Top 7 Antivirus Software for Mac in 2024

Do I really need an antivirus for my Mac?

The truth is that Mac computers are less vulnerable to malware threats than the devices running Windows OS. A few years ago, it was generally believed that Mac OS could resist all existing viruses.

However, some years ago, experts from a large company providing anti-malware solutions discovered that more than 500,000 new Mac devices were infected with Trojan horses. In the second year, the situation happened again. These cases show that there is no 100% protected operating system.

Although Macs have not received widespread misunderstandings as viruses, attacks on Macs have accelerated significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. According to data from AV-Test, 674,291 new malware threats were discovered in 2020, compared with 56,532 in 2019 and 92,571 in 2018. More and more Internet hackers are eyeing Macs.

Therefore, Macs may be more secure than PCs, but they are not invincible because the built-in security features of macOS are not enough to protect Mac users from all online threats. Although you don't care about adware, you can still become a victim of ransomware and password theft.

Therefore, to help you protect your data, we have reviewed and compared numerous antivirus and Internet security software. Here, we provide you with a list of top antivirus software for Mac, you can use them to additionally protect your Mac system.

How to choose antivirus software for Mac?

We have tested many well-known or unknown anti-virus software and security suites from the Internet security field, including Norton, Bitdefender, McAfee, Kaspersky, etc.

We studied their actual performance in the actual environment, and combined their functions and pricing, as well as the information researched by expert teams from AV Test, AV and other laboratories!

Despite so many choices, we recommen some of the best and top-notch! Let us review the most important choice criteria:

The effectiveness of combating malware. We care about the speed and quality of antivirus software in identifying and deleting viruses in actual tests. It must detect and eliminate or destroy the malware before it can cause any harm.

The performance and load of the system. The antivirus software running in the background mode has little impact on the system! Can complete the work quickly while scanning!

Features. Scanning for viruses and destroying malware is a key function of any antivirus software. However, different products provide different additional features that are useful to you, such as ad blockers, built-in VPNs, password managers and other additional features.

Price. Basic antivirus software usually costs between 20 and 50 US dollars per year, but this varies from brand to brand. A more comprehensive security kit costs about $80. These usually come with three or more user licenses and include additional protection features such as password managers, secure banking features, VPN and mobile security. There are also free antivirus programs to consider. The biggest disadvantage of free antivirus software, in addition to the lack of security tools, is the number of pop-up advertisements asking you to upgrade to the paid version.

What’s the best antivirus for Mac?

Here's our list of the Best Antivirus Software for Mac 2024:

#1. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac

#2. Norton 360 Deluxe

#3.Avira Free Antivirus for Mac

#4. Kaspersky Internet Security

#5. McAfee Total Protection

#6. Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac

#7. Avast Security for Mac

Top 7 Best Antivirus Software for Mac in 2024

#1. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac

There are many paid antivirus software on the market, but in our opinion, BitDefender is the best antivirus software for mac in 2024.

With this basic antivirus software package, you can get protection against viruses, spyware, ransomware and almost any other malicious software.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is built on a sterling antivirus engine which is consistently rated among the top performers by independent testing labs (and it boasts fast scan times, too).

Bitdefender scored almost the highest in both the AV-Test and AV-Comparatives detection tests. With a perfect 100% from both labs, Bitdefender provides high-quality, reliable threat detection against both known and zero-day malware.

In addition, Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac also avoids any false positives, which means that all detections are accurate. This is a very secure and reliable program that works without causing noticeable drag or slowdown of your Mac.

However, this is not only about core antivirus defenses, because Bitdefender also provides some appropriate additional features. This includes multi-layer ransomware protection, excellent anti-phishing capabilities, with very robust web browser protection delivered via an extension.

Bitdefender also struggles with adware, so you should notice that there is much less junk that pops up when you are online. There is even a free VPN with a daily data limit of 200MB, and Time Machine's protection layer to ensure your backup security.

This program Integrates well with macOS and can scan the Mac system for Windows Malware. That helps you defend against the possibility of you transmitting a Windows virus to your friends or family who might have Windows 10 PCs.

Autopilot and Bitdefender Shield features enable the software to run without too much manual intervention, that lets you “set it and forget it”.

While there is no free tier for Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, you do get a 30-day free trial before you have to enter your credit card.

The basic plan is $40 for a single device for one year, but you can save by paying for two years ($70) or three years ($90) up front.  (You can often get the first year at half off.)

