Best Antivirus for Mac 2024: Top Security Software Compared

AV Comparatives, June 2023: Approved

Covers: macOS

Sometimes a software company gets its utility completely right, complete with a focus that deserves additional attention. Intego’s Mac Internet Security X9 falls into this category, the utility bundling the company’s VirusBarrier and NetBarrier applications to act as both an antiviral protection program as well as a network traffic filtering program.

Simple to download, install, and configure after granting the application full access to your Mac’s files, the program then checks for the latest viral definitions, downloads them, and gets to work setting up real-time scanning features as well as intuitive network monitoring that allows you to see and work with both incoming and outgoing Internet connections on your Mac.

While Mac Security X9 doesn’t try to offer every feature under the sun, it offers an impressive amount of configuration and customization to both its VirusBarrier and NetBarrier tools. VirusBarrier does a good job of keeping you safe from viruses, while NetBarrier is a firewall that protects your connection.

VirusBarrier’s scheduled scanning works well and there are Quick Scan and Full Scan options. Real-time scanning jumped in every time I mounted an external drive. VirusBarrier was able to remove just about all the infected files on my MacBook Pro, leaving only the questionable Free Download Manager behind, which had to be removed manually.

NetBarrier makes it easy to see both incoming and outgoing Internet connections to services such as Apple, Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox, and others. Set up is simple and the application allows you to create settings for your home, work, or public connections and either allow or deny connections as needed. It’s easy to set up rules for each connection wherein the application will allow the connection, block it, or ask what to do with it. A real-time network protection feature can be enabled or disabled as needed, and it’s helpful to see what connections your Mac is processing.

There were a few issues to address. A running counter tracks the number of files processed in a VirusBarrier scan, but a timer would also be helpful. It’s impressive that the application caught dozens of infected files, but this needs to be 100% in the future. Another issue is that while NetBarrier sets up a Safe Browsing feature within your installed web browsers, it still allows traffic to questionable websites linked to in spam messages offering the usual phishing-based scams.

To its credit, Mac Security X9 doesn’t try to upsell you as to Intego’s other suites and services, which given some of its competitors, is saying something. The tools in place are effective, work well, and make this worth your consideration,

Intego’s Internet Security bundle costs $24.99/£20.00/CA$31.99 for the first year. You can get Intego Mac Internet Security X9 here.

AV Test, March 2024: 100%

AV Comparatives, June 2023: Approved

Covers: Mac, PC, iOS and Android

There are four Mac antivirus products from Avast. The paid for Avast Premium Security and Avast One, and the free Avast Free Antivirus and Avast One Essential. If you want just a virus scanner, Avast’s Free Antivirus, which is the free version of Avast Premium Security, is a good option. Avast One Essential is the free version of Avast One, and offers some additional functions compared to Avast Free Antivirus. It includes options such as ransomware protection, privacy protection, recommends cleaning up the hard drive without being asked, and searches for data leaks. There’s also a free VPN service with 5GB data volume per week, but, you can only select the location in another country for an additional charge.

Avast Premium Security ($50.28/£39.99/CA$52.80) does a great job keeping your Mac secure. It’s a well-featured suite that will protect from all sorts of nasties including watching for browser script hacks, potential ransomware and other remote attack activity. Avast Premium Security offers various modules: Virus Scans, Core Shields, Traffic Monitor, Network Inspector, Email Guardian, Ransomware Shield, and Quarantine. These are all easily accessed from the home screen.

Virus scan options include Smart Scan, Deep Scan, Targeted Scan, or External Storage Scan. Once suspect files are found, they can be readily quarantined and/or deleted. The Traffic Monitor shows how much data you’re using and where your bandwidth is going. Network Inspector scans the network you’re on, gauges its safety, offers a list of which devices are on the same network, and alerts you as to when an unfamiliar device joins the network.

We tested the Core Shields feature with a fake website that spawned from a random text message regarding an undelivered package. Avast’s Real Site feature prevented the site from loading and triggering software.

The software installed quickly and ran well on macOS Sonoma. It’s necessary to grant the program full hard disk access and permission to filter network content, but that is standard with AV software.

The main frustration is the subscription-based model, but again, that tends to be standard these days. There are some features that are only available on the Avast Ultimate subscription tier.

If you’d prefer to save your money, or get an idea of what’s on offer before parting with your cash, you might like to try the two free Antivirus for Mac solutions from Avast. When we ran the free version of Avast we experienced no slowdowns and no negative effect on system performance.

