Even you are an ultra-scrupulous in the way you handle potential threats, some infections just can’t be prevented without taking help of a dedicated Mac Security Software. Some might consider the fact that Apple Machines don’t get viruses; however, the truth is they are just less targeted than Windows, but not immune from malware or other infections.
So, stop being sassy because your Mac might get hit with Trojans, Malware, Ransomware and other types of malicious content. We don’t mean to intimidate, but we want our users to stay safe & protected from rogue infections that might harm their machines with malicious content.
So, better not to wait until it’s too late! Here’s introducing some of the Best Antivirus Software for Mac that are absolutely essential for your Apple device
Also Read: Is it Worth Paying for Antivirus
The 11 Best Mac Antivirus Software In 2023
Let’s look at some of the most ideal Antivirus programs for Mac:
1. Intego Mac Premium Bundle X9
Intego is another excellent piece of best virus protection available for you Mac. It comes with ‘Real-Time & On-Demand’ antivirus & anti-malware shields to safeguard your machine against all types of cyber-attacks. The software is also equipped with ‘Intelligent Firewall for Home & Hotspot Network Protection’ to block unsolicited visitors accessing your personal information. You can also connect your mobiles, tablets & other devices via USB to let Intego scan for malicious content.
Why Choose Intego Mac Internet Security?
Despite its robust feature set, the program manages to cram all its functionalities into a compact dashboard.
| FEATURES |
| Real-time & On-demand Mac antivirus & anti-malware shields. |
| Mac Cleaner to speed & organize your system. |
| Parental Control features like website/application blocking. |
| Personal backup feature to securely store your data & prevent it from data loss. |
| Anti-phishing tools to check unsafe emails & attachments. |
Also Read: Best Antivirus Software
2. Sophos Antivirus For Mac
Sophos is a complete security suite designed for Mac, loaded with lots of features, the software has very high accurate detection rates. But at the same time, the scanning process is quite time-taking than other tools mentioned here. It’s full system scan takes lots of time, however the software has the least impact on the system’s operation.
Why Choose Sophos Antivirus For Mac?
The software has an amazing protection score, with its On-demand scanning option user can initiate a scan anytime.
| FEATURES |
| Extremely fast mac antivirus scan & has a great reputation among tech experts. |
| Real-time protection features. |
| Ransomware monitoring, Webcam protection & live support features. |
| Parental Control options to block inappropriate websites viewing. |
| Doesn’t use up lots of memory or CPU. |
The software is available for free trial with all the features, after then you can purchase its premium version for $35.
Also Read: Best Malware Removal For Mac
3. Airo Antivirus
Looking for Mac security software that offers 360-degree protection at your fingertips? Well, your search ends here, check out Airo Antivirus Solution. It’s a dedicated utility that performs thousands of Mac antivirus scans in a day, for real-time detection and prevention. It runs on Machine Learning algorithms to analyze patterns that are common across different types of malware & other security threats.
| FEATURES |
| Offers Advanced Spyware Protection that not only scans threats like website pop-ups or downloads but also other hardware devices like mice, USB Drives etc. |
| Features a browser extension, called Airo Web Guardia to block websites involved with phishing scams. |
| With each updated version, you can enjoy features for detecting malicious files and other threats. |
| Best Antivirus Software for heavy Internet users, who wished to have a download monitor. |
| Offers comprehensive protection against both conventional & emerging threats. |
With an impressive cleanup and malware detection rate, you can get this top macOS antivirus software for $69.99 per year (single Airo license).
4. AVG AntiVirus For Mac
AVG is another brand well-known in the antivirus world. Its newest update comes with a modern interface and work effectively as well in comparison to its predecessors. Once you install the tool, a systemized dashboard is presented in two main panes. First one ensures basic protection on web & email. Second one comes equipped with advanced options that you can enable by purchasing the full suite.
Why Choose AVG AntiVirus For Mac?
If you have primary requirements of providing basic protection to your Mac, then it’s free antivirus would work for you. If you want to have features like privacy protection or safety for online transactions, then choose its full suite package.
| FEATURES |
| User-friendly interface. |
| Full Scan, individual file scanning & customize scanning options are available. |
| Real-time protection by finding & remove new threats as they arise. |
| You can scan your mobile devices connected through USB. |
Despite of having several functionalities in one package, what we didn’t like about it, is its in-program ads & heavy system performance impact.
Download AVG Antivirus for Mac Here
5. Bitdefender Antivirus For Mac
Bitdefender is well-liked & reputable virus protection for Mac. It comes with advanced cybersecurity technologies that gives users complete immunity to enjoy the online world to the maximum. Claims to provide 100% threat detection rate and we truly agree to it. It proffers ultra-fast scanning that blocks and removes annoying adware, giving you the optimized speed & fast mac performance.
