall + anti-exe + HIPS + 2nd opinion scanners). This is compounded by the fact that whatever solution(s) I go with, I plan on implementing on at least three computers, very possibly more. That said, I'm not against paying a reasonable amount if the software is that good.
Zemana Anti-Keylogger (ZAL)
+Effective
+Good reputation
+Additional protection: clipboard remote access protection (not sure how this differs from general clipboard protection), screen capture, webcam, microphone (seems to be the only one with this), malware, HIPS
-Expensive ($90/3yrs/3 licenses, $140/3yrs/5 licenses)
-Personally, I think them licensing their products to other companies (Watchdog, MalwareFox, PerfectGuard) hurts their reputation, especially since neither these companies nor Zemana make it obvious what's going on, leaving people to speculate (as an additional note to this, it's interesting that the rebranded products from these companies cost as much as or more than ZAL, yet offer less protection (they're only a ZAM equivalent)
-Website doesn't inspire confidence considering all of their store links lead to a 404, which required me to Google to find the actual purchase page
-Appears to be based in Turkey
SpyShelter
+Effective
+Good reputation
+Additional protection: clipboard, screen capture, webcam, folder (this could be a big one, since it's something I want and so far all others I've seen that offer it only allow a small number of folders to be protected), firewall (don't know how good it is)
-Very expensive ($60/$72 for 3 1-year Premium/Firewall licenses)
-Can be uninstalled by malware (Best Keystroke Encryption Software to Protect Against Keyloggers • Raymond.CC)
-Many MWT users say they have bad CS
HitmanPro.Alert (HMP.A)
+Good reputation
+Additional protection: webcam, malware
-Extremely expensive ($35/yr/license -> $105/yr/3 licenses)
-Questionable effectiveness of keystroke encryption (mixed reports here and at Wilders)
-No clipboard, screen capture, or microphone protection
KeyScrambler
+Effective
+Good reputation
+Have been using it for years mostly trouble-free
+Popup when typing to show it's working is obvious but unobtrusive, and allows immediate recognition of a problem (if you're paying attention)
-Keylogging protection only
-Free version only protects browsers, which provides most of the protection I really need, but it would be nice to have more programs covered, which is the main reason I'm looking at alternatives
-Can be killed/uninstalled per review linked above
-Possibly the cause of periodic hiccups I experience where the browser will stop accepting my input for a couple seconds and anything I type during that time won't be entered, though it's hard to say, as it could just as well be the browser/extensions
Ghostpress
+Seems promising
+Developer has been active here in the past
-Keylogging protection only
-Haven't seen much on it lately
-Not sure where it stands as far as effectiveness and security
-I don't like the widget for showing when it's working
Oxynger (on-screen, virtual keyboard, so not a viable alternative to the others, but worth a mention)
+Screen capture protection
+Free?
+Effective (5 Virtual Keyboards Tested to Determine their Effectiveness Against Keyloggers • Raymond.CC)
-Obscure, relatively unknown
As a final note, do keystroke encrypters even offer any protection? mspencer712 here (What is the best keystroke encryption software? • r/software) makes a strong case against their effectiveness, but they've shown effective against keyloggers, such as here (Best Keystroke Encryption Software to Protect Against Keyloggers • Raymond.CC). Then again, as he points out, if you're compromised, the malware could very likely have access beyond what a keystroke encryption tool can protect against. It seems to me that, like many things, their usefulness has limits, but it's better than nothing.
