Best Mac Antivirus

• Avira For Mac
• Free Avira For Mac
• Which Is Best Avast Or Avira Antivirus

Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac

Like Sophos and Avira, Avast offers full antivirus protection for free. Avast Security Pro (for Mac) costs $59.99 per year for one license or $69.99 for three. The Pro edition adds ransomware. Avira Free Anti-virus is a thorough, easy to use antivirus program, made to provide trusted for free virus protection to home-users, for individual use just, and is except company or commercial usage. The Best free Mac Antivirus Software 2018. Compare the Mac Antivirus Side-By-Side. Use our comparison tools to help your fine the best free mac antivirus for your protection needs. We receive advertising revenue from some partners, check our advertising disclaimer for more information. Avira Overview.

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 Security Free for Mac is a solid and competent package. All the components appear to work well, and it catches malware of all types in a competent fashion. It is reasonably easy to use, and comes with useful capabilities.

Avira Free Antivirus for Mac is an excellent example of free Mac antivirus assuring ease of use and perfect malware detection.Avira Free Antivirus for Mac can detect flawlessly 100% of on-access and on-demand malware, or malicious code detected as opened and executed files and during an active scan. Choosing the best antivirus software for a Windows or Mac computer can be tough. With these tips from Consumer Reports testers, it's a whole lot easier. Avast Free Antivirus 2018 and Avira.

Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac's top-shelf malware detection and barely there system impact make it the best antivirus solution.

Avast Free Mac Security

Avast Free Mac Security's malware-squashing proficiency, negligible performance impact and included password manager make it the best free option.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offers top-shelf malware detection and protects files from ransomware.

After evaluating eight free and paid antivirus products, we've chosen Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac ($40 per year) as the best antivirus for Mac. It had a nearly invisible impact on system performance, and it caught all malware.

Avast Free Mac Security is our favorite free option, as it provided nearly perfect malware protection and an easy-to-use interface with an imperceptible performance hit.

You do need an antivirus program on your Mac. Recent years have seen more Mac malware and adware than ever before, from Trojans to targeted attacks, supply-chain attacks like the XcodeGhost attack and even encrypting ransomware.

MORE: Best Antivirus Software and Apps

Latest Security Alerts and Threats

— Google pushed out an emergency patch for its Chrome browser for Windows, macOS and Linux after a vulnerability was found that could let a malicious website take over a computer. ADVICE: Copy and paste 'chrome://settings/help' into your Chrome address bar to make sure your browser is updated to version 76.0.3809.132.

— 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.

— Spammers have been sending emails to inject scam or malicious messages in regular people's Google Calendar pages. ADVICE: Follow our instructions to stop phony Google Calendar notifications from happening to you.

How We Tested

To find the best antivirus for Mac desktops and laptops, we evaluate ease of use, interface and performance impact, we installed each AV program on the same Late 2013 MacBook Pro with Retina Display running macOS 10.12 Sierra. It was powered by a 2.6-GHz Intel Core i7 processor and had 8GB of RAM and 70GB of data stored on a 512GB SSD.

We conducted our own tests in July and August 2017 based on how much each antivirus product affected our laptop's performance. To do this, we used our custom OpenOffice benchmark, which matches 20,000 names and addresses in a spreadsheet. We measured how long it took to run a quick scan and a full scan while the laptop crunched numbers in the background.

We assessed how easy each program was to use and the number of useful extra features it offered (including free add-on software). To gauge how effective each package was at stopping malware, we used the results of evaluations conducted in May 2017 by AV-TEST, a well-regarded independent product-testing lab in Germany, and results from other tests conducted in July 2017 by AV-Comparatives, a similarly well-respected firm in Austria.

Best Mac Antivirus

Reasons to Buy

Kaspersky Internet Security is the best antivirus for Macs because it offers both the lowest system impact and some of the best malware-detection rates recorded. It even provides extra security features, including parental controls and options to lock down your webcam and stop websites from tracking your browsing activity. If you're willing to pay to protect your Mac from malware, Kaspersky Internet Security is the best option available.

Best Free Mac Antivirus

Reasons to Buy

Avast Free Mac Security caught 99.9 percent of all malware, packs in a password manager, barely leaves a smudge on system impact and doesn't charge a dime. If only it caught 100 percent of malware, as Kaspersky did.

Reasons to Buy

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is one of only a few solutions we tested that offers perfect malware detection. Further, its modern, streamlined interface places on-demand scans front and center. Bitdefender has dropped from first place, though, because its system-impact scores don't match the flawless marks posted by Kaspersky.

