- Antivirus Software For Macbook Pro
- Free Antivirus Software For Mac
- Antivirus Software For Mac Reviews
- Best Free Antivirus Software For Mac
- 10 Best Antivirus For Mac
- Free Antivirus For Mac
The best Mac antivirus software should be easy to use and eliminate all types of malware, even those designed for Windows PCs. Free Mac antivirus software provides basic antivirus protection, but typically lacks the extras such as a firewall, identity protection, parental controls and email monitoring that you get with paid-for security suites.
In a world packed with free security software, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019's annual fee may look expensive, but there's plenty of bang for your buck. Plus, it has reintroduced its mega 60%. Norton Security is the best antivirus software if you have computers that run different operating systems. It offers the same level of protection to both Mac and Windows machines, easily detects threats on both, and even detects and removes some Windows malware hidden on Mac machines. Best free antivirus for Mac: Avast Free Mac Security Many antivirus suites provide a decent level of protection, but a few rise above all others by providing the very best in performance. I recommend Bitdefender or Kaspersky Antivirus for mac. Don't get some free antivirus softwares as most of them fail to work as they promise. Also the main reason to get mac antivirus software is to protect fellow windows users who are connected in the same network.
If you're looking to keep your Mac safe from Trojans, ransomware and malicious websites, you'll want the best Mac antivirus software available.
Best for multiple devices: Norton Security Standard
Norton Security Standard is compatible with both Mac and Windows computers, so it’s ideal if you have computers running different operating systems that need virus protection.
In partnership with Norton
In partnership with Norton
After all our testing and research, we feel Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is the best antivirus protection for Mac users. It does a good job detecting and protecting against threats, including Windows malware.
It has extra security tools like a VPN, and it doesn’t cause your computer to slow down. For Windows computers, we found Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019 to be the best antivirus security software.
Why trust us on Mac Antivirus software?
We spend most of the year testing internet security programs, including antivirus software for Mac. We devote hundreds of hours to downloading, using and testing the most popular security programs on multiple devices running different operating systems, including Mac OS, Windows 10, Windows 8 and Windows 7. We test programs that are compatible with mobile operating systems as well. All this helps us understand just how each program works and if any slowdowns, quirks or tools affect performance on each device.
As part of our testing methodology, we research the standards of the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO) and follow several of these suggestions. The most important standard is to maintain unbiased. This means we don’t talk with program developers, representatives or vendors during testing, and we either purchase each program or download the free trials from the program’s website to make sure the software we are testing is the same version users get rather than one that may have been tampered with to create a more favorable outcome.
We have developed relationships with several experts in the internet security industry, including security analysts, IT technicians and cybersecurity managers. We also follow security blogs and news outlets, receive monthly newsletters from manufacturers, attend trade shows and do all we can to stay on top of new developments and security breaches within the industry. Devoting this much time over the last 15 years has helped us become a leading expert in antivirus and internet security practices. This is why you can trust us when it comes to the best antivirus Mac software.
Best OverallBitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is our top pick because it effectively protects against Mac malware and automatically removes most threats.
Best Free Mac AntivirusAVG AntiVirus for Mac
AVG AntiVirus for Mac offers free virus protection against malware, even ransomware. It scans any portable drive or device that is connected for threats, including mobile devices.
Best for Multiple DevicesNorton Security Standard
Norton Security Standard is compatible with both Mac and Windows computers, so it’s ideal if you have computers running different operating systems that need virus protection.
1. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac: best overall
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Blocked 99 percent of the live threats we used and scrubbed most of them from our system automatically
Reasons to Buy
Securely deletes threats
Reasons to Avoid
Doesn’t include a firewall
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac$38.99
Antivirus Software For Macbook Pro
When we tested Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, it blocked 99 percent of the live threats we used and scrubbed most of them from our system automatically. It also did a decent job recognizing Windows threats so they wouldn’t be accidently sent to a PC user.
The vulnerability scanner looks for outdated software then gives you a trusted link where you can download the latest patch or version. This helps cover any weak spots where hackers and ransomware could infiltrate your computer. Bitdefender warns of malicious websites with its safe browsing feature, and it scans USB drives to stop any threats from infecting your computer at that point. Best video recording for mac. It is also one of the only programs that includes a VPN that hides you while online so adware and other trackers can’t see your search history or which sites you visit. The biggest drawback is Bitdefender isn’t the easiest program to set up or use. There are some tools and features that can only be accessed through the online portal while others are only found on the dashboard.