In a test by AV-Comparatives in June 2023, Avast’s Free antivirus for Mac was among the best products, detecting 100 percent of Mac malware, 99 percent of potentially unwanted applications and 100 percent of Windows viruses. Avast also performed well in AV-Test’s investigations in March 2024, scoring full marks for protection, performance and usability.

You can get Avast Premium Security for Mac here. Also consider Avast One, Avast Free Antivirus and Avast One Essential.

Read our full Avast Free Antivirus and Avast One Essential for Mac review

AV Test, March 2024: 100%

Covers: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

Norton 360 is a security utility that performs a range of different monitoring and safeguarding operations to keep your Mac free from threats such as browser hacks and search engine hijack scripts to intrusion attempts and actual malware.

There are various options. Norton 360 is available in Plus, Standard and Deluxe (there is also an Advanced edition in the U.K., and a Select +LifeLock edition in the U.S. both of which support up to 10 devices). The core Norton 360 protection features do a good job, but the cloud backup benefits are missing from the Mac edition. If you go beyond the Standard edition you get Dark Web Monitoring, Parental Control and School Time, and licenses for up to five devices (for the Deluxe edition) or 10 (for the Advanced or Select versions).

Norton 360 focuses on catching unwanted software, but it also offers some useful additional features including a VPN for securing personal data while online, and a tool for managing passwords, bank card details and similar data. You’ll also get protection against identity theft with some editions, Norton calls this Dark Web Monitoring. The service regularly checks whether your email, telephone number, credit card number or other contact details have fallen into the wrong hands. Note that the Cloud Backup feature doesn’t work on macOS, but that is more of an extra rather than a vital part of the package.

There is also protection against unwanted, uninvited and possibly malicious software. A Norton Password Manager utility that also helps manage wallet data for autofill payments, addresses, notes and favorites. Much of these are things that macOS does already, but the clear interface makes it easy to understand.

Beware that the first year is discounted, so you will be charged more in subsequent years. The price starts at £24.99/$49.99/CA$39.99 for the first year (renewing at a higher price, as is so often the case with antivirus suites). Note the UK and Canada have the option of Norton 360 Standard but in the U.S. only Norton 360 Deluxe with LifeLock, is available.

Norton performed well in tests and was efficient at spotting unwanted and potentially risky software, from browser search engine hack scripts to actual trojan.

You can get Norton 360 here.

AV Test, March 2024: 100%

AV Comparatives, June 2023: Approved

Covers: macOS

AVG Antivirus for the Mac is one of a handful of free antivirus for Mac programs. As such it is basic, but it’s effective at protecting you from viruses, spyware, and malware.

Despite being free, AVG covers all the bases: blocking viruses and malware from websites, downloads, and email attachments. AVG will scan applications and check every file and remove threats from your Mac. It auto updates so you shouldn’t miss out on protection from the latest threats.

In the AV-Test for March 2024, AVG was certified and was considered Outstanding for protection, performance and usability. AV-Comparatives June 2023 tests saw AVG Antivirus Free for Mac score 100% for Mac Malware Protection, 99% for Mac PUA Protection, and 100% for detecting Windows malware, which is better results than some paid-for options.

Though it lacks the advanced features of paid antivirus products, it handles the core tasks cleanly and seamlessly. However, if you need to resolve any advanced issues you will need to pay to upgrade to the full version of the software, which is about $2/£2 per month for a one-year subscription. There is a 60-day free trial though, which could be enough for your purposes.

All in all, this is a great option, despite being basic. You get much more than you ‘pay’ for.

You can get AVG Antivirus for the Mac here.

AV Test, March 2024: 100%

AV Comparatives, June 2023: Approved

Covers: macOS

Trend Micro Antivirus is a good program with well-rated antivirus protection and a simple, straightforward interface that users will appreciate.

Anyone looking for additional features will be disappointed with this suite, but it offers good protection at a fair price.

In March 2024 AV-Test gave Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac full marks for protection, performance and usability. In their tests AV-Comparatives gave Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac 100% for Mac malware protection, 99% for PUA protection and 100% for Windows malware detection.

Our own spot checks produced similarly good results. Lining up against the Objective See malware library Trend Micro had no trouble detecting most threats. However, in a few cases, it didn’t detect all the malware contained in a folder until a scan had been run.

Trend Micro is an excellent choice for those looking for something that’s simple and easy to use. There are options with better protection, but Trend Micro’s protection is still good and pricing is fair starting at $29.95/£19.94/CA$29.95 for one Mac for the first year (then $39.95/£49.95/$39.95 a year).

Covers: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, ChromeOS

McAfee Total Protection continues to be steadily updated and offers a good suite of anti-viral, anti-malware, identity protection, VPN, and scheduling tools. Prices start at $39.99/£34.99/CA$44.99 for the first year.

