Best Antivirus for Mac 2020

A lot of Mac users have this immense belief that Apple computers are in no need of protection and are completely secure but that is where they are over-confident. Yes, there is no denying the fact that Macs are usually safer that their windows counterparts. It is not like that Macs are unhackable, but it is difficult to exploit them than the windows PCs. However, this does not make them absolutely protected because as their popularity have increased, so does the smartness and greed of the cybercriminals.

In case you own the Mac and are pondering over the question – which is the best antivirus software to opt for, then the first and foremost thing to do is keep your budget, needs, and preferences in mind while taking the final decision.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac

The latest improved version of Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac will definitely leave you satisfied with its amazing results. It includes a VPN, ransomware protection, and the plugin for Safari that does the job of blocking trackers and spots phishing attempts. Moreover, the usual features of antivirus are still there for safeguarding your Mac.

One can easily install it and the full scan is astonishingly fast to complete. The always-on scanner is also available known as Autopilot, and user interface across software is easy to use and fuss-free.

There are several benefits of choosing Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac but what takes the cake is its capability of finding out all the viruses and a fuss-free procedure. You can get the subscription for first year at an inexpensive rate. Simple interface, the philosophy of install-and-forget and terrific protection is some of the reasons why safety-conscious Apple users prefer to get it installed in their device.

Intego Mac Internet Security X9

Best Antivirus for mac

The Mac Internet Security X9 for Intego comes under the category of 2019’s best antivirus for Mac. Both real-time and scheduled protection gets activated by default, and one can also turn off non-Mac malware’s identification for avoiding false alarms.

The installation procedure is smooth and the overall scanning takes only 30 minutes. What makes Intego stand out from the crowd is its usability and protection. The free trial is also available so that you can try it out before the actual purchase. The safe surfing plugin and firewall component are bonuses for the users.

One of the most favourite safety packages for Mac among the users, Intego Mac Internet Security X9 has 2 major components i.e., NetBarrier X9 and VirusBarrier X9. While VirusBarrier X9 steals the show, NetBarrier X9 is an outgoing and incoming firewall as well as it is the nice bonus to have.

Sophos Antivirus for Mac

In case you are the non-commercial or home user then Sophos Home has one really attractive factor that makes it different from others in the market i.e., it is free of charge. In its free version, user will get parental web filtering, real-time antivirus and web security from known malicious websites as well as remote management.

Wish to get advanced protection? Upgrade to the premium version for an affordable price on an annual basis and get advanced ransomware safety, live chat and email support up to 10 devices, and privacy protection etc. Sophos Home is fortunately minimalist, along with fully no inclusion of application window. Rather, it uses the notifications from menu bar icon for enabling you to commence the virus scans or monitor scan progress. The scan results are viewed on the cloud-based web page.

Sophos Home is regarded as one of the most impressive antivirus software in the market and at such an affordable price, it offers an unbeatable value. It is the only free-of-cost antivirus application for Mac that provides always-on security. The installation process involves the creation of a cloud account that is free, and once you are done with the account, you can install the app.

Norton Security for Mac

Norton Security for Mac

One of the oldest and most reputed names in the market of Antivirus software, Norton Safety standard for the Mac installation is fairly quick. Following the installation procedure, 2 safari plugins are suggested i.e., Identity safe for managing your passwords and Safe Web for stopping you to visit bad sites.

The application is unobtrusive, along with always-on, automatic protection that is enabled by default and you can also change it to the scheduled scanning in case you prefer. The scan procedure is quick and offers the most impressive results to a user as compared to the other counterparts in the market. Furthermore, the paid version is also available at a decent discount price.

Avira Antivirus for Mac

Avira Antivirus for Mac

The installation procedure of Avira Antivirus for Mac is super-easy, and an interesting part about it is that you can also scan for “joke apps” and games which help the parents in controlling what is happening on computers of their kids. The USB storage device scanner is also available for the user.

One can also add the scan schedule, and as far as user interface is concerned, it is clutter-free and admirably compact. In case you require Avira Antivirus for a single computer and is ready to forgo the scanning of the USB devices, getting it for free is an easier task in this case.