For this, you get a comprehensive suite of antivirus tools that go beyond basic protection. However, there are some missing tools. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac does not come with a personal firewall or password manager. It also doesn’t offer any identity theft protection. (Bitdefender sells its limited identity theft software separately.)

Bitdefender's pricing is extremely competitive, particularly if you have multiple Macs to protect. The main complaint of many users is VPN restrictions and upgrade pricing, but you can turn to an outside VPN solution if necessary and still come in below the price of a Norton 360 Standard subscription.
However, Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is still the best choice.

Why Should You Pick Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac?

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac has an easy-to-use interface, affordable pricing, nearly flawless malware detection and a very light system-performance impact. At its core, this uses an antivirus engine that's highly regarded as smart and very fast. This a comprehensive suite of antivirus tools that go beyond basic protection, including file protection, Time Machine protection, Traffic Light browser extensions, anti-phishing safeguards, the Bitdefender Shield automatic malware scanner and a limited amount of free Bitdefender VPN service.
For those reasons, it's once again our Editor's Choice for best Mac antivirus software.

#2. Norton 360 Deluxe

It really was a close contest for our top spot, but nipping right at the winners heels was Norton 360 Deluxe. Again, you get an exceptional antivirus suite that protects you against all kinds of online threats including viruses, spyware and ransomware.

Most importantly, Norton has obtained excellent results in industry antivirus tests from experts like AVTest and AV Comparatives where Norton 360 scored perfect marks in the most recent round of testing.

Even in the recent test, we also found that the performance of Norton 360 is second to none, it can block 100% of attacks sent against it , while also having a negligible effect on the device’s performance.

Norton is one of the most trusted companies when it comes to Mac Antivirus software. Indeed, Norton 360 Deluxe is not only good on your Mac but also on lots of other devices including mobile devices and even PCs, with five devices covered at the same time.

It focuses on detecting unwanted software, but it also offers useful additional features, including unlimited usage of VPN for securing personal data online, unlimited password manager, a “smart” firewall to keep hackers, SafeCam webcam protection, dark web monitoring, 50 GB of online cloud storage.

In other competitors, you have to pay extra for unlimited VPN and password manager.

Delux users also have access to advanced parental controls, and all users will receive a full refund if they contract a virus infection that Norton can’t remove.

It’s a bit expensive for sure but given the 24/7 technical support via phone and chat, it makes it worth every penny you spend!

The installation process is fairly simple, and an annual subscription for $39.99 will allow you to install the software on as many as 5 devices. ($39.99 for the first year and $84.99 thereafter)

Why Should You Pick Norton 360?

Norton 360 provides the best antivirus protection in 2024. Norton offers one of the strongest cybersecurity packages around — complete protection from all malicious threats alongside a ton of excellent extra features, like a VPN (with unlimited data), a password manager, secure cloud storage, parental controls, and a lot more. You can try Norton risk-free with the company’s 60-day money-back guarantee.

#3. Avira Free Antivirus for Mac

If you’re the type of Mac user who hates the idea of running an anti-virus suite but recognizes its necessity then Avira Free Antivirus for Mac might be for you.

First of all, it offers powerful performance. Avira's anti-malware scanner detected 100% of malware files in laboratory tests, including viruses, spyware, Trojan horses and ransomware.

Avira Antivirus for Mac is lightweight and faster as compared to others in the market. It provides lightweight cloud-based malware scanner running smoothly in the background without any interruptions.

The real-time scanner scans all files accessed by the system and detects threats before they can cause damage. The scheduler allows you to configure the app to automatically scan your system, or you can check your entire system at any time.

It provides more free features than most other free brand on the market, including real-time protection, intuitive system tuneup tools, a surprisingly good password manager, a firewall and even a VPN!
As an added bonus, Avira free for Mac doesn’t just protect against Mac threats but also uses Avira’s Windows experience to detect PC-related malware and ensure that you are not releasing files that could endanger your friends.

Avira’s free plan also comes with the Browser Safety extension, which blocks unsafe websites, ads, and ad trackers.
Avira Free Antivirus for Mac doesn’t offer much in the way of features, but its antivirus protection is top notch.

Why Should You Pick Avira Free Antivirus for Mac?

If you don’t want to pay for an anti-virus suite then Avira Free is a great option. It offers excellent security, and protection from viruses and the worst kinds of malware. Its no-nonsense approach for a free suite makes it easy to navigate and understand, and, most importantly, it gets of your way to do its job allowing you to do yours. Avira Free Antivirus for Mac is a fairly barebones suite, but it offers highly rated protection at no cost to users.