It is simple to use; once you’ve walked through the guided steps for giving it permission to work behind the scenes it is essentially something you can just leave to get on with its job.

The software can perform a full scan of your hard drive as well as scan custom locations such as external volumes, and schedule scan times. You can control what Total Protection does when it finds suspect files, such as notifying you, quarantining them, or deleting the files. During our tests, it located and quarantined two suspected virus files I didn’t know about, thereby earning its keep.

Other features include an ID Protection tool that compares your email address to known data and password breaches, a firewall, and a Secure VPN feature that lets you quickly set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

McAfee’s Total Protection package extends up to five devices on one account, so it’s easy to add the app to other Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Android-based phones and tablets as needed. It’s worth noting that the Windows version offers features that you don’t get in the Mac app.

We noted some occasional performance impacts as it ran in the background, but it was largely unobtrusive in its efforts. Our only other grumble is the lack of simplicity if ending the trial.

You can get McAfee Total Protection here.

AV Test, March 2024: 100%

AV Comparatives, June 2023: Approved

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac covers: macOS, Bitdefender Total Security covers: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

Bitdefender is another maker of antivirus solutions that has a number of solutions for the Mac, including a free option. There’s Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, which offers basic protection for up to three Macs, Bitdefender Total Security, which protects up to five devices (macOS, iOS, Windows and Android), and Bitdefender’s free Virus Scanner for Mac.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is easy to download, install, and assign full drive permissions. It offers a speedy Quick Scan mode that performs a quick overview and locate, quarantine, and remove viral candidates within a few minutes as well as a Full Scan mode which runs in the background so you can continue to work. External volumes such as USB flash drives can be scanned. 

There isn’t much in the way of malware that gets by it. However, we found the application’s ability to locate and neutralize malware that was already on the system mixed – it missed four significant pieces of malware. 

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offers anti-phishing protection in the form of web browser extensions for the Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox web browsers. These offered varying degrees of success. Under Safari, Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offered no prominent phishing protection, allowing us to visit questionable websites with no warning whatsoever.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offers an anti-tracker for web browsers and access to a VPN with basic functionality and a limit of 200MB a day. It encourages you to update to the full version, there are better VPNs for Mac out there. https://www.macworld.com/article/231047/best-vpn-for-mac.html

When we reviewed it Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac retailed at “50% off” which is $19.99/£14.99 a year for one Mac (then $39.99/£29.99 a year), but the deal prices change often. There is also a 30-day trial available. 

There is also Bitdefender Total Security which includes Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac as well as coverage for iOS, Android and Windows. That software retails for $69.99/£44.99 a year for five devices (then $109.99/£74.99 a year) and offers a license that covers five devices, including Macs, Windows, Android and iOS with a 30-day trial available.

AV Test, March 2024: 99.5%

AV Comparatives, June 2023: 99%, Approved

Covers: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

Like Avast, Avira makes a paid-for and a free version of its antivirus solution. Avira Prime is a security utility designed to keep your Mac safe from potentially unwanted programs; which covers everything from simple scripts designed to compromise and redirect your browser searches through to actual malware. Prices start at $59.99/£51.99/CA$67 for 5 devices for the first year, then $104.99/£90.99/CA$118 a year.

While Avira Free Security for Mac lets you run a quick scan to check out system files and other vulnerable areas, or a full scan to analyze your entire Mac for malware, but not much else.

Avira Prime is designed around several modules: Virus Scans (including Quick Scan. Full Scan and Custom Scan), Protection Options, Quarantine, VPN, Passwords, Cookie Cleaner, Identity Assistant, Junk Cleaner, Uninstaller, and Startup Apps. A single large window presents the various features, from scans to app management and cleanup, although a couple of its features use a separate panel for a web-based console. In our tests, it detected all our compromised files and installers–although we were concerned that it missed the problematic Wave web browser virus. It doesn’t look inside zip archives or disk images, but it pounces as soon as items are extracted from these.

Even while Avira Prime is actively scanning for trouble it has such a small impact on the general performance of our Mac that we wouldn’t notice it without comparing timings.

Avira Prime scored well in AV Comparitives June 2023 tests scoring 99% for Mac Malware protection and 99% for Mac PUA Protection, while AV Test gave Avira 99.5% in March 2024.

You can get the basics of the security features with Avira Free Security, but Prime’s annual subscription provides useful additional capabilities, including an unlimited VPN, if you can stomach the cost.

