Even though Macs tend to experience less malware infections than Windows computers, they still need an antivirus program in order to stay protected against hackers and protect sensitive information. A good antimalware application can protect Macs against cyber threats and protect information stored within.
Intego is one of the few Mac-specific security suites to provide exceptional malware protection as well as additional features, such as device optimization, VPN access and dark web monitoring. Plus, its annual subscription provides an attractive financial commitment with generous money-back guarantees!
Viruses
Though Windows computers often get all the attention when it comes to malware threats, Macs can suffer just as badly if users fail to use an anti-virus program.
Apple’s built-in protections work effectively against most threats, including viruses. Third party anti-virus programs provide additional layers of security as well as extra tools such as being able to scan files on demand or quarantine any infected ones.
Antivirus programs typically upload flagged files to the cloud for further analysis, which can be both good and bad depending on your perspective: this data could help research teams spot new viruses, worms, Trojan horses and other forms of malware; but you must feel comfortable trusting another third-party with accessing your files.
1. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offers comprehensive protection from Mac-related threats by connecting to cutting-edge cloud technologies for instant detection and blocking of all nAvast Security Forew and unknown threats without slowing down the system. The application includes multi-layer ransomware protection, safe files protection, adware scanning/removal capabilities as well as 24/7 cloud guard duty duty.
This program is easy and intuitive for novice and more advanced users to set up and use, as its default suite features are organized into 3 categories: Protection, Privacy and Utilities. Antivirus settings, firewall monitoring and ransomware countermeasures fall under Protection; online privacy services like anti-tracker browser extensions, VPN services or password managers provide methods of staying anonymous online; while Utilities include optimization tools and profile management functions and even file shredding capabilities.
One great aspect of the app is its ability to quickly scan running apps, critical locations or custom locations on an entire system with one click. Furthermore, it checks for malware in archives and various file types if anything suspicious is identified and quarantined for further analysis in an effort to eliminate it or isolate unknown files so as to prevent further damage to Mac computers. If it finds anything that raises suspicion it is immediately moved into quarantine for analysis so it cannot cause harm; otherwise it will remain isolated so as not to do any more damage than necessary to its host computer system.
An additional attractive feature of the software is that it automatically updates its malware database to detect new infections, providing maximum efficiency. You can configure it to update at specific times or when idle; and even scan external drives such as flash disks, NAS boxes or network folders.
2. Norton 360 Standard For Mac
Norton 360 Standard For Mac is an extremely comprehensive security suite, including malware detection, password management, VPN connectivity and dark web monitoring. While its price point may be prohibitive to some, its consistently great results in third-party testing make this bundle an excellent investment if security is top of mind (check our Norton coupon codes to save!).
Antivirus protection is unquestionably the focal point here, with one of the finest anti-malware software programs on the market detecting all forms of malware without false positives or performance degradation as more threats come into play. Independent tests by AV-Test consistently demonstrated its excellent virus detection ability; even as more threats came into play its performance did not decrease over time.
Norton 360 provides excellent behavior protection that keeps an eye on how applications you run and can detect suspicious activity, particularly malicious programs meant to penetrate computers and steal information or credentials (for instance fake security software or scareware). This feature makes Norton 360 an exceptional security suite with multiple layers of defense against threats to keep you protected and safe online.
Other security features in the bundle include a two-way firewall to block any data entering or leaving, duplicate file removal tools and junk file cleaning utilities. One intriguing inclusion was 10GB of cloud backup space which seemed redundant given macOS has its own solution for that function.
Parental controls, however, are only available on Windows and Android (although Norton Deluxe includes them). Overall however, with its impressive collection of features and possibly the best malware protection available today and top performance across all aspects, Norton makes for a strong contender worth considering.
3. Avast Security for Mac
Avast Security for Mac is the premier free antivirus software, providing complete protection from malware, unsafe websites and Wi-Fi intruders. Furthermore, Avast provides ransomware protection as well as easy-to-use advanced features designed to strengthen online privacy.
Our lab tests demonstrated that Avast Security for Mac detected 100% of macOS malware – matching Intego, Bitdefender and Kaspersky in this regard. Furthermore, its fast full scan only took 10 minutes 25 seconds; its quick scan performance impact was also very minimal – just about 3% of time spent compared with up to 12% for competitors.
Anti-phishing features in Microsoft Outlook work extremely effectively, detecting and blocking suspicious emails in the inbox as well as websites attempting to steal personal information like passwords or credit card details from you. Furthermore, its password manager helps create secure unique passwords across accounts while scanning email attachments for viruses and malware.
Avast Security for Mac offers a modern, user-friendly experience, with all its functions neatly tucked into menus for easy navigation. Furthermore, we appreciate its minimal resource requirements or slowdown during scans; however, sometimes the tool misidentifies applications or websites as malicious; this can be annoying when installing something and have Avast pop up to warn that it’s dangerous; similarly it may become difficult to browse blocked sites that Avast has blocked outright.
4. Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac
Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac is an excellent solution for protecting Macs against malware and identity theft, offering reliable test lab-verified protection through an intuitive user interface. The software features multiple support channels, extra features such as social media protection and even includes some social media support channels – but its high false positive rate should be taken into consideration along with its lack of firewall or webcam protection.
The antivirus’s interface is clear and uncluttered, featuring a large scan button surrounded by feature groups and with an arrow beside it that lets you activate either a quick or full scan on any folder of choice. Likewise, its settings menu offers clear descriptions of your security status with simple checkboxes for each function allowing you to tailor how the program operates.
One interesting feature is its ability to scan and delete junk data such as temporary files, duplicates and media player logs. Furthermore, this software contains a Folder Shield feature which can be customized to protect specific folders against ransomware attacks.