You should always remember that Macs might be the less appealing target for viruses and malware, but they are not absolutely immune from the attack. Even if you are not bothered about being used as the means for infecting users on another platforms or adware, falling victim to password theft, stolen iPhone backups, and ransomware is still possible.

Regarding the same, decent antivirus software will secure the Mac on all these aspects. It will not only catch malware that is in circulation or spreading and block ransomware but also protect the older systems with outdated software from the security vulnerabilities as well. Moreover, you Mac will also be prevented from acting as the conveyor for malware focused at the other operating systems and will keep the infected files away from any virtual machines that you are running.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

While choosing an antivirus for your computer system, it is essential to keep in mind your requirements. Many antiviruses can affect the working speed of the system. Hence it is fundamental to choose a lightweight antivirus that provides a good level of protection. The upgradability of the anti-virus makes it adapt to the new malware and malicious programs quickly. A few of the top antivirus choices for laptops are- Quickheal Total Security Software, Kaspersky Internet Security, McAfee Antivirus, AVG Antivirus, BitDefender, Norton, and Avast. While picking an antivirus, it should be kept in mind that how much memory and space an anti-virus takes. An anti-virus using heavier RAM can slow down the computer processes.

Quick Heal Total Security is antivirus software from the firm named Quick Heal Technologies Pvt. Ltd. that is based in Maharashtra and it offers inclusive antivirus security including extra features like privacy and data protection as well as parental control. In addition to making your online banking secure, this Indian antivirus software also ensues robust safety and seamless Internet surfing for your system. This way, your financial information during online shopping and banking remain protected. Moreover, the feature of Parental Control permits you to control and manage computer and Internet access for the kids.

Due to the high demand for Antivirus programs in this world of gruesome cybercrimes, plenty of Antivirus programs are to be found in the market. Some of the prominent Antivirus programs are-

  1. Kaspersky Security.
  2. Avast Antivirus.
  3. Bitdefender Total Security 2020.
  4. Norton Antivirus.
  5. Quick Heal Total Security.
  6. Panda Dome Internet Security.
  7. Avira Free Antivirus.
  8. Total AV Free.
  9. Adaware Free Antivirus.
  10. Windows Defender.
  11. MacAfee Security.
  12. AVG Antivirus.
  13. Malwarebytes Antivirus.
  14.  Bullguard Protection.
  15.  ClamWin Security.
  16. Frontier.

Norton Family Parental Control is one of the best Child Tracking apps. Norton is one of the leading AV companies and offers a wide range of security products along with a Parental Control mobile software for helping the concerned parents to track the location of their children without letting them know. Norton Family Parental Control is compatible with iOS and Android and apart from tracking down the location of the children, the program also offers useful features such as-

  • Block illegitimate websites that contain inappropriate content before they discovered by the children.
  • Access the browser history and the Youtube-watch history of the children.

Norton Anti-virus powered by Symantec has been the winner of the AV-TEST program for providing the best protection against malware and other advanced cyber threats. Indeed, Norton Antivirus protection is good enough since plenty of authorized companies, as well as millions of users, rely on the security protection offered by Norton. Apart from basic virus protection, Norton Antivirus also offers other internet security features such as – Download protection, on-time, and on-demand virus scanner, email protection, password protection, anti-tracker, anti-theft, webcam and microphone protection, call blocker and file vault. Norton Antivirus only offers brilliant features in a single pack but also works on each type of device such as tablets, pcs, smartphones and laptops, and compatible with Norton Antivirus macOS, iOS, Android and Norton antivirus for Windows.

One of the best antiviruses with great customer reviews is the Norton antivirus. It offers cross-platform robust protection and excellent customer support. It is one of the highest-rated antiviruses in the market with easy to download option. But it’s true that it’s a bit expensive compared to other antiviruses available. It is highly recommended for Windows and Mac and safely protects all private information of the user. It comes with a 100% promise for virus protection. It proved to deliver the best virus detection as well as elimination algorithms for the business. It has several premium features perfect to protect from all the latest and evolving threats for computer and personal information.