Avira Free Security for Mac seems to offer a lot of features for free. But most actually require a paid subscription, so the product’s overall usefulness is limited and the constant sales pitches are annoying.

The free app will run scans daily, weekly, or monthly. You can also create a custom scan. There are also real-time virus protection scans to scan new files saved to your computer or downloaded from the internet. You have to pay to scan a USB drive. Malware discovered is automatically quarantined. Avira was effective at detecting and stopping malware when we tested it.

The free version of Avira also includes the junk cleaner that can identify issues via a smart scan, but you need to pay to actually clean up anything beyond the junk files.

You can get Avira Prime here. Also consider Avira Free Security for Mac.

Read our full Avira Free Security for Mac review.

Covers: macOS

BitMedic Pro Antivirus is a good antiviral program, albeit with some shortcomings that need to be worked through, not lest the fact that this hasn’t been updated since 2020.

The program, which retails for $9.99/£999/CA$9.99 on the Mac App Store, features a nice complement of tools, including an Antivirus Scan module, an Adware Cleaner module, a Result Log, a Custom Scan module, a Browser Privacy module, and a System Settings module that allows you to schedule deep scans, customize system behaviors, and create a whitelist of files not to scan.

Initial tests with the Antivirus Scan module’s quick scan and deep scan went well and BitMedic Pro Antivirus was able to find several phishing-based emails. The application crashed twice during testing though. Frustratingly, there was a lack of specific descriptions as to what the infected files were and their full location, even after a drop-down arrow was clicked.

The inclusion of an Adware Cleaner module is a nice touch, performs well, and runs quickly. The Browser Privacy module functions as a quick and easy way to clean up your history, auto logins, bookmarks, remove all extensions, and reset the preferences on your browser, but this is an all-or-nothing option and we’d prefer to disable or delete individual extensions.

The $10/£10 price point with no subscription, is very appealing, but there are a few elements that let it down.

Covers: macOS

Sophos used to offer a free version of its Home product with antivirus protection and website protection, but in 2021 that version was discontinued, leaving Sophos Home Premium as the only option for personal use.

There’s now a 30 days full trial, but after that it costs $44.99/£37.46/CA$44.99 for the first year and $59.99/£49.99/CA$59.99 for each subsequent year. You can install on 10 Macs or PCs though.

Setup was confusing. Initially, the software guides you through the process, but then setup stops and you have to sign into your Sophos Home dashboard to complete setup (it’s not clear that you need to do this step).

There’s also no Dock icon to launch the program, instead, you use a menu bar icon to access the online dashboard where you can control the five types of protection including:

Antivirus protection – real-time scanning for local and network drives, perform a manual scan or schedule one, plus a quick scan can be triggered from the menu bar icon.

Web protection

Ransomware protection

Privacy protection

Malicious traffic detection

Web filtering

A 2017 evaluation of macOS security software by AV-Test gave Sophos Home outstanding grades for protection, performance, and usability, however, Sophos hasn’t been tested by the team at AV-Test since.

When we tested, we ran the EICAR test, which simulates a virus, and Sophos detected and blocked it with no trouble. The website filtering worked well.

Sophos Home Premium provides effective protection, but the setup process and cloud-only features are drawbacks. It needs a clearer set up and the ability to do more locally.

AV Test, September 2023: 100%

Covers: macOS

Installing ClamXAV from the ClamXAV website is quick and easy. Either click the Free Trial button or sign up for a $29.95/£23.99/$42.95 a year subscription and the installation file is automatically downloaded. After the initial setup, where you need to grant permission to access the Downloads folder and modify security settings, you are all set.

You can run a manual scan from the main screen, but there are several other options. A quick scan checks system files and other areas on your Mac, you can select just your hard drive to run a scan on all folders and files on the disk, and dragging and dropping a single folder or file onto the scanning pane checks it for malware. You can also select an external drive or connected USB stick for scanning. There’s also a real-time scanning component–Sentry–that is always on guard.

It is possible to schedule any type of scan to run on specific days and times. By default, any malicious files are automatically quarantined, but you can decide whether or not to quarantine infected files. You can open the quarantine folder to see what files were caught.

ClamXAV scored perfectly in AV-Test’s June 2022 tests, but hasn’t been evaluated since.

ClamXAV proved effective at detecting and stopping test malware files, but there’s nothing more to the program beyond the basic antivirus scanning and options. ClamXAV is certainly effective at virus scanning, but that’s a capability found in many free and equally effective security products for the Mac.

