Yet it doesn't do much to stand out from the crowd. It shields files from ransomware, protects your webcam and very good malware protection. There's not much wrong with Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac, except for a rather heavy system-performance impact during full scans. It offers 300MB of daily VPN usage, but its password manager and parental controls are also limited unless you pay more. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac has perfect malware-detection scores, webcam protection and a hardened web browser. Its system-performance impact is less than it once was, and it no longer nags you to upgrade to paid Avast products. Our favorite free option is Avast Security for Mac, with nearly perfect malware protection and an easy-to-use interface.

Norton catches all Mac and Windows malware, has a very small system-performance impact and includes LifeLock dark-web monitoring. Apple has pushed out iOS and iPadOS updates to fix a major security flaw.Ĭlose behind is Norton 360 Standard, which has even better malware detection plus an unlimited VPN and a password manager. SIM-swapping attacks to steal phone numbers and online accounts surged in 2021, the FBI said. The attorneys general of New York and Pennsylvania warned about the dangers of AirTag stalking. We remain committed to helping our readers to source and find the best products and will offer multiple alternatives in the categories affected. Some Mac antivirus programs also come with useful extra features such as password managers, system optimizers or VPN services.Įditor's note: Due to the invasion of Ukraine, Future has chosen to stop doing affiliate-link business with Russian companies, including Kaspersky, for the time being.

Many Mac antivirus programs also check for Windows malware, which can use Macs as hidden bases from which to infect PCs on the same local network. The best Mac antivirus programs do a better job, quickly spotting brand-new malware and double-checking dodgy files 'signed' with an Apple developer ID. Unfortunately, Apple's built-in antivirus protections, Gatekeeper and XProtect, don't always work so well because they use out-of-date methods of stopping infections. Mac malware has increased in the past few years, and today's Macs are also plagued by adware, scareware and other unwanted although not entirely malicious programs. Macs do get infected by malware, as even Apple itself now admits.

Best free mac antivirus 2021