Many people believe that malware and viruses cannot infect Mac computers. Although Macs may be less vulnerable than Windows PCs, that doesn’t mean they’re immune. Mac users must purchase trustworthy antivirus software since cyber dangers have expanded with the popularity of macOS.
In this blog, we’ll explore the top antivirus options for Mac and the essential features you need to consider to keep your system secure.
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Key Features to Look for in Mac Antivirus Software
It is important to take into consideration the following crucial elements when selecting antivirus software for your Mac:
Real-Time Protection
Real-time security on your Mac ensures continuous monitoring of threats. This functionality identifies and obstructs malware, spyware, and other malevolent actions in real time, blocking any potential damage they may cause.
Comprehensive Malware Detection
Antivirus software should detect and remove malicious software such as viruses, trojans, ransomware, and adware. To keep up with ever-changing dangers, you should search for software that uses sophisticated detection methods like heuristic analysis and machine learning.
Regular Updates
Antivirus software that updates regularly is vital since cyber dangers are always changing. These updates will keep your software up-to-date with the newest risks and protect you from them.
System Performance
An antivirus program should safeguard your Mac while minimizing any noticeable impact on its speed. Look for solutions that operate efficiently in the background without affecting your system’s performance.
User-Friendly Interface
The antivirus program’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to configure and use. Seek user-friendly navigation software, clear instructions, and readily available help alternatives.
Additional Security Features
Several antivirus applications include supplementary security capabilities, firewall protection, VPN services, parental controls, and phishing prevention. These characteristics might provide an additional level of protection for your Mac.
Top Antivirus Software for Mac 2024
Norton 360 Deluxe
With its thorough real-time scanning, monitoring, and worldwide VPN, Norton 360 provides excellent Mac security, while it isn’t the cheapest choice. Norton goes above and beyond the other Mac antivirus applications on our list by including monitoring of the dark web and a method to remove your data from data intruders.
Norton 360 Deluxe includes a password organizer, Norton Secure VPN, a firewall, and browser extensions. Your membership also includes cloud storage, but it’s incompatible with Macs. As an add-on, you may enhance your existing plan with identity theft protection.
Intego Mac Premium
Considering its unique features and app design, Intego was originally designed for MacOS devices. It assures optimal performance and user-friendliness on your Mac device.
The Intego macOS program has many functions and is well-designed. VirusBarrier protects your device against viruses, spyware, and other malicious programs. Parental controls, a personal backup, a sophisticated firewall, and more are all provided by NetBarrier. It includes several customization choices, a parental controls function, and doesn’t need a separate app.
TotalAV Mac Antivirus
Because of its powerful real-time protection and excellent malware scan options, TotalAV is the finest antivirus software for Mac. Most significantly, it guarantees a hundred percent degree of effectiveness in eradicating malware.
The desktop application it provides is well-organized and simple, but it also has one of the most extensive feature sets of any developers on our list.
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Bitdefender is a known provider of antivirus solutions that offers many options for Mac users, including a free version. It offers three options for Mac users: Bitdefender Antivirus, which provides fundamental security for three Macs; Bitdefender Total Security, which safeguards up to five devices; and Bitdefender’s free Virus Scanner.
Downloading, installing, and giving Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac full access to a disk is a breeze. You may choose between a full-screen scan running quietly in the background while you work and a faster Quick Scan mode that scans to find, quarantine, and delete viral candidates. You may scan volumes from external sources, such as USB flash drives.
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac provides anti-phishing protection through Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox online browser extensions. These extensions offer different levels of protection. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac did not provide any noticeable phishing protection on Safari, so we could access suspicious websites without caution.
McAfee Total Protection
With its limitless user support, McAfee Total Protection is the ideal option for protecting Mac or other devices. With TunnelBear as your foundation, you may connect to a VPN and add anti-identity theft security.
At the same time, it monitors your files for suspicious modifications. If it finds anything, it will create a copy of your information, just in case.
As part of its cyber hygiene features, McAfee offers a data protection score and a firewall that safeguards data entering and leaving your machines. In addition to limitless VPN access and a money-back guarantee, the firm provides auto-renewal. If you have a large family and many computers that need protection, McAfee is still your best option.
Trend Micro Security
Trend Micro Security for Mac is a comprehensive solution for detecting and scanning malware on Mac computers. The suite also provides browser extensions to prevent access to malicious sites, and its security feature can provide a score to improve your online security practices.
Although this version does not include a complete range of parental controls, Trend Micro Security’s Website Filter simplifies filtering age-inappropriate material for your kid.
ClamXAV
ClamXAV only develops antivirus software for Apple devices, and its name could be more appealing, but it is the top choice for Mac antivirus for many IT pros. While it may not be the most feature-rich Mac antivirus program, ClamXAV has a Home edition focusing on the typical user.
Though it lacks the internet safety features of other suites, ClamXAV is still a decent option for securing your Mac, especially regarding value—its different subscriptions are reasonably priced compared to competitors.
Malwarebytes Premium
Malwarebytes Premium offers rapid malware scanning with a worldwide VPN but does not include other functionalities such as a firewall, parental controls, or password manager. The program operates because it does not provide the option of a rapid or complete scan—just one scanning option is available. Malwarebytes Premium + Privacy efficiently scans a Mac, focusing only on objects likely to be infected based on the current threat environment.
The lack of a password manager, parental controls, and a firewall in Malwarebytes Premium + Privacy may be due to the software’s inexpensive pricing. A VPN with support for up to five users does exist, but it is an independent software and not part of the main application. While the quick scans and user-friendly interface of Malwarebytes Premium + Privacy are benefits, there is always the chance that something can be missed.
AVG Antivirus
There aren’t many free antivirus apps for Macs, but AVG Antivirus is one of them. It’s simple yet safeguards your computer against malicious software like viruses and spyware.
Even though it’s free, AVG protects you against websites, downloads, and email attachments that contain viruses and malware. AVG’s program scan, file check, and removal capabilities protect your Mac from attacks. Protect yourself from the newest risks with automatic updates.
It doesn’t have the sophisticated capabilities of expensive antivirus software but manages the key features well. Nevertheless, you will have to pay to upgrade to the complete edition of the program if you need to fix any sophisticated problems.
Despite being simple, this is an excellent choice overall. You receive more than you “pay” for.
Final Thoughts
Having dependable and best antivirus software is crucial to safeguard against the increasing number of cyber attacks that target macOS, even though Macs are known for their robust security capabilities.
The antivirus solutions covered in this article provide various features tailored to various requirements. These best antivirus programs will assist you in keeping your Mac safe, regardless of whether you’re seeking family-friendly features, privacy tools, or real-time protection.
By investing in one of these reliable antivirus solutions, you can now ensure that your data and system are safely protected