Avira Free Antivirus for Mac provides lightweight real-time malware scanning, good anti-phishing protection, an excellent free password manager, and a decent VPN. The malware scanner blocked every malware file in my testing, and the web protections blocked both phishing sites and annoying ads. Upgrading to Avira Prime adds a VPN with no limitations, additional password manager features, and coverage for up to 5 devices.

#4. Kaspersky Internet Security

Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac comes from a well known and long-standing brand that has plenty of experience in this area, so it’s no real surprise that they have a product on the best antivirus for Mac list.

Kaspersky offers a fast, secure, fully-featured option for Mac computers. In detection tests, Kaspersky scored 100% for AV-Test and 100% for AV-Comparatives. This puts Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac be consistently rated as one of the best pieces of Mac antivirus software by independent test labs which means you’re getting quality.

It includes your standard malware detection and removal options, as well as some extensive features, including a built-in VPN, password manager and parental controls.

However, The password manager holds only 15 items. The parental controls are limited to a single child device without location tracking. The VPN service gives you only 300MB of data per day.

Kaspersky also offers a hardened web browser for use while banking or shopping online, plus browser extensions that block malicious URLs and tracking cookies and advise you to steer clear of risky websites.
It can even turn off the webcam on a MacBook, a feature that Apple itself doesn't offer.

However, it has slightly impacted the system while performing scans.

The one real caveat is the price. It does come in at a higher price point that a lot of other stellar pieces of antivirus software for Mac, but you do get that Kapersky brand.

Kaspersky offers its service for a relatively cheap $39.99 per year for the first year.  That covers 3 devices. The second-year and beyond price shifts to $74.99 per year.

But other options, like Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac or Norton 360 Deluxe, offer better overall packages among the best Mac antivirus programs.

Why Should You Pick Kaspersky Internet Security?

Kaspersky is a renowned name in the field of antivirus protection, and it upholds that reputation with its world-class Internet Security for Mac OS. Kaspersky Internet Security is undoubtedly one of the best antivirus for Mac in 2024. Its Internet Security software brings a set of powerful features like virus and ransomware protection, parental control tools and security against phishing attempts. We like the specific webcam highjacking protection that means there's no need to cover that camera as you'll know nobody can gain access. You'll pay more than most charge for this big name brand but after you use it, you will find it worth the money.

#5. McAfee Total Protection for Mac

McAfee has been negatively affected in the past because of its poor performance in blocking threats. Plus, it used some system resources, which created lag on computers.

But it has worked hard over the last few years and now is an industry leader, with improvements in all aspects.

McAfee’s excellent virus protection abilities alone make Total Protection a great product — scoring a perfect 100% detection rate against all of the malware samples in a series of tests on the Mac.  It earned a perfect score for stopping all threats.

Like all its rivals, with this security plan, McAfee doesn’t only offer robust malware protection. Rather it comes loaded with lots of fancy features, including a personal firewall and safe banking tools, that address any loopholes in your online security.

McAfee is one of the only antivirus programs that monitor cryptocurrency accounts to keep ransomware and other threats from hacking into them and illegally mining your money.

What’s great about this Mac antivirus program compared to other similar tools on the list is that it comes with advanced AES 256-bit encryption algorithms to help you keep your sensitive and confidential files private at all times.

The software handles internet security for Mac by protecting your online communication with advanced firewalls that block malicious websites. Moreover, the system helps minimize bandwidth usage by blocking autoplay videos.

McAfee Total Protection is available in four different subscription plans for home users. For us, the best ones are the Individual and Family subscriptions.

With the Individual subscription plan, you get support for up to 5 devices at a time. It means whether you own a Windows PC or a macOS device, an iPhone, or an Android phone, you can protect them all with a single McAfee account.

Plus, the plan also offers premium protection services, including an antispam toolbar for email clients, dedicated VPN, password manager, encrypted storage, file shredder, and even identity theft protection.
Whereas paying a little higher to avail of the Family plan will give you security for up to 10 devices. Plus, it also offers all premium services alongside parental control.

If you are looking for robust antivirus software to protect the entire family, look no further than McAfee. Once you activate McAfee, you can manage all your accounts from a single platform. The system monitors the activity of all computers, scans them, and quickly removes malware.

Why Should You Pick McAfee Total Protection?

McAfee is one of the leading cybersecurity players in the industry.