I'm in the process of looking for updated security software, and one of the things I'm trying to figure out is keystroke encryption, as well as other related protection. I've been using KeyScrambler Free for years and have been mostly happy with it, but I'm looking for possible better alternatives. By better I mean more effective protection, protection with more programs, more secure (e.g. KeyScrambler can easily be killed by malware), and more encompassing (clipboard protection, screen capture protection, etc). While I consider it important, it is a last line of defense, so it will only be necessary in the event I actually get infected AND the infection isn't caught and wiped out. Also, I use KeePass, though admittedly I usually copy/paste because auto-input doesn't always work, so really clipboard protection is just as important. So it's not really worth it to me to pay much for, and the only reason I'm even considering ZAL and SpyShelter is because of the additional protection they also offer, but even then it's a tough call to be paying an annual subscription for them, especially if I get adequate malware/HIPS protection elsewhere (I'm still researching this, but thinking something like Avast + firewall + anti-exe + HIPS + 2nd opinion scanners). This is compounded by the fact that whatever solution(s) I go with, I plan on implementing on at least three computers, very possibly more. That said, I'm not against paying a reasonable amount if the software is that good.
Zemana Anti-Keylogger (ZAL)
+Effective
+Good reputation
+Additional protection: clipboard remote access protection (not sure how this differs from general clipboard protection), screen capture, webcam, microphone (seems to be the only one with this), malware, HIPS
-Expensive ($90/3yrs/3 licenses, $140/3yrs/5 licenses)
-Personally, I think them licensing their products to other companies (Watchdog, MalwareFox, PerfectGuard) hurts their reputation, especially since neither these companies nor Zemana make it obvious what's going on, leaving people to speculate (as an additional note to this, it's interesting that the rebranded products from these companies cost as much as or more than ZAL, yet offer less protection (they're only a ZAM equivalent)
-Website doesn't inspire confidence considering all of their store links lead to a 404, which required me to Google to find the actual purchase page
-Appears to be based in Turkey
SpyShelter
+Effective
+Good reputation
+Additional protection: clipboard, screen capture, webcam, folder (this could be a big one, since it's something I want and so far all others I've seen that offer it only allow a small number of folders to be protected), firewall (don't know how good it is)
-Very expensive ($60/$72 for 3 1-year Premium/Firewall licenses)
-Can be uninstalled by malware (Best Keystroke Encryption Software to Protect Against Keyloggers • Raymond.CC)
-Many MWT users say they have bad CS
HitmanPro.Alert (HMP.A)
+Good reputation
+Additional protection: webcam, malware
-Extremely expensive ($35/yr/license -> $105/yr/3 licenses)
-Questionable effectiveness of keystroke encryption (mixed reports here and at Wilders)
-No clipboard, screen capture, or microphone protection
KeyScrambler
+Effective
+Good reputation
+Have been using it for years mostly trouble-free
+Popup when typing to show it's working is obvious but unobtrusive, and allows immediate recognition of a problem (if you're paying attention)
-Keylogging protection only
-Free version only protects browsers, which provides most of the protection I really need, but it would be nice to have more programs covered, which is the main reason I'm looking at alternatives
-Can be killed/uninstalled per review linked above
-Possibly the cause of periodic hiccups I experience where the browser will stop accepting my input for a couple seconds and anything I type during that time won't be entered, though it's hard to say, as it could just as well be the browser/extensions
Ghostpress
+Seems promising
+Developer has been active here in the past
-Keylogging protection only
-Haven't seen much on it lately
-Not sure where it stands as far as effectiveness and security
-I don't like the widget for showing when it's working
Oxynger (on-screen, virtual keyboard, so not a viable alternative to the others, but worth a mention)
+Screen capture protection
+Free?
+Effective (5 Virtual Keyboards Tested to Determine their Effectiveness Against Keyloggers • Raymond.CC)
-Obscure, relatively unknown
As a final note, do keystroke encrypters even offer any protection? mspencer712 here (What is the best keystroke encryption software? • r/software) makes a strong case against their effectiveness, but they've shown effective against keyloggers, such as here (Best Keystroke Encryption Software to Protect Against Keyloggers • Raymond.CC). Then again, as he points out, if you're compromised, the malware could very likely have access beyond what a keystroke encryption tool can protect against. It seems to me that, like many things, their usefulness has limits, but it's better than nothing.
