Some might consider identifying the best Mac software in 2018 a redundant task, given that Macs 'don't get viruses.' But although its true that Apple machines are targeted less than Windows, they can still be infected. The risks are increasing, which is why you need protection.
Your Mac isn't immune to threats - yet. Avast Security is a free antivirus that stops malware & finds Wi-Fi security weaknesses. Free Download!
Every product in this list has been chosen because it's especially designed to protect Mac systems and has scored highly at identifying and removing viruses and malware. We've also highlighted the The macOS operating system is based on the Unix operating system, which is sandboxed. That means it’s very difficult for viruses to do any damage. Think of them as locked in a little box from which they can’t escape no matter how hard they try. This means that you need specific Mac antivirus software - whether that be the very strongest paid-for protection or a free download that we've picked out at the bottom of this guide - that's been designed to work with the unique demands that macOS has, so read on for our top choices. Mac antivirus: which is best at detecting threats?
The excellent regularly puts anti-virus programs through their paces, and their most recent tests took place in June 2018 on macOS High Sierra. They tested two key areas: how well the packages detected Mac-specific threats, and how well they protected against Macs in mixed-OS environments being hijacked to spread Windows malware. While the amount of Mac malware is still considerably less than that targeting Windows, its still 100 times higher than what experts predicted just a few years ago. For Mac malware, six packages achieved 100% detection without false positives. User interface won't be to everyone's taste Kaspersky is a well regarded name in the field of antivirus protection, and it maintains that reputation with its Internet Security for Mac software, which brings a range of features that put much of its competitors to shame, including firewall protection, parental controls and tools to make sure you can shop and bank completely securely online. The huge range of features are certainly welcome, but it can make the interface a bit cumbersome to navigate if you're looking for a particular tool. Pricey Norton is another brand that's well known in the anti-virus world, and the Norton Security Deluxe software helps protect your Mac with an excellent malware detection engine.
It can cover a range of devices, so you can have it protect your Macs, or even any Windows PCs you have, or mobile devices. While the security it offers is great, there can be a noticeable impact on system speed when in use. If you want to keep your Mac feeling as speedy as possible, look at one of the other choices in this best software for Mac list, but if you want robust, dependable protection, no matter what, then Norton Security Deluxe is definitely worth investing in.
The next four achieved between 99.5% and 98.4% without false positives. No website filtering ClamXAV doesn't have the catchiest of names, but it's the antivirus software for Mac that many IT professionals swear by - not least because it only creates AV for Apple computers. That doesn't mean it's overly complicated - in fact, it has one of the most simple and easy-to-use interfaces out of all the Mac antivirus software on this list.
It's particularly adept at catching viruses in email attachments, and while it doesn't come with some of the internet safety tools of other suites, it's still an excellent choice for protecting your Mac, and unlike its competitors, it offers a one-off fee, rather than a yearly subscription. Lacking on features F-Secure SAFE is pitched as an antivirus service for the entire family, protecting all manner of devices, including PCs, smartphones, tablets as well as Macs, and strong parental controls. AV-Test found F-Secure protected against 100 per cent of zero-day threats during March and April 2018, as well as 100 per cent of all widespread and prevalent malware discovered during the previous four weeks. However as of June 2018, detection rates of MacOS malware are 96.4 per cent.
Concerns about the suite slowing down the installation of frequently used applications also persist, as does a relative lack of features. Having said that it does offer some nifty capabilities such as banking protection, which blocks specific sites and apps from interacting with your system while you’re logged in, and specific safeguards across the scourge of ransomware. In short, F-Secure’s user-friendly UI and accurate protection make it an adequate choice, but it is lacking in the feature department. Do I need free or paid-for antivirus for Mac? The debate is the same regardless of whether you have a Mac or a PC.
Free antivirus products are effective at protecting against threats but they lack certain premium features. Having multiple systems on a network means cyberattacks have more users and more endpoints to target. Additional management tools that let you set policies can help mitigate this risk. Macs might be considered safer than PCs, but it still might not be risking it for the sake of saving some money. Top 5 best free antivirus for Mac in 2018. Detects network vulnerabilities goes the extra mile to protect your Mac with an unusually lengthy feature list. The core antivirus engine offers real-time protection to catch threats when they appear, for instance.
