1. Download Avast Free Antivirus For Mac
2. Avast Free Antivirus For Mac Computers
3. Avast Security For Mac Download
4. Avast Free Mac Security
5. Avast Free Antivirus For Mac User Agreement Policy

• Avast tied with Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac, Sophos Home for Mac and Norton Security, which also all scored 99.17 percent, and did better than Avira Free Antivirus for Mac, which stopped.
• Avast Free Mac Security [Download]. If you’re looking for a free anti-virus program, Avast is the best choice, edging out Sophos by providing more parity between free and paid version.
• Free Antivirus for Mac is based on the new avast! 7 antivirus engine, already used by over 150 million active users. The new app provides Mac users with three defensive shields: the Web and Mail Shields for incoming data and the File Shield to scan the user’s hard drive.
• Download the Avast Security for Mac setup file by clicking the button below and save it to a familiar location on your Mac. Download Avast Security for Mac Double-click the downloaded setup file avast_security_online.dmg and select Avast Security.

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Avast Security is a free antivirus that stops malware & finds Wi-Fi security weaknesses. Free Download! In order to view this page correctly, you must have a JavaScript-enabled browser and have JavaScript turned on. The best free antivirus for Mac Avast Security for Mac Avast Security for Mac is one of the most popular security suites available, and it’s easy to see why. Avast Free Antivirus is a security utility developed by the security giant Avast. The company holds the biggest share of the world market for anti-virus apps and supplies a wide range of security-related products for both consumers and corporations (Android, Microsoft Windows, iOS and macOS).

So Mac invulnerability to malware is a myth, at least according to security researchers from Kaspersky Lab. And although such a blunt statement may be a blow to the ego of some Mac users, it remains true. Security researchers from all walks have long argued that it was only a matter of time before the Mac became popular enough that virus, malware, and spyware makers would come calling, and the recent Flashback scare has only served as a reminder that overconfidence precedes carelessness. Especially when it comes to technology.

The Flashback flare-up happened less than a year after another malware spike, which came in the form of fake antivirus app Mac Defender. Though neither incident ended up infecting every single Mac, they both showed that malware on the Mac is ever-so-slowly inching its way into our public consciousness. 'Market share brings attacker motivation,' Kaspersky Lab told the press last month, and Mac market share is definitely on the rise.

Is it time to begin installing antivirus software on our Macs? We leave that up to you to decide for yourself, but given the spike in questions we've been receiving about which antivirus software is the best, we thought we'd take a look at a handful of the most well-known apps out there for Mac users. Your mileage may vary, but here are our impressions of five different antivirus packages after installing and using each one. In no particular order:

Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac

Cost: $39.95 per year
Free trial: 30 days

Kaspersky's antivirus software was easy to install and pretty robust. The main interface (pictured above) is simple enough to use: push the big green button to begin scanning your stuff. The green button doesn't always stay green though—when I began using the software, it started out orange with a note saying 'Databases are obsolete':

I didn't find this to be particularly welcoming, and it might alarm a less experienced user upon first launching the program, as there are no instructions about what that means or how to fix it. (This was remedied by updating to the latest definitions from within the app.)

Aside from this, though, the software is relatively straightforward. Like most antivirus programs, you can change your security level depending on how strict you want the scans to be, tweak notification settings for when suspicious files are found, and can even change the skin of the software (thank goodness). You can also have the software scan for a particular type of malware, so if you only want to look for trojans instead of adware or auto-dialers, you can do so. And of course, users can create a whitelist of exclusions. Kaspersky's offering comes with an uninstaller on the disk image when you download it from the website, which is also easy to use if you should choose to get rid of it. Everything worked as expected when we used this one, though depending on your personal needs, you may not want to pay $39.95 per year for it.

Intego VirusBarrier X6

Cost: $49.95 per year
Free trial: 30 days

Intego's VirusBarrier definitely wins the award for 'The Most Buttons.' There's just a lot going on when you launch this software, and for the average user, it might be a bit overwhelming. You may notice in the screenshot above that it says my filters are 166 days old, but clicking on it just displays a new message saying I can't download new ones—this is confusing and perhaps somewhat alarming to someone trying to stay protected from malware, and left me dinging Intego for usability points.

Aside from this, Intego's software scans new files in real time and puts a traffic indicator in your menubar if you're the type who likes to monitor incoming and outgoing network traffic. VirusBarrier also has a 'fraudulent website protection' option for cookies, and even offers a way to hide your browser info and last site visited from other sites trying to track your browsing behavior. Like Kaspersky's software, Intego's also comes with an easy-to-find uninstaller. Overall, we felt fine about Intego, though the sheer number of available options left us feeling a bit overwhelmed. For $49.95 per year, it could be worth your while if you're looking for a very complete solution that lets you lock down on everything but the kitchen sink, but if all you want is simplicity, you aren't likely to find it here.

F-Secure Antivirus for Mac

Cost: $39.99 per year
Free trial: 30 days with campaign code AVMAGL

F-Secure wins the award for requiring the 'Most Hoops For Users' to jump through in order to download the trial—not only do you have to enter a campaign code to obtain the trial in the first place, you then have to wait for e-mail confirmation (the first one, that is). Then you have to click a link to confirm, which then sends you a second e-mail confirmation that requires to you to click another link to download. Annoying, F-Secure. Just plain annoying.