Why Choose Bitdefender Antivirus For Mac?
The antivirus program is all updated with new Internet-born dangers, so wherever they may come from, Bitdefender is all set to give instant protection with no extra tweaks.
| FEATURES |
| User-friendly & easy-to-use. |
| Comes with multi-layer Ransomware protection tool. |
| Offers One-Click optimization feature to clean up mac & fix minor issues. |
| Capable of scanning Windows malware as well. |
| Premium version comes with Bitdefender VPN & Anti-Phishing protector to keep you out of danger. |
Bitdefender AntiVirus for Mac offers free 30-day trial as well, so that once you get satisfied with its functioning, you could go for the full version.
Must Read: Best Anti spyware
6. Norton Security Premium
If you’re really concerned about Internet nasties, then try using Norton Security Premium for accurate virus protection. It offers 2GB of automatic online backup, so you can securely store your data and prevent it from data loss due to Ransomware or hard drive failures. Offers 100% guarantee, the moment you install the software, a Norton expert gets connected to you to help you keep your machine infection-free or give you a refund.
Why Choose Norton Security Premium?
Norton Security Premium is an optimum solution to give complete protection & take care of your online privacy & personal information.
| FEATURES |
| Gives all-round protection against adware, spyware and other online threats. |
| Ideal virus protection tool for Beginners. |
| Offers Parental Controls, Password Manager, Mac Optimization tools, Email & Spam Blocking features. |
| Provides real-time protection against existing & upcoming threats. |
| Secures multiple devices with a single subscription. |
This top antivirus for mac is well-known for providing comprehensive protection with robust tools to help you safely explore the Internet.
Read Also: Free Anti Malware Software
7. Avast Free Antivirus For Mac
Avast is an old name in the field of providing best security solutions. Its Mac OS X Antivirus program is one of their highly-rate protection tools that comes with robust features to provide an excellent secure wall around your mac. The software offers several scanning options to improve Mac’s security; Quick Scan, Full Scan, Network Security Scan, Scanning for removable volumes & more.
Why Choose Avast Antivirus For Mac?
With its excellent phishing protection, the software claims to catch 99.9% of all malware!
| FEATURES |
| Not only easy-to-use, but it’s very light in weight. Hence, has very low impact on system resources. |
| Comes with Password Manager. |
| Provides Ransomware shield. |
| Offers Wi-Fi Security Scan and Wi-Fi Intruder Alerts, so that your Mac doesn’t get connected to compromised networks. |
| Anti-Malware security plus web & email shields for all-round protection. |
Their most common pricing plan runs $39.99 per year for one license & $59.99 for three. Quite expensive mac OS X antivirus tool!
8. Kaspersky Internet Security
One of the most famous antivirus protections for mac, Kaspersky is a robust program for keeping your system safe & virus-free. Installation might get little tricky at first, but it proficiently manages to remove or quarantine eight out of ten viruses. It offers Scheduled Scanning feature, but it’s not activated by default.
Why Choose Kaspersky Anti-Virus?
Though it offers a huge range of features, it makes the interface a bit cumbersome to navigate if you’re searching for a particular tool.
| FEATURES |
| Amazing virus detection rate. |
| Comes with ‘Safe Money’ feature to secure online payments. |
| Offer features like Parental Control, Lock Down Webcam & Website Blocking from tracking. |
| Noticeable performance boost on Mac. |
| Mix-and-match protection on your Mac, PC, Android & iOS devices with single subscription. |
The software is much more than just a Mac antivirus, it offers a lot more options to secure your digital life as well.
9. Avira Antivirus Pro
Quite a budget option among all the antivirus programs for Mac. Unlike other standard mac security software that are clubbed with numerous features, Avira takes a simpler & light-weight approach to provide ultimate security & protection to users. Along with powerful antivirus scanner, it comes with Smart A.I that makes sure that no latest threat can target your system.
Why Choose Avira Antivirus Pro?
Avira offers a bunch of features that makes it one of our best picks in the category.
| FEATURES |
| Real-time protection to detect viruses & other infections. |
| Capable of finding & removing Windows threats as well. |
| Interface is admirably compact & clutter-free. |
| Comes with Scheduled scanning, so you can set automatic scanning on daily or weekly basis. |
| Offers strong protection against Phishing & Malicious URLs. |
| PUA Shield to detect unwanted apps that are hidden on your system. |
Effortless to use, Aviara is surely one of the easiest ways to ensure security & privacy online!
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10. Cylance Smart Antivirus
Cylance Smart Antivirus is a light-weight best security software for Mac. The software works Artificial Intelligence algorithms to identify threat proactively. Unlike other standard antivirus program for Mac, it doesn’t have a ‘Scan’ button, all you have to do is install the application and leave it running. It works in real-time and detects all the upcoming issues as & when arises.