You can run on-demand full system scans if you suspect a problem, or launch a more targeted check on specific files, folders or drives. It's even possible to schedule scans to run automatically when you're not around. A Web Shield warns you about malicious websites, blocks dangerous downloads and email attachments, and protects your privacy by eliminating intrusive ad tracking. There's an unusual extra in Avast's wireless network scanner, which quickly checks your network, router and connected devices, alerting you to any vulnerabilities. Mac antivirus software isn't often checked by the independent testing labs, but Avast's most recent results were good, with finding the package detected 99.9% of sample threats.
Only Bitdefender and Kaspersky did better, and they were both paid editions. If you'd like even more, upgrading to Avast Security Pro gets you ransomware protection and instant alerts of Wi-Fi intruders or changes in your network security.
A one Mac, one-year licence can be yours for £49.99 ($70). No web filtering While many antivirus companies try to win you over by piling on the features, takes a simpler, more lightweight approach. There's no web filtering, no network scanning or other security extras: it's purely focused on keeping your system malware-free. That doesn't mean the package is short on power. Its real-time scanner checks any file the system accesses, picking up threats before they can do any harm. The scheduler enables setting up the app to scan your system automatically, or you're able to check your entire system whenever you like.
As a bonus, the app doesn't just protect against Mac threats. It also uses Avira's Windows experience to pick up any PC-related malware, ensuring you won't share any files that might endanger your friends. The main testing labs haven't evaluated Avira Free Antivirus for a while, but found the Avira engine blocked 99.1% of test malware, and with Avira's strong record on the PC we've no doubt that this is an app you can trust.
Although this list is all about free Mac antivirus, Avira deserves a mention for its commercial Avira Antivirus Pro 2018. It adds an option to scan USB keys for threats, includes tech support and protects up to five devices with one licence (Mac, Windows and Android), yet the cost is low at just £29.99 ($42) a year. No real-time protection is a lightweight free malware hunter which can track down and remove both Mac and Windows-related threats. A simple and straightforward interface makes the app extremely easy to use. A status display keeps you up-to-date on how your system is doing, and four buttons enable running a quick scan of critical locations, an in-depth check of your entire system, or speedy scans of running applications or a folder of your choice. Although this looks all very basic, use Bitdefender Virus Scanner for Mac for a while and you begin to notice some very neat touches. The app doesn't force you to wait a day for your next virus signature updates, for instance.
Bitdefender issues updates every hour and Virus Scanner always fetches the latest version before it starts a scan. An option to exclude files and folders from the scan - network shares, system backups - is another plus, reducing the work the engine has to do and significantly speeding up your scan times. What you don't get here is any form of real-time protection or web filtering, essential tools for a complete security solution.
This simplicity also reduces the chance of conflicts with other apps, though, suggesting Bitdefender Virus Scanner could be a useful second opinion tool which you run alongside another security app. No real-time protection Mac antivirus software isn't just about detecting the latest most deadly ransomware, or other high-risk threats. Most tools can also strip out adware and other potentially unwanted programs which may not be highly dangerous, but are wasting system resources and slowing your Mac down. Has been eliminating the full range of Windows threats since 2006, and the Mac edition is just as simple, straightforward and effective.
The app is such a lightweight installation, the size of three digital music files, that you'll barely notice it's there. And while the lack of real-time protection means Malwarebytes can't stop attacks - only remove existing infections - it also ensures there's no real impact on your system resources and the app is unlikely to conflict with other antivirus tools. Performance is another highlight, with Malwarebytes claiming the average system is scanned in less than 15 seconds. Set it running when you check your emails in the morning and it'll be finished before you are.
Installing Malwarebytes for Mac also gets you a 30-day trial of the Premium edition which is able to detect and block threats as they appear. If you're not interested in this, ignore it; real-time protection will disappear when the trial expires and you'll get on-demand scanning only. Alternatively, upgrading to Malwarebytes Premium enables protecting any mix of three Mac, Windows or Android devices, and a one-year licence is priced at £49.99 ($70). Protect Macs and PCs from one account The free antivirus market is highly competitive and it can be difficult for individual companies to stand out from the crowd, but the British vendor has found a way: it gives you more features in its free products than many competitors provide in their paid editions. On-demand scanning to clean up infected systems? Check. Real-time protection to prevent attacks in the first place?