Reasons to Avoid

Norton 360 Deluxe may offer excellent protection, but it charges more (after the first year) than its competitors do, without offering as many perks. Norton AntiVirus Plus offers similar protection for a single Mac, but with fewer perks. Still, both have always-on-call customer support.

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

If you're looking for the best antivirus for Mac without having to pay, AVG AntiVirus for Mac is not too shabby, with its 99.9 percent detection rate and easy-to-use design. Unfortunately, other free competitors provide extras (Sophos with parental controls, Avast's password manager) that AVG does not.

Best for Families

Reasons to Buy

With Sophos Home for Mac's simple interface and low system-performance impact, you'll barely realize the program is shielding you until you need it. Anyone with young children at home will find Sophos' parental controls useful, as they allow for remote scans and checks, and let you block sites by category. Sophos even keeps a log of when users try to reach banned pages. This program's major drawback, though, is its lackluster malware-detection rate.

Reasons to Buy

Once our favorite, Avira Free Antivirus for Mac is no longer the best antivirus for Mac. That's because it is a hair shy of perfection in its malware detection, and fell behind in system-performance testing, earning some of the higher performance impacts recorded.

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

While McAfee's unlimited licenses mean you can support a whole family of Macs (and PCs and Android devices, too), this program's lack of special features (for a paid version) make it hard to recommend. Further, we don't have malware-detection testing scores for McAfee, so its protection powers are unproven.

Bitdefender

Package price: $34.99/year*

Webroot

Package price: $29.99/year*

Norton

Package price: $39.99/year*

Avast

Package price: Free

*Standard retail prices as of 5/3/2019. Promotional pricing for first year. Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by retailer.

Overview
Virus protection is important as ever, and the best way to protect your computer from viruses is to be proactive. Otherwise, you may be exposing yourself to a variety of cyber threats like ransomware, spyware, and other viruses.

Antivirus programs protect your computer from malicious software by detecting potential scams and viruses and getting rid of them before they can do any harm. And while there are a ton on the market, we’ve picked our top four choices to help you choose the right antivirus tools for your Windows PC—and sometimes Mac—computer.

Our picks for best antivirus solutions

• Bitdefender Antivirus Plus: Best overall antivirus protection
• Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus: Best cloud-based antivirus protection
• Norton Antivirus Plus: Best advanced antivirus protection
• Avast Free Antivirus: Best free antivirus protection

Compare best antivirus software

*Standard retail prices as of 5/3/2019. Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by retailer.
**Promotional pricing for first year.

1. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus review: Best overall antivirus protection

• Affordable pricing
• Coverage for three devices per year
• 24/7 customer support
• VPN access with all subscriptions

• Reported conflicts with some programs
• No webcam protection

Why we recommend Bitdefender Antivirus Plus

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus offers a great value. Its real-time protection works against all online threats from zero-day attacks—new cyberattacks that are exploited before a fix is available—to ransomware.

The Bitdefender antivirus suite also includes access to a VPN, a virtual private network, which protects your online presence by encrypting internet traffic whether you’re at home or on the go.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware or virus that uses encryption to prevent you from accessing valuable digital files—and demands a ransom to release them.

Features and flaws

Bitdefender offers some thoughtful features to help protect your computer and any sensitive documents. Its multilayered Ransomware Remediation feature comes with a>

2. Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus review: Best cloud-based antivirus protection

• Quick, easy installation
• Small footprint
• Coverage for Windows PC and Mac
• 70-day money-back guarantee
• Firewall included with subscription

• No password protection
• Coverage for only one device per year with base subscription

Why we recommend Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus

Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is a great pick if you’re looking for a simple and reliable antivirus solution. Because it’s cloud based, it doesn’t take up a lot of room on your computer. It’s also super fast: Webroot takes only about 20 seconds to check your computer for malware and viruses.

Features and flaws

Even though the SecureAnywhere Antivirus suite is Webroot’s most basic package, it’s got a lot of advanced features. It covers both PCs and Macs, and it also offers a firewall and network connection monitor to keep tabs on ingoing and outgoing network traffic, making sure nothing harmful makes its way to your device.

And while Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus doesn’t specifically protect your webcam, it does detect, block, and remove malware that can take over your computer’s camera.

The base subscription covers only one device, but for $37.49 per year you can cover up to three devices. To secure your smartphones, protect your passwords, and cover up to three devices, you’ll have to upgrade to the Webroot Internet Security Plus package for $44.99 a year.

ASecureLife’s recommendation: Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is a great fit if you’re looking for a straightforward, reliable antivirus solution. Even though it covers only one computer a year, it has some impressive features that make it stand out from the competition.

>>Safety first. Purchase Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus.

