And there are also free antiviruses that are actually spyware in disguise, designed to steal user data.
We also updated the comparison table to emphasize the focus on free plans.
While Integos not 100% free, it comes with a 30-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
This gives you plenty of time to use Intego and see if its the best choice for you.
Integos firewall is a big improvement over Macs built-in firewall.
This ensures your online safety at all times.
Intego also comes with an advanced and highly customizable system optimizer.
Parents will be happy that Intego offers comprehensive parental controls.
Intego is fully compatible with macOS Sequoia and has several plans to choose from.
Its also very fast and lightweight and doesnt cause any system slowdown.
These include:
I tested all of these features and can confirm their effectiveness.
Cleaning those files noticeably improved my system speeds.
Another feature I was really happy with was Total Adblock.
And its super intuitive to use.
All purchases are also backed by a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
TotalAV offers a highly effective virus scanner for Mac threats like backdoor malware and fake crypto apps.
TotalAV also provides a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bitdefender offers 3 scan options.
All Bitdefender plans are covered by a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
BitdefenderVirus Scanner for Macis an excellent cloud-based anti-malware scanner thats great for detecting and removing malware from your unit.
While this is a decent malware detection rate, its not as good asIntegos.
The free plan also includes dark web monitoring for your email address.
The extension is available for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari.
MalwarebytesStandardadds real-time protection, ransomware protection, and web protection, whereas MalwarebytesPlusalso includes a VPN.
All purchases are backed by a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
Malwarebytesfor Mac (Free)is a good malware scanner, but it doesnt provide many additional protections.
If you want a better option,check out our list of the best free VPNs for Mac here.
I much preferIntegos Washing Machine tool, which combines cleaning and organization in one easy-to-use dashboard.
All Avira yearly purchases come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Avira is a great 100% free antivirus for Macs.
In addition to the antivirus scanner, the free version includes Web Shield and Mail Shield.
The Web Shield blocks malicious websites, downloads, and trackers.
It can also redirect you to the right website if you mistype its address.
The Mail Shield works with popular email clients, scanning incoming and outgoing messages for malware-infected attachments.
Wi-Fi online grid protection is another important feature of AvastFree Antivirus for Mac.
It scans your home data pipe and identifies potential vulnerabilities, such as weak passwords and unauthorized access points.
The premium plan includes advanced ransomware and phishing protection, online shopping and banking protection, and Wi-Fi alerts.
While these are all welcome additions, I still think brands likeIntegoandTotalAVoffer way more on their premium plans.
Its Wi-Fi data pipe protection feature helps you secure your home data pipe from potential vulnerabilities.
It also includes protection against PUPs (potentially unwanted programs).
Like Avast, AVG provides real-time protection on its free plan, which is great.
you could choose between full, quick, custom, and external storage scans.
AVGs online protections include blocking unsafe websites, links, downloads, and email attachments.
These work well, and I found adding exceptions easy.
The free antiviruses on my list are all from trustworthy companies and will provide you with some basic protection.
But even the best free products come with some frustrating limitations.
Plus, free products lack the useful extra features that a premium antivirus offers.
Free Antivirus vs.
Paid Antiviruses
In terms of antivirus software, you genuinely get what you pay for.
Free versions just cant compete.
But the top-tier antiviruses are so easy to use and function properly, so youll rarely need help anyway.
Overall, I think its well worth paying a few dollars to protect yourself online.
Being careful online isnt enough to protect your Mac from cyber attacks.
Are free antiviruses for Mac good enough?
Not really, no.
Can I just use a free online virus scanner and not download anything?
But a truly online scanner will only be able todetectan issue not remove it.
Free online scanners also lack real-time protection.
Instead, they provide on-demand scanning, so theyre best used for checking individual files or URLs for malware.
Why do these companies offer free antiviruses?
Quick Overview of My Top Recommendations:
