Best Free Antiviruses for Mac (2022) — Are Any of Them Good?

Short on time? Here’s the best free antivirus for Mac of 2022:

I tried every free Mac antivirus program available, trying to find one that would provide adequate anti-malware protection without requiring users to pay. Many free antivirus programs leave your Mac vulnerable and you have to “pay” for them. There are free antiviruses out there that disguise themselves as spyware and are designed to steal your data.

It’s crucial that you choose a product that has been thoroughly tested. This will ensure that it offers at least some protection, but not compromise your cybersecurity. To help you stay safe, I have tested and researched all the major antivirus software for Macs.

There are some decent free Mac antiviruses available, but they have their own limitations. If you want comprehensive internet security protection and don’t want your computer to be hacked or ransomware-ridden, you will need to purchase a paid antivirus. Intego was voted the best macOS paid antivirus in 2022. It is currently available for a free month.

Quick summary of the best free Mac antiviruses in 2022:

• 1.🥇 Intego — Best overall Mac antivirus in 2022 (60 days risk-free).
• 2.🥈 Avira — Advanced virus scanner and a good range of free extras.
• 3.🥉 TotalAV — Excellent malware detection with limited device optimization.
• 4. Bitdefender — Lightweight cloud-based scanner (no slowdown during scans).
• 5. Malwarebytes — Good malware scanning and removal.

1.🥇 Intego — Best for Overall macOS Protection in  2022

Intego has been my favorite Mac antivirus since 2022. It has excellent malware detection rates and a wide variety of useful extras that enhance Apple’s security.

Although Intego is not free, you can try it for 30 days and get your money back.

Intego detects both Mac-specific and Windows malware files in all our tests. It also provides an excellent firewall that changes security settings depending on whether you are using your home, work, or public Wi-Fi networks. This ensures your online safety.

Intego comes with a system optimizer. This helps to organize all the files on your Mac.

You can also use a personal backup tool to schedule when you want to back-up specific files, but the best thing about this feature is the ability to backup your entire system, including macOS.

Intego also offers parental controls that parents will love. Parents will also be pleased to learn that Intego offers comprehensive parental controls. The parental controls include anti-predator alerts and keystroke tracking.

Although Intego does not yet have a mobile application, you can connect your iOS device with your computer to scan the internet for viruses.

There are many plans available from Intego. Intego offers several plans to choose from.

Users looking for Intego’s system optimization and backup tools as well as parental controls should also consider the Mac Premium Bundle HTML9,. It costs $39.99/year and covers up 5 devices.

Bottom line:

Intego offers the best malware and virus protection for Mac devices. It also has a wide range of additional features that all work better than Apple’s. Although Intego is not free, you can try it risk-free for 30 days and get your money back within 30 days. This gives you two months to evaluate all its features and determine if they work for you.

Intego Antivirus

Name: Intego Antivirus Review and Prices

Description: Intego sells four consumer macOS antivirus packages in a variety of multiyear/multi-device subscription configurations, covering just macOS devices or macOS devices plus a single Windows device. They range in price from $39.99/$49.99 for a single-year/single-device subscription to $149.99/$184.99 covering three devices for two years.

Offer price: $24.99 to Up

Currency: USD

Operating System: macOS

Application Category: Intego - Brand Review

Author: Best Antivirus

[ More ]

• Security
  (4.5)
• Features
  (4.5)
• Ease of use
  (5)
• Customer Support
  (4.5)
• Pricing
  (4)

Overall

4.5

Summary

Intego Mac antivirus software scores well in our ratings. The company offers several macOS protections, privacy tools and system optimization functions. Intego will provide instructions for how to remove malicious threats from your computer if the software doesn’t detect them. Users can also contact the company’s technical assistance team by email, phone or chat between 8:30 a.m. Central Standard Time and 5:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Pros

• While mainly aimed at macOS, some protection for Windows are available
• Full range of macOS protection and system optimization features
• Provides extensive explanations of technologies

Cons

• Product configurations can be confusing
• No VPN or identity theft monitoring included
• Plans cover no more than five devices
• Windows protection is a secondary focus

• Intego for macOS

2.🥈 Avira Free Antivirus for Mac — Advanced Virus Scanner + Decent Free Extras

Avira free Antivirus for Mac offers lightweight cloud-based malware scans as well more features than any other brands on this list. This includes intuitive system tuneup tools and a password manager that is surprisingly effective.

Avira’s anti-malware scan detected 100% of malware files during my testing which included trojans and viruses. Avira’s malware scanner is cloud-based so it runs in the background with no interruptions. I was able run programs such as Photoshop and Ableton Live without any slowdown even during system scans.