3. Norton Antivirus Plus review: Best advanced antivirus protection

• Reliable, trustworthy name
• Firewall included with subscription
• Cloud backup feature that keeps your most important files safe
• Coverage for PC and Mac

• Pricier plans than the competition
• Coverage for only one device per year

Why we recommend Norton Antivirus Plus

Norton is a recognizable brand when it comes to antivirus protection. And Norton Antivirus Plus is as reliable as ever. It offers standard features like password protection and more advanced features like 2GB of cloud backup to store and protect important files from theft or ransomware.

Features and flaws

Like Bitdefender, Norton Antivirus Plus uses a multilayered approach to malware protection. Norton does this a bit differently though—it uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to make sure your PC or Mac is using the latest defenses against viruses.

Norton also keeps your passwords and financial information—like online banking information and other credentials—secure.

Still, Norton is the most expensive pick on our list. And to access more advanced features like VPN or parental controls, you’ll need to upgrade to Norton 360 Standard, which starts at $49.99 per year and covers only one PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet.

Avira For Mac

ASecureLife’s recommendation: Norton Antivirus Plus offers the basics, plus some useful extras like cloud backup. It’s expensive, but Norton is a trustworthy name in antivirus protection. If you want a familiar brand with great ratings, Norton is a solid bet.

Free Avira For Mac

>>Keep the malware at bay. Buy Norton Antivirus Plus.

4. Avast Free Antivirus review: Best free antivirus protection

• Free plan
• Clean, user-friendly design
• Password manager included

• No firewall included

Why we recommend Avast Free Antivirus

Avast has a well-designed, user-friendly look and feel with advanced features at no cost. It detects and blocks viruses and malware, scans your Wi-Fi for security weaknesses, and keeps your passwords secure with a password manager.

If you’re curious about which of these antivirus programs is best for Mac or Android, look no further: Avast offers reliable, no-cost malware protection for Apple computers and Android too.

Features and flaws

Avast Free Antivirus has a neat feature called CyberCapture: If you download a suspicious file Avast has never seen before, it’s sent to Avast labs for analysis. If Avast determines the file is a threat, it sends out a cure to all Avast users.

Still, it’s free, so Avast has fewer bells and whistles than you’d get with paid programs. An upgrade to Avast Internet Security will cost you $59.99 a year per computer but adds shopping protection, an advanced firewall, and phishing protection.

ASecureLife’s recommendation: Avast Free Antivirus is great if you want to cover the basics of antivirus protection at no cost. It’s easy to use and does a great job of detecting and blocking malware.

>>Antivirus protection made easy. Get Avast Free Antivirus.

• Coverage for all PCs in your household
• Optional protection for PC, Mac, or Android

• Expensive pricing
• VPN sold separately

AVG Internet Security has some impressive original features: it uses AI detection to proactively identify malware that hasn’t been catalogued, and it protects your Android devices. AVG also offers free antivirus downloads for Mac and Android separately.

But at $79.99 a year, it’s significantly more expensive than the competition. Plus, if you want a VPN, you’ll have to shell out another $79.99 per year after a 30-day trial. Check out our review of the best VPNs for more affordable options.

>>Read our full AVG review.

• Options to protect PC, Mac, or Android
• Inexpensive plans

Which Is Best Avast Or Avira Antivirus

• Limited coverage at lower tier

Kaspersky Anti-Virus offers a reliable product with solid basics. We like that its Internet Security package is on the inexpensive side, starting at $29.99 per year. At that price, you can cover your PC, Mac, or Android. And if you’re looking for something to cover just your Android, Kaspersky offers decent antivirus coverage on the go starting at $11.99 per year.

Still, its lowest-tier packages—for both desktop and Android—offer a lot of the same features as free suites like Avast.

>>Read our full Kaspersky review.

• Options to protect PC, Mac, Android, or iOS
• Highly customizable program

• Lots of pop-ups
• Browser protection for Chrome and Firefox only

Avira Free Antivirus has tons of add-ons; includes a firewall; and can protect your PC, Mac, Android, or iOS. But its malware protection and phishing performance are just so-so, and its many features are available only on a trial basis. For permanent access, you’ll have to purchase the Avira Internet Security Suite, starting at $57.99 per year.

Our recommendation

A lot of antivirus software packages offer the same kinds of features, so it’s important to look at their overall value. How many devices do they cover? What’s the annual price? What features set them apart?

That’s why Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is our top pick. Not only does it offer great value but it also has comprehensive coverage with real-time data protection and a ransomware protection feature that safeguards your personal documents with multiple layers of protection. It’s affordable, reliable, and packed with a ton of thoughtful features. We recommend Bitdefender Antivirus Plus to anyone looking to up their security on their PC.

>>Keep it secret, keep it safe. Protect your computer from cyber threats. Buy Bitdefender Antivirus Plus.