Why Choose Cylance Smart Antivirus?
It automatically blocks the malicious content before they can cause any damage to your Mac.
| FEATURES |
| Straightforward user-interface. Ideal virus protection tool for Beginners. |
| Works with AI algorithms, hence you can be ensured of ultimate threat detection. |
| Instant download & rapid protection. |
| Flexible packages, according to user needs & requirements. |
Pricing options are quite simple, it offers three purchase plans which varies according to the number of devices. Personal Plan: for ‘one’ device around $29, Household Plan: for ‘five’ devices for around $69 & Family plan for up to ‘ten’ devices for $99.
Read Also: Top 3 Recent Mac Malware Threatening Security
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Do You Know If Your Mac Is Infected With A Virus?
Before proceeding with the ultimate solution to protect your Mac from infections. You should keep in mind the following signs that point out whether your system has a malware or not. If your machine is not displaying any of below mentioned signs, then there’s nothing to worry about.
- Your Mac Starts Behaving Erratically
Your machine suddenly becomes sluggish or laggy in everyday use.
- Unexpected Advertisements
All web pages are overlaid with adverts.
- Mac Machine Become Slow For No Reason
Your machine constantly gets slow, even when no program or apps are running.
- Unwanted Pop-ups
All of a sudden, new icons, toolbars & extensions starts popping on your device which you don’t even remember installing.
If you think a Mac malware is making its way onto your system, then it’s time to take an immediate action!
Why Do You Need A virus Protection Software For Your Mac?
Mac malware could be distributed through different ways. The most recent & vulnerable ones are, by way of ZIP file email attachments, through ‘meltdown & spectre flaws’ found on Intel chips & via hijacking DNS servers.
However, the most reliable way of detecting these issues & protecting your device effectively is by using a dedicated Mac OS X Antivirus tool that does the task in short Mac antivirus scan!
- Might seem obvious, but worth emphasizing! Using an antivirus programs for mac will provide an anti-malware & anti-spyware guard against all types of infections including viruses, worms, adware, trojan, rootkits and much more in few clicks.
- A dedicated Mac security software would run a diagnostic scan that detects & removes suspicious files & apps in few moments.
- The best antivirus software for mac will constantly monitor all new downloads & keep users safe while online.
- A top antivirus for mac will be equipped with several scanning options so that no malicious content could hide on your system.
- Provides an advanced protection that catches emerging threats & defend against them in no time.
- An ideal virus protection for mac will ensure an all-round malware protection for your Mac.
Now, that you’ve understood the essential need of a Mac Security Software, it’s time to look at the best ones that are all set to provide you with the supreme protection!
How To Manually Remove Viruses From Mac?
There are numerous ways to remove infections from Mac, but it can be a time-consuming and tedious task at the same time.
- Clear Browser Extensions
If you’re using Safari, then go to the Menu > click on ‘Preferences’ > A new window will appear > open ‘General’ tab > Check your Homepage is set default > go to Extensions tab > Find & remove malicious extensions.
Some Common Malicious Extensions are: FlashFree, GoldenBoy, News Ticker Remover, Shopper Helper Pro, Shop BRAIN, Mac Global Deals, MacSaver, MacVX, MacPriceCut.
- Uninstall Malicious Apps
Open Finder > Click on Applications > A list of all the apps installed will be displayed > scroll through the list and locate any spiteful name > right-click to ‘Move to Trash’.
Some Common Malicious Apps are: MacCaptain, Photo Zoom, PalMall, MacSmart, MacSter, MacXcoupon, Extended Protection, WeKnow, MacSaver, MacDeals, SveOnMac.
- Enter Safe Mode
Entering into safe mode will help your Mac machine to perform ‘checks’ and only lets trustworthy apps & programs to load. If any malware is set to load automatically, this will prevent the infection to do so.
If you have a very nasty virus, killing it manually would be very time-consuming and there’s no guarantee that it would surely be removed. However, with the help of Best Antivirus Software for Mac you can be completely ensured of total safety with enhanced mac’s performance & all-round protection for your machine from future threats as well.
Conclusion:
You don’t have to be a computer genius to stay protected on Macs. Just keep in mind the following things to not get easily prone to viruses or other infections.
- Keep a tight lock on your Mac. Use strong passwords!
- Disable automatic file opening after downloads.
- Always keep your Mac apps & OS X software updated.
- Install applications from only Mac App Store.
- Maintain healthy browsing habits.
- Secure your webcam & microphone.
Above all, using a determined antivirus software for Mac will ensure that your Mac always stays away from rogue infections and will only help in boosting its performance, along with maintaining a secure wall around your device!