Of course. Browser filtering which blocks access to dangerous sites? Naturally. Parental controls to define the content your child can access online? Oh, and you can cover up to three Mac or Windows devices with a single account, and remotely check and manage their status from a central web console - potentially very useful when protecting the whole family. Sophos isn't just piling on these extras to disguise a weak antivirus engine, either. Showed Sophos delivered the same level of protection as products from Avast, Bitdefender, Kaspersky and other big names. This works for us, but if you need more, Sophos Home Premium does have some worthwhile extra features: advanced ransomware protection, monitoring of access to your webcam and microphone, live chat and email support, and the option to protect up to 10 devices.
It's a strong feature set, and competitively priced at £40 ($56) a year. Mac antivirus: what’s the effect on performance? Most of us believe that virus protection software has a negative effect on performance, but chances are it’s much less negative than we think: in their tests, AV-Test found that there was no measurable performance drop when using ClamXav, MacKeeper, Kaspersky or Norton.
There was a measurable difference with Sophos and Trend Micro (2 per cent of additional system load), and with ESET and Bitdefender, which added around 4 per cent to the overall system load. Mac antivirus: do I really need it?
That really depends on you. The risk of infection remains pretty remote, and if you practice basic security measures and don’t fall for common scams then you’re very unlikely to suffer from any problems. Even ransomware can be defeated with the cunning tactic of having a backup of anything important. That said, if you’ve ever experienced the mess malware can make on a Windows system you’ll know that just getting things back to normal can be an incredible time thief, especially if key data has been damaged.
Perhaps the question shouldn’t be whether anti-virus is worth the money, but whether your time is more valuable than the cost of a security app.
Read on for detailed analysis of each best antivirus service pick Creators of malware and viruses are always coming up with new ways to gain access to your PC and other internet enabled devices (with your mobile phone and tablet included). Luckily online software security companies are constantly updating their security software packages.
We're already starting to see their 2019 packages come to market, with user experience tweaks and the latest virus definitions to protect against phishing scams, ransomware and all other types of viruses and malware. Right now, we think that Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019 is the best antivirus available. It combines watertight security tools with an array of other excellent security features and is super easy to use, too - best of all, it also offers extremely good value for money.
You can read more about what it offers below, together with Norton AntiVirus and Webroot SecureAnywhere that complete our top three. If you’re looking for all-round protection against the latest cyber threats, then investing in the strongest programme is the best solution you can hope for - and we also have the best business antivirus plans if you're looking to take care of your company computers.
That doesn't mean you have to start spending big money either, as our guide also gives you the best available prices for the best software. Or jump straight to:.
The best antivirus 2019. Can be resource-hungry In a world packed with free security software, 's annual fee may look expensive, but there's plenty of bang for your buck. Plus, it has reintroduced its mega 60% discount on its top packages - including Antivirus Plus - too. See below for pricing. Take a look at any rankings of big independent antivirus and Bitdefender's premium security products always rise to the top. It tends to be reliable and accurate in its virus detecting, featuring web filtering to blocks access to malicious sites, a secure browser that keeps your online banking ans shopping transactions safe, and there's a password manager which auto-completes credit card details in web forms. It also scores high for its excellent anti-phishing module, which alerts you to malicious links in your search engine results and blocks access to dangerous sites.
New for the 2019 version of Antivirus Plus are multi-layer ransomeware protection that heuristically learns the behaviour of such threats to keep you safe as well as the ability to scan all your linked devices via the Bitdefender Central mobile app. There are one or two issues – it grabs more resources than average, and might conflict with some programs – but Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019 is still a likeable package which offers excellent detection rates, great performance, and more than enough bonus features to justify the price. Builds on AVP 2019 and triples the number of devices covered plus offers anti-spam, firewall, parental advisor and file encryption features. For a little bit more you can purchase the edition. It adds all of the above and covers up to five PCs, Macs, Android and iOS devices. Browser extension extras can be unreliable is a top quality malware hunter which can automatically protect your PC all on its own - that's a given. But one of the main reasons we've boosted it to number two in our best antivirus rankings is because it's also one of the very best value paid-for security software options on the market.