McAfee Total Protection offers an impressive range of internet security protection for all computers and mobiles. McAfee’s “My Home Network” feature is exceptionally good, offering centralized security control over every device on your network. This makes McAfee Total Protection particularly great for families looking to keep a highly secure Wi-Fi network. All Total Protection packages include a commitment-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

McAfee Antivirus occupies a prominent position in the list of best Mac malware protection software. It comprises a wide range of comprehensive security solutions, including an award-winning antivirus, a password manager, and a file shredder tool.

#6. Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac

With a perfect score from AV-Test and a near-perfect score from AV-Comparatives, Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac is a good potential option for Mac users.

AV-Test gave this option an 18/18, with perfect scores in the protection, performance, and usability (false positives) categories. In lab tests, it detected 100% of tested malware samples, had only a minimal amount of performance impact for system processing, and sent back no false positives.

Meanwhile, AV-Comparatives gave Trend Micro 2 out of 3 stars, making it overall a suitable option to consider.

Its antivirus program has many useful features including, web and banking security, protection against malware and spyware attacks, ransomware protection, camera and microphone protection, parental controls, and a social media privacy checker which monitors social network usage for the many threats which are increasingly delivered via these channels.

Unlike most Mac security software, it also safeguards your system against phishing and email scams.
This package is also easy to get to grips with and generally user-friendly. On the downside, sometimes virus scans can be lengthier than you’ll experience with competing products. Furthermore, some rival antivirus suites offer more features. Trend Micro lacks a firewall, for example, or protection for the likes of online banking.

Trend Micro’s Mac software is also priced equally to the top options, at $39.95 (first-year pricing) for protection on 3 devices. The second-year price for the Interner Securit package shifts to $79.95.

Unfortunately, Trend Micro gets a big strike against it for its billing practices. You can only turn off the automatic subscription renewal service after you’ve signed up by going into your user settings on Trend Micro website.

Why Should You Pick Trend Micro Antivirus software for Mac?

Trend Micro is a well-respected name in the antivirus community.  Its antivirus engine is well thought of by the independent testing labs. In fact, Trend Micro’s antivirus comes close to the top performers in terms of the core malware protection the app provides.
Installing Trend Micro Antivirus software for Mac is quick and easy. Its features like antivirus protection, ransomware protection, email spam filtering, social media privacy checker offer brilliantly speedy full scan.

#7. Avast Security for Mac

Avast Security for Mac used to be called Avast Free Mac Security, which put its biggest selling point right there in the name: It's free.

With the name changed, Avast Security for Mac has been greatly improved, and it is still free.

The malware-detection rate is now nearly perfect, the system-performance impact is much less and the annoying ads that tried to upsell you to Avast paid programs have been drastically dialed back.

The application's onscreen tools are well-organized, and its live graphics enhance the feeling of safety -- you can see that the antivirus software doesn't sleep and is always working to protect you from any viruses circulating on the Web.

Avast Security for Mac offers three shields to protect your computer: a file system shield, an e-mail shield, and a Web shield.

Web Shield and Mail Shield combine to check the vast majority of incoming data from the Internet, while File Shield scans all programs stored and executed from your hard drive.

Like Avira, Avast provides comprehensive anti-virus protection for free and always maintains excellent results in third-party tests. However, it does not have some of the features found in paid antivirus applications, such as anti-ransomware, password managers, and email attachment filters. And free technical support is limited to online documents.

The free version is strictly for non-commercial use; in a commercial environment, you have to pay. The paid version of Avast Security Premium for Mac costs $59.99 per year, and it adds ransomware protection and real-time notifications when new devices connect to your network.

Still, if you want a solid, dependable Mac antivirus program for nothing, this is the one to get.

Why Should You Pick Avast Security for Mac?

Avast provides excellent antivirus protection and minimal performance impact, making it a free solution for those seeking basic malware protection.

Extrabux is an international cashback shopping site, offering up to 30% cashback from 10,000+ Stores!

Squarespace, SkinStore, MATCHESFASHION, The Wall Street Journal, NordVPN, Visible, Armani Exchange, Sam's Club, PUMA, AliExpress, Card Cash, NET-A-PORTER, Udacity, Udemy, Selfridges, LOOKFANTASTIC, Vimeo, Coach Outlet, lululemon, PrettyLittleThing, Booking.com, Ripley's Aquarium, iHerb, Groupon, etc.

Join to get $20 welcome bonus now! (How does Welcome Bonus work?)