Through extensive hands-on testing and thorough research of the best antivirus software, we have determined that Bitdefender stands out as the top choice for the best Mac antivirus software. It offers virus protection, malware protection, ransomware protection, phishing protection, zero-day exploit protection, and malicious website protection to ensure hassle-free security for your Mac computer. Additionally, Bitdefender is a dependable option that catches threats 99.7% of the time.
While we highly recommend Bitdefender, we also suggest exploring our other selections. Each one offers unique features that may better suit your specific requirements.
Best Mac antivirus software
- : Best overall
- : Expert recommended
- : Best for families
- : Best for crypto
- : Best quick scan
Compare top Mac antivirus software brands
1. Bitdefender Total Security: Best overall and best for budgets
Bitdefender’s Total Security package packs the most punch for the price, better than other Mac antivirus or antimalware software on the market. It's so good, we even picked it as the best antivirus software for any system.
It's chock full of features:
- Protection from viruses
- Malware protection
- Phishing protection
- Ransomware protection
- Protection from zero-day exploits
- Web protection
- Password manager
- VPN
Email integration Network integration Real-time malware detection Heuristics learning Daily updates Gamer mode
Some false positivesWe love Bitdefender's free version, but our favorite package is the Total Security option. It protects five Mac devices, including your Apple or Android phone, and has a built-in speed optimizer.
When Bitdefender said Total Security they weren't joking. It comes with extras like parental controls, identity theft protection, a virtual file shredder, and a computer firewall. Plus, there's microphone and webcam protection.
Bitdefender doesn't bog down your computer when it scans. That's something that Norton LifeLock has a problem with.
Learn more in our full Bitdefender Antivirus Review.
2. Malwarebytes Premium: Expert recommended
Malwarebytes Premium is recommended by IT security expert and SafeWise advisor Pete Canavan. It also has been extensively tested by SafeWise on a range of devices.
Free cleanup Behavior-based detection Gamer mode
No email integration Some false positivesNot only doesn't Malwarebytes protect your computer, but it also cleans it up if it's already infected. It's also much easier to use than a lot of other antivirus and Mac malware software we've tested for this review.
The only thing that could make it better is if it had some of the extras that the other software on our list offers, like parental controls or microphone and webcam protection.
Third-party tests indicate that Malwarebytes is more likely to slow down your computer than the other options on our list, but we haven't noticed a difference when comparing it to other software on our list.
Read our full Malwarebytes review for more information.
Screenshot: Alina Bradford, SafeWise
—Alina B., SafeWise product tester
3. Norton 360 Premium: Best for families
The Norton 360 Premium package includes the best parental controls we've tested on this list. Plus, you can use Norton on up to 10 devices, making it perfect for a home office situation or families.
Email integration Network integration Real-time malware detection Parental controls included
PriceyIf you want Mac antivirus software you can count on, this is a great pick. In independent testing, Norton blocked 99.9% of all harmful files and sites.
The 100GB of cloud storage, firewall, VPN, and password manager that you get with Norton 360 Premium is a big draw to the software, too.
Learn more in our full Norton Antivirus review.
4. ESET Smart Security Premium: Best for crypto
ESET is the only Mac protection software with crypto wallet protection. When you're accessing your crypto wallet (or doing regular online banking), it provides a special secure browser mode to keep everything safe.
Email integration Network integration Real-time malware detection Advanced machine learning Daily updates Gamer mode
Additional device protection costs extraUnlike some of the others on our list, you have to pay extra for every additional device with ESET cyber security. This adds up to around $10 to $15 each. That means ESET probably isn't a good pick for families looking to fight a Mac virus.
ESET Smart Security Premium is still a pretty good deal when you consider all you're getting:
- Virus protection with advanced machine learning to thwart unknown attacks
- Anti-phishing and anti-spam protection
- Firewall
- Parental controls
- Webcam protection
- Monthly security report
Check out our in-depth review of ESET NOD32 Antivirus, a more affordable version of ESET Smart Security Premium.
5. Webroot Internet Security Complete: Fastest scans
*Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.
Webroot Internet Security Complete is super fast. It takes just 20 seconds to scan your computer, compared to minutes. We also like that it is cloud-based too, saving space in your Mac's memory.
Daily updates Few false alarms Gamer mode always on Works with Chromebook
Limited iOS functionality No email integration Pricey Missing useful featuresWebroot's blindingly fast real-time scanning can be used on up to five devices. The only downside is that it has fewer features than some of the other brands on our list. There are no parental controls, for example, and it has limited features on iOS. It has a big price tag for lacking so many features.
For more information, be sure to check out our full Webroot review.
Final word
Bitdefender Total Security is the best mix of affordability and features for Mac users. If you're on the fence, check out its 30-day free trial to get a better feel for how the features work with your needs.
Screenshot: John Carlsen, SafeWise
For our best Mac antivirus software review, we did hands-on testing and consulted our IT security advisor Pete Canavan. We also researched the performance and speed tests conducted by the AV-Comparatives group on Mac antivirus protection.
To learn more about how we review products, visit the SafeWise methodology page.
Related articles on SafeWise
Sources
- AV-Test, “AV-TEST Award 2021 for Bitdefender,” March 1, 2022. Accessed February 23, 2023.
- AV-Comparatives, “Real-World Protection Test July-October 2022.” Accessed February 23, 2023.
*Product prices and availability are accurate as of post date and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.
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