- Read the review:Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
2. AVG AntiVirus for Mac: best free Mac AntiVirus
AVG AntiVirus for Mac
AVG AntiVirus for Mac is an extremely budget-friendly Mac antivirus solution
Reasons to Buy
Scans mobile devices connected through USB
Reasons to Avoid
Vulnerability scanner installs separately
This simple program offers great virus protection, doesn’t slow down your computer and includes a few additional internet security features. It is also free for home use. https://ehhqshq.weebly.com/download-asus-usb-driver-for-mobile-phones.html.
This software scans incoming email and anything connected to the USB port, including mobile devices, and removes any threats it finds so your computer isn’t infected. It also scans for outdated software since this is one of the biggest ports of for ransomware and hackers. AVG has phishing blockers and spam filters that keep threats in emails from downloading to your computer or directing you to dangerous sites designed to gather personal information. It is one of the easiest programs to use, with large icons for each tool. Because it is a free program, AVG does have in-program ads that can be distracting. It also requires the vulnerability scanner to be installed separately from the antivirus program, though once it’s installed you can access it from the program dashboard.
- Read the review: AVG Antivirous for Mac
3. Norton Security Standard: best for multiple devices
Norton Security Standard
Norton Security is the best antivirus software if you have computers that run different operating systems
Reasons to Buy
Scores high for malware protection
Reasons to Avoid
Costs more than most Mac solutions
Norton 360 Standard$49.99
It offers the same level of protection to both Mac and Windows machines, easily detects threats on both, and even detects and removes some Windows malware hidden on Mac machines.
Norton Security Standard scans email and USB shared files to make sure they don’t have hidden threats that may infect your Mac. It also looks for out-of-date software that may create a weak spot that hackers and ransomware can use to infect your computer. The antivirus program for Mac includes a password manager and banking tools to shield your important information from identity thieves, keyloggers and other internet tracking programs. The biggest drawback is Norton costs significantly more than other programs and charges a fee for each device you want to protect.
- Read the review:Norton Security Standard
4. Intego Mac Internet Security
Intego Mac Internet Security
It’s designed to look, feel and work similarly to other Mac system programs like Finder or Safari
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Intego Mac Internet Security does an excellent job detecting and protecting against Mac threats including viruses, Trojans and ransomware. It’s designed to look, feel and work similarly to other Mac system programs like Finder or Safari, so it isn’t too difficult to figure out. Along with ContentBarrier, the program that protects against malware, Intego Mac Internet Security also comes with NetBarrier, a personal firewall that secures your computer against anyone trying to steal your internet which slows down your speeds. Any cellphones, tablets or other mobile devices attached to your computer through its USB ports are scanned by Intego to make sure there aren’t any threats that can infect your computer as you transfer files. Because it isn’t a premium security program, Intego Mac Internet Security doesn’t come with parental controls or a system vulnerability scanner, but you can purchase these separately.
- Read the review:Intego Mac Internet Security
5. Sophos Home
Sophos Home
During our tests Sophos wasn’t very effective at protecting against Mac malware
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
We know many Mac users look at Sophos Home as a cost-effective solution since its basic program is free. However, during our tests Sophos wasn’t very effective at protecting against Mac malware, and it is very difficult to figure out how to use. It only detected 78 percent of the threats we unleashed during testing, and a few threats we had to manually remove after following the online instructions from Sophos. But these instructions included disabling the automatic virus protection, which triggered Sophos to reboot. Once we reopened Sophos, the virus protection was on again and we couldn’t continue through all the steps of removing the threats. Ultimately, we gave up, uninstalled Sophos and installed another program to find and scrub our Mac clean of threats. Sophos did a good job of identifying and blocking Windows malware on our Mac machines.
- Read the review:Sophos Home
Do I need antivirus software for my Mac?
The short answer is, yes, you do need antivirus software for your Mac. While Macs are less susceptible to viruses thank Windows computers, Macs are still at risk.