Norton offers plenty of tweaks, options and settings for those who need them, as well as features like a handy URL blocker that keeps you away from malicious websites. If that misses something, an excellent file reputation service heuristically recognises suspect downloads immediately. And if malware still finds a way through, intelligent behaviour monitoring uses its up to date virus definitions to quarantine threats at the first sign of trouble.
If you're a more hands-on type, you can easily run scans on demand. Maybe set up and save custom scans to check just the areas you need. Even schedule them to run at a particular time, but only if your system is idle, and it's not running on battery power.
There can be problems with some of the browser extensions. The bundled Norton Identity Safe is a capable password manager when it's running properly, but we've found the Chrome version sometimes stops working for no apparent reason. We've seen plenty of reviewers reporting similar problems, so there does seem to be a real issue here. Still, you don't have to use Identity Safe at all, and Norton AntiVirus Basic's main functions deliver on all fronts: it's easy to use, has the configuration options experts need, comes highly rated by the testing labs, and is carefully designed to have the least possible impact on your system performance. US Prices:. UK Prices:. No testing data from the top labs Just about every antivirus tool claims to be ‘lightweight’, but is the only one to really deliver on this front.
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Installation takes seconds, the program files barely grab 2MB of your hard drive, RAM footprint is tiny, and there are no bulky signature updates to tie up your bandwidth. There's no compromise on features, though. Along with the core protection, there's smart behaviour monitoring, accurate real-time antiphishing, a firewall and network connection monitor, enhanced anti-ransomware, and other interesting extras. It's not easy to compare Webroot's accuracy with the competition, as the big testing labs rarely evaluate the company's products. But when they are reviewed, they generally score well, and our own tests show solid and reliable protection. There's a lot to like about SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, and Webroot's 70-day 100% money-back guarantee suggests it's confident in the product, too.
If you're tired of overly complicated and bloated engines, Webroot must be on your shortlist. US Prices:.
UK Prices:. Not for beginners If you judge antivirus software on the length of its feature list, Edition might be a disappointment. There’s no firewall, password manager, file shredder, vulnerability scanner or any of the bundled extras you'll often find elsewhere. This doesn't mean the package is short on power, it's just more focused on the fundamentals. ESET NOD32 Antivirus 2018 Edition comes with real-time malware protection, some of the best heuristic detection around, an anti-ransomware layer, exploit protection, URL filtering to block malicious websites, and modules to prevent attacks using PowerShell and malicious scripts. A Device Control module limits the risk of infection from other devices by controlling access to USB sticks, external hard drives, optical storage media, even devices connecting by Bluetooth and FireWire.
It's an unusual extra, but could make a difference if others are regularly plugging devices into your PC. ESET NOD32 Antivirus 2018 Edition isn't aimed at beginners.
The interface is clumsy sometimes, some features are very advanced, and even the Help isn't always exactly helpful. Experienced users will appreciate ESET’s power and configurability, though.
Above-average protection does a good job of keeping you safe, and a lightweight design ensures the package won't slow you down. One of the new features in the 2018 Edition is the UEFI Scanner which protects you from threats that attack your PC before Windows has even started. ESET Internet Security builds on NOD 32 and triples the number of devices covered plus offers firewall, botnet protection, webcam protection, antispam and more. Alternatively, you can purchase the SET Smart Security Premium edition for not much more. It adds all of the above as well as password management and secure data. US.
Best deal. UK. Best deal.
Prone to false positives is a great collection of antivirus tools, and while it's a bit more expensive than some of the other programmes on this best of list, the amount of features you get makes the cost worthwhile. With F-Secure Antivirus SAFE, you get the brilliant antivirus software from F-Secure, along with banking protection for safe online shopping, family safety tools and a device finder that lets you track your lost Android or iOS device, and if needs be remotely lock or delete it as well. The package typically receives maximum marks for protection from AV-Test, and generally scores highly with AV-Comparatives, too. They also say it can generate significantly more false positives than most of the competition, but how that affects you will vary depending on how you use your computer. The interface is a major plus.
