Many Mac users wonder if they need extra antivirus software. The answer depends on what you use your Mac for and where you’re using it from.
The macOS operating system is tightly controlled and uses sandboxed apps that are highly resistant to breaches. It also comes with a built-in antivirus program called Xprotect that offers basic protection. For most home users, or for business users already protected by their organization’s premium antivirus software, these features should offer adequate security.
On the other hand, those who use their Macs for high-risk activities like Dark Web research, investigative reporting, illegal media sharing, and political activism require advanced security features that Xprotect lacks. Free Mac antivirus software from third-party providers sometimes include extra utilities like password managers or junk file removers as well, appealing to users who need a more complete solution.
In this article, I test and compare the top six free antivirus software providers for Mac based on protection capabilities, performance, and usability to help you choose the right solution for your use case.
Top free antivirus software providers for Mac 2024 comparison
The table below compares the six best free antivirus software providers for Mac based on common features. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story — keep reading for complete reviews that also consider crucial factors like safety, performance, and ease-of-use.
Bitdefender: Best overall
Bitdefender is a well-respected antivirus provider that offers a free on-demand malware scanner and removal tool for Macs. The software is easy to install and navigate, with a bare-bones interface that nonetheless provides advanced users with granular scanning options for customized protection. The app runs silently in the background, conserving computer resources, so you’ll barely know it’s there. I also appreciated that it didn’t continuously hassle me to upgrade to a paid version, and instead simply included an unobtrusive banner ad at the bottom of the dashboard for those who are interested.
SEE: How to Create an Effective Cybersecurity Awareness Program (TechRepublic Premium)
Why I chose Bitdefender
Bitdefender offers a safe, accurate, lightweight antivirus tool for Macs that provides free access to its independently-validated detection algorithm without any frills. It’s my top overall pick for security-conscious Mac users who need beefier protection without performance trade-offs.
Pricing
- Free for one device.
- Business plans start at $18.99 per month.
Features
- Hourly virus signature updates.
- Searches for malware in a wide variety of file types including archives, pdf, pkg, zip, and rar.
- Growl notifications.
- Scans running applications and daemons.
- Can exclude files and folders from custom scans.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Top rated protection regularly validated by outside agencies. | Some paid security products are Windows-only. |
| Scans don’t use a ton of resources. | Offers so many products and plans that finding the right one can be difficult. |
| App runs silently in the background without pop-ups. |
Malwarebytes: Best cleanup utility
Malwarebytes provides a free virus cleanup tool that’s popular among IT experts because it’s compatible with other security software (including Xprotect) and it’s great at catching the trickier malware that other software couldn’t detect. Malwarebytes is especially useful for Mac users since it’s integrated with the third-party AdwCleaner tool, one of the best utilities for cleaning up adware, bloatware, toolbars, and other potentially unwanted programs from macOS. My main quibble with it is that the software never truly closes while the Mac is running, which could cause performance issues over time.
SEE: 6 Best Enterprise Antivirus Software Choices in 2024 (TechRepublic)
Why I chose Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes is a trusted name in the IT industry for its powerful free malware detection and removal utility. It’s compatible with other AVs and often detects unusual malware that software like Xprotect misses, so I recommend it as a cleanup utility after a known infection.
Pricing
- Free for one device.
- Business plans start at $119.97 per year.
Features
- Real-time protection scans new files.
- Trusted Advisor protection score with personalized recommendations.
- Digital footprint discovery looks for your passwords and other personal data on the Dark Web.
- Scans for unusual malware and potentially unwanted programs.
- Customizable CPU usage settings.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Integrated one of the best cleanup tools for Macs. | Free version never truly closes and continues using CPU resources. |
| Works well with other AV solutions. | May not be as accurate for frontline virus detection. |
| Catches unusual threats that other tools miss. |
Avira: Best for free add-on features
The Avira antivirus software for Mac packs a lot of extra security features and tools into its free offering. It’s the only option on this list to provide free scheduled virus scanning, allowing you to run scans automatically while you’re away from your Mac so you can avoid the performance impacts. Avira also provides a free VPN service with 1 GB of monthly traffic, a free password manager, and a junk file cleanup utility. On the other hand, while it’s a reputable company that’s regularly validated by outside agencies, Avira does constantly pester you with pop-ups and nudges to upgrade to a paid plan, giving it the feeling of an untrustworthy or even scammy service.
SEE: Best Mac Password Managers (TechRepublic)
Why I chose Avira
Avira provides a lot of extra security tools for budget-conscious users who want more than basic antivirus. Its constant pop-ups can get frustrating and don’t help with the performance impacts, but Avira is a trusted company for endpoint protection.