There are two types of antivirus programs, one that comes for free of cost and the other one is paid. The sole purpose of both of them is to offer protection against malware infection. The common features that come with both programs are scanning and firewall shield. While talking about the difference, Free antivirus offers only baseline virus protection when Paid Antivirus includes additional security features along with virus protection. Users have to renew the subscription after a specific span of time to enjoy the benefits of paid antivirus, while free antivirus does not require such formalities. Indeed, Free Antivirus programs can not compete with paid versions but can be relied upon if one is looking for baseline protection against malware. Paid versions offer internet security along with virus protection to stand against advanced threats and to prevent future threats. Paid antivirus also beats free antivirus in the criteria of system compatibility as it offers protection for relevant OS systems and works on various devices such as tablets, smartphones, Desktops, and Laptops. Almost all of the AV companies offer both Free and Paid versions of antivirus. Users can choose the ideal products for themselves as per their needs.

Malwarebytes Antivirus is considered as one of the best anti-malware software and its free version is certainly the most beneficial one to give a shot. Its developers religiously update it regularly permitting it for being completely equipped along with all the current issues and problems. There is a reason why Malwarebytes is regarded as an exceptional anti-malware tool as it not only detects ransomware, malware, and adware efficiently, but it can also work alongside any other antivirus in your system as well. Upon the installation, this anti-malware software comes with the 14-day trial period of premium paid edition.

Antivirus is installed to protect PC from viruses, trojans, spyware, adware, worms, phishing attacks, and other malicious programs. These programs can harm your PCs performance, steal your data and damage your files. To protect computers from these viruses, antivirus software is installed. This antivirus software detects, prevents and removes the malware from your PC. Many free antiviruses are available for free download. of the topmost choices for free antivirus are- Avast Antivirus, Avira Antivirus, Kaspersky Antivirus, Bitdefender Antivirus, Panda Free Antivirus, Sophos Free Antivirus, and others. All these can be downloaded from their official websites. They provide the basic protection for your PC and does not affect the overall performance of the PC.

Malware is malicious software or a program that affects the system adversely. These programs can be trojan horses, worms, spyware, adware, computer viruses, and other harmful programs. Anti Malware programs are created to protect computer systems from these viruses and malware. This malware can steal data, damage files, cause identity theft and affect the overall performance of the system. To protect a computer system from this malware,anti-malware software is installed. These anti-malware software detects, prevents and removes malicious programs from the computer and blocks entry of new malware as well. Best free anti-malware available online for free download are -Kaspersky Antivirus, Avira Antivirus, Avast Antivirus, Panda Free Antivirus, Bitdefender Free Antivirus, and few others.

Best Antivirus For Windows 7, the top choices are Avast, Kaspersky and AVG antivirus. Avast boasts of its extreme malware protection combined with inbuilt features for maximum protection. The scan is quick and efficient and can find out the most notorious of malware and threats. Kaspersky offers real-time security, excellent phishing protection and even gives a warning for unsafe websites. It also provides privacy protection and parental lock. AVG’s scan detects hidden malware, unwanted browser extensions and addressed PC performance problems.AVG also provides a free file shredder to safely delete confidential files. Apart from these three, Bitfender, Adaware and panda free antivirus are also an optimum choice.

A lightweight antivirus should be able to protect the PC without affecting its workings and speed. A lightweight antivirus should use less memory, scan fast and do not add strain to system workings. Each antivirus software varies from each other in terms of memory usage, scanning time and space it occupies. Most lightweight anti-viruses would be Avast, Panda cloud, Windows defender, Webroot and F-secure. Avast antivirus uses 9kb when idle and 62 kb for scanning. Norton antivirus uses 10kb and 77kb for scanning. Kaspersky pure uses 14kb when idle and 82kb for scanning. Memory usage and resulted speed are also taken into account when looking for a lightweight antivirus.

Parental Control is one of the most desirable features as it is very helpful for those parents who are concerned about their children’s access to the internet. Parental control app or service allows the parents-

  • to limit the internet usage of their children.
  • to determine the screentime of the games their children play or the videos they watch or the apps they run.
  • to block illegitimate websites that contain inappropriate content from being discovered by their children.
  • to track the recent location their children had been, this not only helps the parent to check upon their children but also helps them to take precautionary measures if their children are into some danger.
  • to lock files or apps with a password to prevent children from doing any mess.