It's extremely easy to use, lightweight, and for the most part you can just leave the app alone to look after your PC. The program has minimal effect on your system performance, and if you do need to intervene then you can generally solve any issues in a couple of clicks. In 2018, F-Secure Anti-Virus SAFE remains an appealing package: fast, lightweight, and able to run alongside many other security tools without conflict. US Prices:.
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UK Prices:. Kaspersky's full suites are better value is a stripped-back security package which focuses on the core security essentials: web filtering blocks dangerous URLs, an accurate engine detects and removes threats, smart monitoring technologies track and reverse malicious actions, and that's about it.
Fortunately, what you do get works well. Very, very well. We've consistently found Kaspersky to be amongst the best at blocking malware, and removing it from an infected system, plus it's regularly top-rated at sites like AV-Comparatives.
The program is easy to use, too. A well-designed interface has just the right number of buttons and options – not too basic, but not complicated or intimidating, either – and there are plenty of on-screen instructions to explain how everything works.
Even a beginner will be at home right away. If you just need accurate, reliable and consistent malware protection, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2018 will serve you well. US Prices:. UK Prices:. Higher than average false positives is a capable package that's simple to use with above average antispam and an effective ‘Folder Shield’ module to block ransomware. How good is it? The top testing labs all rate it highly for protection, although there's some disagreement on the details.
In particular, AV-Comparatives says it gives a high number of false positives, which could be a real nuisance. But AV-Test reports high levels of accuracy and no issues with false positives at all.
If there's a problem here, it's likely to be performance impact. PassMark's March 2017 Performance assessed 15 security products on various performance-related benchmarks, and Trend Micro came bottom of the list.
Our experiences with the product are a little more favourable: protection levels appear similar to Bitdefender, false positives are only marginally higher, and it doesn't slow down our system noticeably more than anything else. We'd recommending running the trial for its full 30 days before you buy, then, to see if you notice any problems. But if you're unaffected, its high levels of detection and excellent bonus features make Trend Micro a good choice. US Prices:. UK Prices:. Limited firewall Real-time malware detection, speedy cloud-based scanning, URL filtering to block malicious websites: has all the goodies you'd expect from the best antivirus software. That's just the start.
A simple two-way firewall helps to keep your system secure. An application control system can define exactly what runs on your PC, stopping even some brand new and undiscovered malware.
A virtual keyboard helps you enter confidential data without it being intercepted by keyloggers. There's even a tool to build a bootable USB rescue disc, ready to remove even the most stubborn threats. Some of these bonus features are relatively basic. The Panda firewall does its job and can make you more secure, for instance, but it doesn't compete with the standalone firewall competition. Experienced network users will probably want more. The simplicity does at least keep everything very easy to use. Options are organised in a straightforward Windows 10-like interface, with all the main modules just a click or two away.
Even the firewall doesn't need to know anything more than your current network location: Home, Work or Public Place. There's not a lot of Panda test results from the independent labs around right now, but the figures we've seen show the company delivers above average protection, and overall Panda Antivirus Pro does a good job of keeping malware at bay.
US Prices:. UK Prices:. Apple user? Then you can head to our bespoke. We’ve also looked at the. Check out the Best free antivirus downloads Paying for a premium service means you get more features, such as spam filters, parental controls, system scans and advanced firewalls.
This makes them more suitable for power users, those who want a bit of extra security and anyone who wants their system to run as smoothly as possible. It also means you avoid annoying pop-ups that try and tempt you to upgrade to the full version. And, as you've discovered above, they don't really cost too much to buy But these days you can get top quality protection absolutely free, with just about every single major vendor out there offering a free antivirus. By doing so, developers gain access to more devices from which they can collect data and therefore improve their knowledge and security platforms, so it’s not in their interest to reduce the amount of protection provided by the free version. Windows has come a long way in terms of security, but it's still fair to suggest that built-in solution, Windows Defender, is the last free AV app you should trust to keep your system clean. So if you're determined to get free antivirus, we strongly suggest that you check out our list of best security downloads in 2018 below. We've highlighted their features -and shortcomings - to ensure that you pick out the best one.