We conduct our own in-house tests using 165 of the nastiest Mac malware to find the antivirus programs that protect Macs best. These threats were tucked inside a zipped file that, when opened, downloaded the files and let them loose. We looked at which point each virus scanner picked up the threats, including Trojans and ransomware, and if the program automatically removed them or placed them in a quarantine folder for us to take care of later. Most of the Mac antivirus programs caught the threats as the files opened and deleted them immediately. Some programs moved each threat into the quarantine folder while others quarantined just those threats that were created to look like legitimate programs. This gave us a good idea of how well the programs protect Mac computers. It also is a good way for us to evaluate how much of our computer’s resources are used while running. During virus scans we perform common tasks, such as sending email, browsing the web, watching movies and playing online games and look for any lag, buffering or slowdown that may be caused by the antivirus software.
https://scriptspowerful357.weebly.com/best-outdoor-security-systems-for-mac.html. While testing we look for how easy the program is to download, install, set up and use. We feel this is important since many users aren’t computer savvy, so an easy setup process ensures that all a program's tools are in working order.
How much does antivirus for Mac cost?
Because Mac antivirus solutions are basic programs without many tools beyond malware protection, you can expect to pay between $30 and $40 for a single user license. Some programs, like F-Secure SAFE, come with a minimum of three licenses to protect multiple computers or laptops at once. There are a few free programs available, but they generally don’t recognize as many threats – plus they bog down your computer and have lots of annoying pop-up ads. If you want more protection with parental controls, a personal firewall or a password manager, check out Mac internet security suites that typically come with these extra tools for around $50.
Which antivirus is best for Mac?
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac and Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac are all great Mac antivirus programs that proved in our lab tests they are excellent at detecting, blocking and protecting against malware, including Trojans and ransomware. Because the most important function of antivirus for Mac is protecting against malware, Top Ten Reviews invests considerable time testing each program using live threats, so we can tell you exactly how the program works and how well it detects and blocks malware.
Windows threats don’t affect Mac devices, but we still test how well Mac antivirus tools detect these threats because they can hide among your files and accidentally be sent on to a PC through email or file sharing. https://newui420.weebly.com/com-bombich-ccc-recovery-hd-dmg.html. Avast Security for Mac, AVG AntiVirus for Mac and Trend Micro all do an excellent job of detecting both Mac and Windows malware on Mac computers.
After protection, the biggest differences among Mac antivirus solutions are security features. Detection features are where and what the antivirus program scans on your computer. All of the leading programs scan USB drives and incoming email. Some Mac antivirus software includes a system vulnerability scan that looks for weak points in your computer, typically out-of-date software, and prompts you to install the latest version to strengthen those points. Programs such as Bitdefender present you with a legitimate link where you can download newer software rather than chance downloading a malicious link.
Extra security tools include parental controls that let you set up time limits or block family members from accessing dangerous websites. Password managers shield your username and password from key loggers as you log into email, bank accounts and social media pages. And safe banking tools protect you from identity thieves as you bank and shop online. These aren’t typically included with basic antivirus programs but are included with Mac internet security suites.
Mobile protection isn’t included with antivirus programs, but a few solutions, such as Intego and ESET, will scan your mobile phone or table for any threats and remove them if the device is connected to your computer through a USB port.
![Antivirus software for mac reviews Antivirus software for mac reviews](/uploads/1/2/6/6/126610758/189405661.png)
How do I remove viruses from my Mac?
https://scriptspowerful357.weebly.com/best-graphic-design-programs-for-mac.html. The hardest part of cleaning a threat from a Mac computer is finding what the malware is called and where it is hiding, especially since there are sophisticated viruses that look and function like a legitimate app. There are sites that list common Mac malware and where they can be found using the Activity Monitor on your iOS. Once the threat is located, the next step is to stop the malicious application from running and quickly move it to the trash bin. This will keep the program from restarting. If there are any other folders or files that were installed along with the malicious application, make sure these are placed in the trash too; otherwise these files will continue to drain your computer’s resources and cause frustration. When you empty the trash bin these files will be permanently removed.
An easier way to ensure you quickly find and remove Mac viruses is to use an antivirus program like Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac because it not only locates malicious apps and files, but automatically scrubs them from your computer for you. On top of that, because Mac antivirus programs are paid for through a yearly subscription, you can keep the program installed and use it to prevent a malware attack in the future.