More traditional tools include an anti-phishing engine, password manager and secure trash bin. While parental controls may not provide as much security for children’s devices or websites, software does allow you to impose device usage limits and block certain categories.
Trend Micro’s only missing feature is a firewall, despite their longstanding history in computer security and cloud services. They offer free trials of their antivirus product with 30-day money-back guarantees; in addition, other online security products from Trend Micro such as VPN access and password manager subscription plans with various price options are also offered per device subscriptions.
5. Intego Mac Internet Security X9
Intego Mac Internet Security for Mac is one of the top antivirus tools you’ll find for your computer, providing excellent protection from malware and virus threats while remaining user-friendly. Intego scored well in lab tests run by AV-Comparatives and was an improvement over Apple’s built-in firewall features; its NetBarrier feature prevents intrusions as well as data exfiltration on your Mac while its bundles also include parental controls called ContentBarrier as well as system cleaner functionality.
The program is well-designed and intuitively navigated, although certain features are more useful than others. For instance, its ability to scan external drives and iOS devices makes it far more powerful than most standalone Mac security programs; additionally, archived files can be scanned – something most other scanners do not do – while you can create a “Trusted Files” folder to allow certain files to bypass scanning altogether for quicker scan times.
One feature not commonly offered by other antivirus programs is the ability to identify Windows-specific malware. These files will not affect your Mac but could inadvertently reach other PC users via email or file sharing websites if sent unknowingly to other computers. Intego does an outstanding job at doing just this and it stands out amongst the competition as something not commonly offered in other programs.
One standout feature of Intego is its extensive knowledge base, complete with a useful thumbs-up/thumbs-down rating system for articles to indicate whether they were helpful or not. It serves as an effective complement to other resources available through Intego such as its video tutorial and support requests submitted directly through its program or email.
6. Sophos Home Premium
Sophos Home for Mac is an effective security software with advanced ransomware protection, phishing protection and parental web filtering features. Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, Sophos Home uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to preemptively detect and block malicious files entering your computer system; as well as protecting it against viruses, bots, exploits worms spyware potentially unwanted programs rootkits phishing attacks etc causing harm.
Sophos’ interface is intuitive and user-friendly. It runs invisibly in the background and updates regularly without slowing down PC performance – our test run showed only minimal slowdown after conducting a full scan.
Control of your software can be done either with a desktop app or online dashboard. Both feature an easy and streamlined user experience while the dashboard offers several sections dedicated to Antivirus Protection, Cybersecurity Protection, Parental Web Filtering, Ransomware Protection Privacy Protection Malicious Traffic Detection as well as Malicious Traffic Detection with clear labeling systems that make understanding each section simple.
Sophos provides email and live chat support for its Premium users from Monday to Friday 8am-8pm EST, as well as plenty of help on its website and community forums where questions may be posted. Known for its business antivirus software, Sophos’ family version builds upon that experience with simple operation, low resource footprint and powerful central management – perfect for protecting up to 10 devices simultaneously while automatically updating virus definitions via cloud storage.
7. McAfee Antivirus Plus
McAfee Antivirus for Mac uses real-time scanning with heuristic-based analysis to monitor system activity for any suspicious activities or potential risks that might occur on your Mac, alerting our malware lab for analysis if necessary so you can rest easy knowing your Mac is being protected 24/7.
Password Manager can generate strong and secure passwords, store them safely, and autofill for faster logins across devices. There’s also ransomware recovery to return files held hostage by ransomware.
McAfee’s latest version leverages machine learning to identify patterns associated with malicious activity and take immediate action to stop it, reducing false positives – an issue often experienced when antivirus software does not recognize new and emerging threats properly.
The security suite includes features to safeguard every aspect of your digital life: antivirus, VPN, identity protection and tracking removal; as well as file backup solutions and automated scans and updates to make life more secure.
McAfee stands out from its competition with its comprehensive set of features designed to protect devices and personal data. The lightweight suite won’t slow down your Mac, while also boasting a good track record at protecting against malware. Furthermore, McAfee offers its Virus Protection Pledge that guarantees full refund in case it cannot remove all threats from your device.
8. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac
Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac offers excellent protection from malware, hackers and other digital threats which may compromise your data and privacy. My independent testing has consistently produced outstanding results with its antivirus engine and additional tools that provide additional safeguards against online risks. These include dangerous site protection, which alerts you of websites known to contain malware or phishing pages; password synchronization across Apple devices; and webcam blocking features which help stop it being hijacked for spying purposes during video calls.
The app’s main dashboard displays either a green checkmark or red “x” to indicate the state of your device’s defenses, along with an icon for opening the Protection Center. This screen ensures virus databases are current, offers recommendations, and presents news about apps installed on your device. A gear icon in the lower left corner provides easy access to its settings menu.
Conclusion
Selecting an Antivirus Software For Mac While macOS computers tend to be much more secure than their Windows counterparts, and Apple has put into place safeguards designed to make malware difficult to spread, viruses and cyber threats still pose threats that need protecting from. Luckily, many anti-virus programs exist designed specifically to keep iMac and MacBook safe from any malicious software trying to cause harm.
For Mac, choosing an antivirus requires considering all of its inclusions and how they compare against one another. Some antiviruses offer highly competitive prices while some others may appear more costly but still feature all-encompassing features such as real-time malware detection, quality unlimited-data VPN services, password managers, device optimization tools, identity theft insurance protection etc.
Consider how each program handles malware detection rates and performs in independent tests conducted by respected testing labs. The ideal antiviruses for Mac should offer high scores across a number of metrics including virus detection, performance and usability.