Scans cannot be scheduled Essentially consisting of the AV section of the full product, clean, light, well constructed scanning mechanisms – which are almost universally faster than the industry average – and unrivalled virus definitions mean Bitdefender is back at the top of the free tree. The free version's insistence on running in autopilot mode is a double-edged sword, making the process of virus management easy but taking it out of the user's hands; while we're inclined to trust it, there have been cases in the past of automatic systems going slightly rogue, such as the incident a few years back when Panda Antivirus identified itself as a virus and locked up a large number of Windows systems. AV-TEST's testing did pick out a few flaws in its handling of zero-day threats, however. And it's worth pointing out that for you can currently get our top rated paid-for solution -.
That's a tiny amount to pay for a tonne of extra features, such as online banking protection, integrated password manager, permanent file shredder and and free online 24/7 support. Review and where to download. Includes links to paid-for components Avast and AVG haven't yet fully merged, despite the former formally acquiring the latter in mid-2016. The newly combined company says the two free antivirus products will remain separate, although there's apparently a joint AV package on the way soon. Obviously, though, Avast now has a lot more data to work with, having expanded its effective userbase (and, therefore, its threat detection network) to a whopping 400 million users.
The latest edition of adds an automatic gaming mode to mute popups and reduce system load when you're firing up a processor-hungry game, which is very handy indeed, and the interface has been given a clean new overhaul. There's a password manager, too, which is an undeniably good addition to your security portfolio. It scores well on AV-TEST's widespread malware benchmark and continues a clean sweep against 0-day attacks – presumably that expanded detection network is really helping. Less impressive is the slight negative effect Avast has on software launch times, and its slightly popup-heavy attitude.
Review and where to download. Limited controls for advanced users Marketing itself as 'business-grade security', does a little more than most free antivirus software, and actually seems better suited to families. You get standard virus protection and anti-malware protection, along with browser tools like anti-phishing and, most importantly, content control. Combined with central management of up to 10 PCs, this means you can effectively lock down your kids' browsing options. Although AV-TEST hasn't formally assessed Sophos' skills, fellow lab AV-Comparatives offers a decent rating of its abilities.
Although Sophos Home has always had desktop notifications, there was no premium version of the software for it to encourage an upgrade to. That changed in February with the launch of Sophos Home Premium. Review and where to download. Limited technical support The paid-for version of Kaspersky's Windows security software frequently tops charts of best virus prevention solutions and AV-TEST once again gave it full marks across the board in its latest round of testing. As you would expect, is a scaled down version of the full program - a tool that we really like (more on which below). The free version ditches additional features such as privacy protection and safe payment sandboxes to concentrate on powerful, no-frills and - most importantly - free protection for your PC.
The result is a tremendously easy to use and navigate bit of software that does an effective job of keeping you protected from viruses. Using the nuts and bolts real-world scanning engine of the paid-for suite, Kaspersky Free is fiendishly hard for viruses and trojan horses to break down. And we love that it doesn't constantly pester you with nudges to upgrade to the full version. But, ironically, we will just for a moment, because isn't expensive to buy and yet affords much better protection to your PC (or PCs). The standard price is $29.99 to protect three computers and includes more muscle when it comes to preventing ransomware, spyware and Trojans. Review and where to download. Lots of popups when running continues to score highly on AV-TEST's stringent testing program, quashing 99.7% of tested threats, and it generally doesn't put too big a burden on your hardware.
It has a clean, friendly interface - with a swish redesign ready for 2018 - and throws up minimal false positives. The introduction of a free security suite to optionally run alongside it – with ransomware and phishing protection, a 500MB/month VPN and various speedup promises – just sweetens the deal.
This is one of the best free antivirus packages of 2018. So why, then, have we dropped it from the top spot on our list, a position it's held for the past two years? It's the constant badgering.
There's a certain level of popups and advertisements that's acceptable for a free product, and Avira has begun to cross the line. It's not as onerous as some – Comodo's over-enthusiastic interface comes to mind – but booting up your PC to see Avira shouting at you once again is jarring. Review and where to download: Best business antivirus Each entry in this list has been carefully chosen for its business features, such as remote installation and central management. The best business antivirus software will have enterprise-level protection against threats, but that doesn't mean they have to cost a lot of money, either. The price per installation can sometimes be cheaper than even our recommended best antivirus packages.