You can download the Parental Control app separately or can go for Internet Security programs that also covers the feature of Parental control.

Norton Family Parental Control is one of the best Child Tracking apps. Norton is one of the leading AV companies and offers a wide range of security products along with a Parental Control mobile software for helping the concerned parents to track the location of their children without letting them know. Norton Family Parental Control is compatible with iOS and Android and apart from tracking down the location of the children, the program also offers useful features such as-

  • Block illegitimate websites that contain inappropriate content before they discovered by the children.
  • Access the browser history and the Youtube-watch history of the children.

There is no denying the fact that Kaspersky is one of the best antivirus software that not only provides you with a comprehensible and no-nonsense interface but also makes it a point that your system does not slow down. Its unbeatable malware security and excellent level of protection are what make this reputed antivirus software company stand out from the others. Along with guarding you against the virus on your Android devices and PC, it also stores and secures your private documents and passwords. Kaspersky does a fantastic job in defending your system against infected files, viruses, suspicious sites, and dangerous applications.

Norton provides many different packages, all designed for different needs of the customer. These packs are – Norton Family Premier, Norton Security Premium, Norton Security Deluxe, Norton Security Standard, Norton Secure VPN, Norton Antivirus Basic, Norton Utilities Premium and Norton Mobile Security for iOS. Norton Security Premium helps protect up to more than 10 PCs while Deluxe protects up to 5 PCs.Norton Secure VPN protects your private information when using public wifi. Norton Antivirus Basic provides protection for one computer system only. Norton Security Standard provides a basic security layer for 1 PC, 1 Mac or 1 mobile device. These subscriptions vary from one another, based on customers’ requirement.

Since Windows 10 comes with a preinstalled AV program namely Windows Defender, Windows 10 users can already enjoy the baseline security benefits such as malware protection and real-time scanning. But this free program can not stand alone against all advanced cyber threats like spyware, trojan horses, keyloggers, email viruses, ransomware, and many more unidentified malicious contents. Kaspersky Total Security comprehends essential security features like VPN, Real-time malware protection, Safe browsing, Web-cam protection, Parental control, Spyware defense, Safe vault, privacy protection, and password management to offer optimum Internet Protection against all cyber threats. In this point of view, Kaspersky Total Security Suit definitely does the job with accuracy to offer protection for Windows 10 and hence, can be considered a good one.

Frontier Virus Protection differs from other AV programs as it is powered by F-secure. F-Secure possesses the highest score in various security tests conducted by independent labs and features acute Browsing security such as Blocking malicious websites that do not have a secure protocol in their URL address, antiphishing, online banking protection, realtime defense against sudden malware attacks and parental control. But based on the public reviews, Frontier virus protection, although powered by F-secure, is not a top-notch AV product as the users are facing technical malfunctions lately while running the program on their devices.

Malwarebytes offers multiple layers for ensuring absolute virus protection to your PC and Smartphone as well as makes it a point to achieve thorough spyware and malware removal. Not only this, but it also provides users with unique ransomware protection as well. The proven technology of Malwarebytes crashes Mac malware’s growing threat and proves to be a smart enough cybersecurity option for the same. The reputed antivirus software also secures endpoints against the cyberattacks with the multi-layered approach which leverages dynamic and static techniques at the attack chain’s every stage. It integrates security with EDR i.e., Endpoint Detection and response capabilities through the single agent for eliminating complexity.

When it comes to the best Antivirus in today’s market, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019 surely takes the cake here as it provides you with well-grounded regular protection. With only Windows as its operating system and the ability to cover a maximum of 3 devices, the best features of Bitdefender Antivirus Plus include –
• Ransomware remediation and protection
• Privacy tools
• Safepay
• Optional VPN
• Subscription includes the frequent updates
• Password Manager

Boasting more than 500 million users, Bitdefender offers the complete-featured package and also as per several test results, its antivirus products have score high ratings.