Product | Price | Overall Rating | Test Results | Malware Protections | Privacy Tools | Number of Licenses | In-House Mac Malware Protection | Overall Mac Malware Protection | Windows Malware Detection | Ease of Use | Ransomware Detection | Antiphishing | Spam Filters | Personal Firewall | Secure Browsing | Vulnerability Scans | USB Scanning | Social Network Protection | Password Manager | Parent Controls | Secure Delete | Safe Banking Tools | VPN | Weekday Phone Support Hours | Weekend Phone Support Available | Live Chat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3 | 99 | 99 | 80 | 75 | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $ | ✓ | X | 24/7 | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Avast Security for Mac Essential | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 1 | 100 | 99 | 95 | 80 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✖ | X | 24/7 | ✓ | ✖ | |||
Norton Security Standard | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 100 | 100 | 75 | 90 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $ | X | ✓ | X | $ | 24/7 | ✓ | ✓ | |
Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 5 | 3.9 | 5 | 1 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 90 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | X | X | X | ✓ | X | 24/7* | ✓ | ✓ | |
F-Secure SAFE | 4.5/5 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3 | 87 | 82 | 100 | 75 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | $ | X | ✓ | X | $ | 9am - 6pm | ✖ | ✓ | ||
Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac | View Deal | 4/5 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 1 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 80 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X | X | ✓ | 5am - 8pm* | ✓ | ✓ | ||
AVG AntiVirus for Mac | 4/5 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1 | 100 | 99 | 95 | 90 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | $ | 24/7* | ✓ | ✖ | |||||
Webroot | View Deal | 4/5 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 1 | 100 | 98 | 80 | 70 | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $ | ✓ | $ | X | 24/7* | ✓ | ✖ | ||
Intego Mac Internet Security X9 | View Deal | 4/5 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 2.8 | 1 | 97 | 98 | 80 | 80 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | $ | ✖ | 9am - 5pm | ✖ | ✓ | ||||
Sophos Home Premium | 4/5 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 78 | 78 | 95 | 65 | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | X | ✖ | 8am - 8pm* | ✖ | ✓ |
Kaspersky Free Antivirus
Kaspersky Free Antivirus delivers excellent protection with a moderate performance impact, but it has few extra features.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition continues to be the best set-it-and-forget option among free antivirus products.
Avast Free Antivirus
Avast Free Antivirus offers lots of extra features, but its malware protection is mediocre and it may collect your browsing history.
Windows users need a strong antivirus program to ward off malware attacks, to keep their computers running efficiently and to safeguard their online identities and personal information. The best paid antivirus suites have many features to protect children, manage mobile devices and monitor a computer's firewall, software updates and other features. The 8th habit stephen covey pdf free download. But some users don't want, or can't afford, to pay for those extra features and may need to go with a free antivirus program.
If that describes you, you've come to the right place. We've evaluated the best free antivirus programs based on their malware protection, system impact, ease of use and useful extra features. If you're undecided, check out our free vs paid antivirus comparison first.
So which free PC antivirus product would be best for you? Of the seven free antivirus programs we've recently reviewed, Kaspersky Free Antivirus barely edged out Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition for the top spot. Both offer excellent protection against malware without slowing down your system, but Kaspersky lets you schedule scans and has a quick-scan option.
Bitdefender, however, is still the best 'set it and forget it' free antivirus option. After installation, it takes care of itself and doesn’t need user intervention. If you need to put antivirus software on your grandparents' PC but don't have time to maintain it, this might be the perfect solution.
Both Kaspersky's and Bitdefender's products offer only the basics. If you want features such as a password manager or a hardened web browser, normally found in midpriced paid antivirus suites, then Avast Free Antivirus might be for you. But its malware protection isn't as good as the top two and its performance impact is heavier.
Latest Security Alerts and Threats
— A new browser exploit kit targeting Windows uses 30 different languages infects legitimate websites and tries to get visitors to install fake Adobe Flash, Google Chrome or font updates. When run, the 'installer' actually installs a remote-access tool. ADVICE: Use robust antivirus software and don't trust pop-up windows telling you to update Flash, Chrome or fonts.
— Apple patched a security hole that let you -- or a malicious website -- jailbreak an iPhone and install any kind of app, including potential malware. (This is not among the flaws that let several websites infect any iPhone.) ADVICE: Make sure your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch is updated to iOS 12.4.1.
— Diagnostic software loaded onto most Lenovo Windows computers made between 2011 and 2018 could be used to hijack a PC. ADVICE: Uninstall Lenovo Solutions Center from your Lenovo PC., and run Windows antivirus software.
Lean and mean
Kaspersky Free Antivirus
Reasons to Buy
Moderate performance hit
Reasons to Avoid
Free Antivirus Software For Mac
Kaspersky Lab doesn't advertise that it has a free antivirus product, and doesn't make it easy to find the download page. Too bad, because this is one of the best free antivirus products we've ever tested, with a no-nonsense but comprehensible interface, a light-to-moderate system-performance impact and Kaspersky's unbeatable malware protection. The only reason we're not giving Kaspersky Free Antivirus a 4.5/5 rating is because it offers no extra features.