Regardless, we found F-Secure's antivirus product to be very straightforward and fairly simplistic—but in a good way. This is no Intego—there aren't 94 buttons on the main screen for you to choose from. F-Secure's software allows you to do basic tasks like scan for viruses, block and unblock network traffic, and look at your virus/spyware history. It also turns on your OS X firewall by default (though you can turn it off again in your settings if you'd like) and… well, that's pretty much it.

After using Kaspersky's and Intego's solutions, F-Secure's seemed promising when it came to being straightforward and simple. The offering doesn't overwhelm the user and it's not hard to figure out how to use it. But I can't in good faith endorse F-Secure's offering given my experiences when installing and running it. I installed this software twice on two separate computers and had nonstop bad experiences—it completely debilitated my machine one time to the point where trying to open a Finder window was an hour-long task with nonstop beachballs. (One Mac Genius I spoke to even believed the SSD in my Mac had been corrupted because the performance was suddenly so poor.)

The second time wasn't much better; on a completely clean machine, installing F-Secure slowed things down noticeably and beachballs were frequent. Luckily, uninstalling the software appeared to restore my computers back to their actual, usable states. (The uninstaller can be found in Applications > F-Secure after you install it initially.) You may have different experiences with this one, but I plan to stay far away.

Sophos Antivirus for Mac Home Edition

Cost: Free!

Sophos' antivirus software was the most simple of all the packages we tried. It really just does one thing: scan for viruses and malware, and it automatically downloads new virus definitions. You can customize your scans and manage the files that have been set aside in quarantine, but if you want network traffic scanners or skinning capabilities, this is not the right place to look.

This software is completely free—there's no yearly fee or registration required—so there's not much to complain about when it comes to its functionality (or lack thereof, depending on what you're looking for). It's basically the polar opposite of Intego and Kaspersky's software, and is priced as such. If you're looking for the simplest antivirus software from a trusted company, this is probably it.

Avast! Free Antivirus for Mac

Cost: Free!

Avast was the only antivirus software we tested that didn't involve using a 'real' installer (it just requires drag-and-drop installation). We would categorize Avast's antivirus software as more feature-rich than Sophos, but still less complex than the first two (Kaspersky and Intego)—it might be roughly on par with F-Secure when it comes to breadth of functionality.

Avast can scan your full system, local volumes, network volumes, just your home directory, or a custom mix of folders. (As usual, it also auto-downloads new virus definitions.) It automatically displays pop-ups whenever it decides to warn you about something (below) or when there are new virus definitions and important messages:

Luckily you can turn this off if you want—and I did, because I received the above message just about every time my mail client tried to retrieve e-mail—but it can be handy if you want to be alerted for unauthorized connections.

Aside from this, the software is very straightforward. Again, it's free, so there's not much room to complain if Avast's solution strikes you as a little light. Still, for 'regular' users or people who simply don't need/want a ton of options, we liked Avast—it offers slightly more than Sophos for the same price, but we must note that even though it's free, you still have to register your version of Avast within 30 days of installation. Uninstallation can be done through the software itself (under the 'avast!' menu) or by just deleting the app from your Applications folder, which should also remove the daemon and supporting scripts (check out this forum thread for more information). I really liked Avast when it came to simple-to-use bad-guy protection, and it's hard to beat free.

Conclusion

We're not arguing that Mac users have to install antivirus software if they want to avoid the zombie malware apocalypse. Infection numbers—even for Flashback—are still relatively low when compared against the global number of Mac users. However, we also don't think it's wise to pretend that OS X is completely immune to attacks. It's not—we know it, you (hopefully) know it, and security researchers know it. Even if you feel comfortable navigating the scary old Internet yourself, you may want to consider setting up your less-experienced friends and family members who just can't help themselves when it comes to playing Java games online or opening random e-mail attachments from China.

Keep in mind, though, that malware attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated. In the case of Flashback, the infection was spread via hijacked WordPress sites thanks to a vulnerability in the blog software. This means that trusted blogs visited by Mac users could have been used to spread the infection, reinforcing the disturbing truth that infections don't only happen by visiting shady websites or opening unidentified files. If you worry about the possibility that your own favorite sites could transmit something questionable to your machine through an unpatched vulnerability, adding an extra layer of protection between you and the Internet is worth considering.

We're sure there are other antivirus packages that you like, too. Let us know in the comments what your favorites are, or if you have additional tips to add for Mac users trying to stay safe.

Update: This article originally said Symantec didn't offer a trial for its Norton Antivirus software. That is inaccurate and we will update this article with our thoughts on Norton as soon as we can.

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. 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

Reasons to Buy

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

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

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

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

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

Reasons to Buy

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

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

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

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

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

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

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

Essential side piece

Reasons to Buy

Download Avast Free Antivirus For Mac

Reasons to Avoid

Avast Free Antivirus For Mac Computers

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

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.

Avast Security For Mac Download

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.

Avast Free Mac Security

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.

Avast Free Antivirus For Mac User Agreement Policy

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. Each lab regularly tests major antivirus products for their abilities to detect zero-day malware and other threats.