Pricing
- Free for one device.
- Paid plans start at $9.99 per month.
Features
- Real-time scans of new files.
- Free scheduled virus scans.
- VPN with 1 GB bandwidth.
- Password manager.
- Junk cleaner.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Protection regularly tested by third-party agencies. | Lots of pop-ups and nudges to upgrade to a paid plan. |
| Highly customizable app with lots of free add-ons. | Can slow down other applications while scans are running. |
Features
- Real-time threat protection.
- Exception lists.
- Customizable virus scans can target PUPs, archives, external drives, mounted network volumes, and Time Machine backups.
- Web protection.
- Email attachment scanning.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Can detect viruses in external drives and mounted network volumes. | Really slowed my machine down while running. |
| Offers web and email protection. | Requires its own uninstaller tool to fully remove it. |
Avast: Best for beginners
Avast makes a comprehensive free antivirus for Mac with an intuitive, user-friendly interface that even a novice can master. It comes with a lot of free functionality including a browser extension, email protection, a Network Inspector that allows you to view all the devices connected to your wireless network, and a Traffic Monitor that shows you where your apps are sending data and how much they’re using. While I think Avast is a good Mac antivirus solution for beginners, any time I recommend it I have to add the caveat that the company was recently fined by the FTC for improperly collecting and selling the user data of its free AV customers, which is why I don’t personally use the product.
SEE: The 7 Best iPhone VPNs (TechRepublic)
Why I chose Avast
Avast’s free antivirus for Mac strikes the perfect balance between features and ease-of-use, offering unique security capabilities packaged in an intuitive interface. It’s a good starter tool for security-conscious users without much technical experience.
Pricing
- Free for one device.
- Premium plans start at $4.99 per month.
Features
- Real-time scanning.
- Web protection.
- Traffic Monitor shows where apps are sending data and how much data they’re using.
- Network Inspector shows all devices connected to your wireless network.
- Email attachment and phishing scans.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive, beginner-friendly app. | Company was fined in the past for selling the data of its free AV customers. |
| Comes with free extras for added protection. |
Total AV: Best for free utilities
Total AV offers a free antivirus program that includes lots of extra freebies to help secure and maintain your Mac. Its Smart Scan checks for more than just malware, also providing information about potentially unwanted applications, junk and duplicate files, cookies and trackers, startup programs, and known data breaches. Other features include web and ad protection, junk and duplicate file cleaners, and a disk space manager. You’ll pay for these freemium features in other ways, though, namely the extremely persistent pop-ups and nudges trying to force an upgrade to a paid plan, which are so annoying that other AV programs tend to label Total AV as a PUP itself.
SEE: 20 Mac Terminal Commands Every User Should Know (TechRepublic)
Why I chose Total AV
I only recommend Total AV for temporary, ad hoc virus detection and machine maintenance when you really need it. Its pushy sales tactics and poor reputation among other AV scanners can make it more of a hassle than it’s worth as an everyday antivirus solution for Mac.
Pricing
- Free for one device.
- Pro plans start at $29 per year.
Features
- Smart Scan provides info about detected threats, junk and duplicate files, startup programs, known data breaches, cookies, and trackers.
- Web protection.
- Ad blocker.
- Junk, duplicate, large, and old file cleaners.
- Disk space manager.
- Browser cleaner.
- Startup program manager.
- Third-party app uninstaller.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Comes with a lot of free Mac utilities. | Frequent pop-ups and nudges to upgrade. |
| Other AV tools may label it a “potentially unwanted program.” |
How do I choose the best free Mac antivirus for my business?
Most businesses don’t need an additional free Mac antivirus, because the Xprotect software that comes with macOS is more than sufficient. For those who do need added protection, it’s important to analyze your specific pain points and look for a free tool that will solve them. For example, if you need help cleaning up after a known virus infection, Malwarebytes is your best option because it catches unusual viruses missed by other tools. If you’re performing a lot of high-risk activities on the internet and need beefier security than Mac’s built-in utility, then Bitdefender is a great all-around scanner that won’t slow down your machine with unnecessary features or processes.
SEE: 5 Tips for Securing Data When Using a Personal Mac for Work (TechRepublic)
Methodology
I performed hands-on testing of all the antivirus products on this list, so I could analyze their features, ease-of-use (including uninstalling), and performance impacts. When applicable, I reviewed the results of independent audits to rate the products on their virus detection accuracy. I also browsed Reddit and customer review sites to gain insights into what they like and dislike about each tool and how they perform over time.