No muss, no fuss
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
Reasons to Buy
Super-easy to use
Reasons to Avoid
No quick scans or scan scheduling
Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition
Like Kaspersky, Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition offers nothing but the basics, and its malware protection is just as good, if a bit more prone to false-positive malware detections. Its scans are lighter on the system than Kaspersky's, but it offers fewer options — you can't even schedule a scan. It's best for users who want a set-it-and-forget-it security solution for themselves, or for a loved one.
Nearly a free suite
Avast Free Antivirus
Reasons to Buy
Highly customizable
Reasons to Avoid
Heavy performance hit
The malware protection in Avast Free Antivirus is a peg down from the top, but it's got the best assortment of extra goodies for a free antivirus program, including a password manager, a hardened browser and a network scanner. The program is also very customizable and offers limited access to Avast's VPN service. However, it caused a pretty heavy system load in our testing.
Finally good enough
Microsoft Windows Defender
Reasons to Buy
Built into Windows
Reasons to Avoid
Microsoft's built-in antivirus software has finally reached the big leagues. Windows Defender won't beat Bitdefender or Kaspersky in malware protection, but it holds its own against other free antivirus products while delivering a small system-performance impact and a surprising number of extra features, including parental controls and protection for all browsers. For the first time, we can recommend using Windows Defender as your primary antivirus solution.
Not enough oomph
AVG AntiVirus Free
Reasons to Buy
File shredder
Reasons to Avoid
Few extra features
AVG shares Avast's decent if unspectacular malware-detection engine while having a much lighter system-performance impact. But AVG AntiVirus Free has far fewer useful extra features than Avast Free Antivirus. The good news is that AVG's wide range of customization options and its file shredder are still available; the bad news is that there's no compelling reason to pick AVG over Windows Defender.
Not what it once was
Avira Free Antivirus
Reasons to Buy
Lots of add-ons
Reasons to Avoid
Most extra features are trialware
Avira Free Antivirus was the best free antivirus option just a few years ago, before Bitdefender and Kaspersky jumped into the ring and Avast, AVG and Windows Defender raised their game. Now Avira's malware protection is in the middle of the pack. Its numerous extra features are mostly just teases for paid services, and its system-performance impact is remarkably heavy. We do like that it's still got a wide range of customization options.
Has its ups and downs
Panda Free Antivirus
Reasons to Buy
Moderate performance impact
Reasons to Avoid
No opting out of data collection
Panda Free Antivirus
Panda doesn't take part in every lab test whose results we use, so its malware protection is a bit of an enigma. We liked Panda Free Antivirus' high degree of customization options and its appealing interface. We didn't like the constant ads for other Panda products, the attempts to hijack your web browser, and the fact that unlike every other antivirus company, Panda won't let you opt out of automatic system-data collection.
Honorable Mention
Antivirus Software For Mac Reviews
Essential side piece
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
Reasons to Buy
Removes adware, other unwanted software
Reasons to Avoid
Manual definition updates
Malwarebytes Free Edition
Best Free Antivirus Software For Mac
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is not antivirus software. It's more of a malware-removal tool. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free can't protect a PC from infection, but it does an excellent job of cleaning out malware that's already on your system. Plus, it doesn't interfere with any antivirus software that's already installed. We recommend Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free as a complement to any antivirus program.
How We Tested
10 Best Antivirus For Mac
To evaluate installation, ease of use, interface and performance impact, we installed each AV program on the same Asus X555LA laptop, which ran Windows 10 and featured an Intel Core i3-4005U processor, 6GB of RAM and 36GB of data on a 500GB hard drive.
We conducted our own tests on how much each antivirus product affected our laptop's performance, using our custom OpenOffice benchmark. We timed how long it took to run a quick scan and a full scan while the laptop crunched numbers in the background.
Free Antivirus For Mac
We also assessed how easy each program was to use, the number of useful extra features it offered (including free add-on software) and how insistently each program nagged us to upgrade to paid software.
Our malware-detection data comes from four evaluation labs: AV-TEST in Germany, AV-Comparatives in Austria, SE Labs in England and our own lab in Utah. Best mac eye shadows for brown eyes. Each lab regularly tests major antivirus products for their abilities to detect zero-day malware and other threats.