Covers: macOS

Malwarebytes comes in both free and premium editions for personal use. Unfortunately, the Mac version falls short of many of the features of the Windows version. Malwarebytes Premium for Mac includes the basic virus and malware scanning as well as the ability to detect malicious apps, or PUPs (potentially unwanted program). The real-time protection constantly monitors your system for security threats, automatically blocking and quarantining anything that could infect your computer.

But it doesn’t directly come with protection against malicious links and phishing attempts. Nor does it offer safeguards against ransomware and zero-day exploits.

There is a free version of Malwarebytes, but that just includes just basic virus scanning. Malwarebytes Premium starts at $44.99/£29.99/CA$51.99 billed annually for one device. There’s a free 14-day trial.

Malwarebytes Premium on a Mac is accessible through a menu bar icon. Clicking the icon displays a menu with options to start a scan, temporarily turn off the malware protection and malicious app blocker, update the program, view and tweak its settings, and open the management console.

From the management console, you can trigger a manual scan and set up scheduled scans to run on a recurring basis. A detection history displays all quarantined items. There’s an Allow list to add legitimate files or programs that were mistakenly flagged as malware to.

The Window’s version of Malwarebytes Premium got almost top marks from AV-Test in April 2023 (but fell short with 5 out of 6 for protection). The Mac version of the software hasn’t been tested by AV-Test. During July to October of 2022, AV Comparatives tested Malwarebytes and gave it 99%, but the software hasn’t been tested since.

It’s just a shame that the Mac version feels like an also-ran compared with the Windows edition.

AV Test, March 2024: 99.6%

Covers: macOS

F-Secure Total for Mac is a simple-to-use security software suite that works on macOS, iOS, Windows and Android devices and protects your data from a wide range of threats. It includes several useful features, but lacks certain key options, especially in virus scanning.

The program is $69.99/£59.99 a year for one device, which is steep, but there’s a free 30-day trial that requires no credit card and even gives you free technical support if you need it.

Clicking the Scan button runs a full virus scan that checks your entire system, while clicking the link for Viruses & Threats takes you to another screen where you can scan just specific folders. But there are no options to run a quick scan or even to schedule a scan, unlike the Windows version which includes a quick scan. It provides real-time virus and spyware scanning to automatically block malware, and ‘DeepGuard’ monitors applications for any changes indicative of a malware infection.

You can set up ID monitoring to check your email address for data breaches among your online accounts. The VPN is another defense and includes tracking protection to prevent advertisers from monitoring your online activity and a kill switch to quickly cut off all internet traffic.

F-Secure offers a password vault that creates and stores secure logins for all your accounts. The password vault requires an extension that supports Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Safari isn’t yet supported.

Unfortunately, F-Secure doesn’t let you review blocked or deleted malicious files, and no setting allows you to quarantine files instead of removing them.

F-Secure’s Safe (which was the old name for F-Secure Internet Security) was tested by AV-Test in June 2023 and scored 5 out of 6 for protection, 5.5 out of 6 for performance and 6 for usability.

Covers: macOS, Windows and Android

ESET Home Security (available in Essential, Premium and Ultimate configurations) is developed by Slovakian software company ESET. The suite will protect your Macs (as well as PCs, and other smartphones and tablets, but unfortunately not iOS). We tested ESET Home Security Premium, which offers extensive antiviral and malware protection, and Real-time File System Protection, as well as a password manager, an encryption tool – although it turned out the latter two were missing from the version we reviewed, which appears to be an error.

The software can be downloaded from ESET’s website. There is a 30-day trial available with only an email address and no credit or debit card needed. ESET Home can also be found on the U.S. version of the Mac App Store, but the download doesn’t actually work.

ESET Home Security Premium retails at different price points given the number of devices it’s installed on and the number of years you subscribe for. It’s usually $59.99/£44.99 for one device for one year, scaling up from there, but there are discounts from time to time which can be seen on the ESET website.

The application allows for changes such as blacklists and whitelists to be created, different levels of detection and sensitivity, access to the logs and proxy servers, reactions as to new volumes being mounted, and an impressive level of customization.

Scheduled scans can be set up easily, and it’s fairly simple to designate which areas of a local or cloud-based drive will be scanned and when. In our tests ESET’s initial scan was able to locate and quarantine 18 suspect files without incident.

However, issues within the software included: extremely long scan times ranging from seven to more than 24 hours to look over an internal solid-state drive, the scheduler feature failing to activate a scan, a lack of a progress bar or elapsed time readout during a scan, the software’s uninstall feature failing to install multiple times, and our copy of the ESET Home Security Premium software arriving without the advertised password manager or encryption features.

While ESET Home Security Premium completes its primary task of antiviral and malware prevention, several bugs and omissions need to be fixed.