Avira’s Free Plan also includes the Browser Safety extension. This extension blocks harmful websites, ads and ad trackers. I found this extension to be extremely useful in blocking phishing sites. However, it was especially impressive at blocking annoying YouTube ads and pop-ups.

Phantom VPN by Avira is also a good choice. It has no logs, secure servers all over the world, and can stream uninterrupted video. The VPN’s monthly limit is 500MB, which is not enough to stream Netflix for a few hours. Check out our list here of the top free VPNs for Mac.

Avira offers one of the most powerful free password managers available, with unlimited password storage across multiple mobile and desktop devices, biometric logins, as well as a TOTP (time-based, one-time password) authenticator.

Avira’s system optimization tools are limited to a junk file cleaner and an uninstaller. Avira, unlike Intego does not offer parental control on any of its plans.

Upgrade to Avira Premium for $59.99 per year and get unlimited data, password security auditing, data breach monitoring, data leak monitoring, advanced system optimization tools and coverage up to five devices on all operating systems. Every Avira purchase comes with a 60 day money-back guarantee.

Bottom line:

Avira Free Antivirus for Mac offers lightweight anti-phishing protection and good anti-phishing security. It also provides a great password manager, decent VPN, and excellent real-time malware scanning. My testing revealed that the malware scanner was able to block all malware files. The web protections also blocked phishing sites as well as annoying ads. Upgrading to Avira Prime adds a VPN with no limitations,additional password manager features, and coverage for up to 5 devices.

Avira Antivirus

Name: Review Avira Antivirus

Description: Avira stands out from other antiviruses thanks to its system optimization tools. You can optimize your system to speed up booting or to concentrate the resources on one task such as video rendering. It even includes crypto mining functions, which allows you to make money while your computer is offline. It is important to keep in mind that not all features can be used on macOS as well as Windows. Mail protection and download scanning are only available for Windows users.

Offer price: $45.99 to Up

Currency: USD

Operating System: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Application Category: Avira - Brand Review

Author: Best Antivirus

[ More ]

• Security
  (4)
• Features
  (4)
• Ease of use
  (4.5)
• Customer Support
  (4)
• Pricing
  (4.5)

Overall

4.2

Summary

I was pleased to see outstanding scores from independent test laboratories. Avira Internet Security scored the maximum 6 points on performance, protection and usability tests by AV–Test in October 2021.

AVComparatives has also shown impressive results with tests that were conducted in September and Oct 2021. Experts claim that it has blocked 99.2%of cyber threats. It is rated highly in terms of performance and features for malware protection.

Avira Antivirus is a great security product that has a good price/quality ratio and produces great results.

Pros

• Feature-rich free version
• Compatible with all major platforms
• Offers 30-day money-back guarantee
• Real-time protection
• Features to protect online browsing
• Includes VPN services

Cons

• Some features are only available on Windows
• Can’t protect more than 5 devices
• Free version limits VPN usage
• Browser extension is needed to use all of its features

• Avira for Windows
• Avira for macOS
• Avira for Android
• Avira for iOS

3.🥉 TotalAV Free Antivirus — Good Antivirus Scanner & Limited Mac Speedup Tools

TotalAV free Antivirus offers on-demand scanning and excellent Mac optimization tools. I was not surprised to see that TotalAV had nearly perfect malware detection rates in all my tests. TotalAV is lightweight and fast so it won’t slow down your system.

TotalAV’s free macOS edition also includes a range of Mac cleaning and device optimizing tools, but these are only available for 2 days after downloading the program.

These tools include:

• Duplicates, junk files scanning and removal.
• Tracking cookie cleanup.
• Boot organizer to speed up startup times.
• Easy-to-use application uninstaller.
• Browser files cleanup.

TotalAV performs a system cleanup scan right after you download the software. This scan can clear your computer of many years worth of junk files. TotalAV detected over 1,000 junk files and almost 2,500 browser cookies on my Mac when I tested the optimization tools. This improved my browser speed and my system’s performance.

TotalAV’s Mac users free plan is great for scanning for malware and removing it, but it does not provide real-time protection or other cybersecurity protections. TotalAV offers a free service for Mac users that scans and removes malware. However, it does not offer real-time protection or other cybersecurity protections. TotalAV’s paid plans start at $29.00 per year. All purchases come with a 30-day guarantee.

Bottom line:

TotalAV Free Antivirusis an on-demand malware scanner that detects most of the malware and removes nearly 3GB of junk files from my MacBook. TotalAV’s paid plans offer a complete internet security solution for Macs.

TotalAV

Name: Review TotalAV

Description: The tool won't hurt your pocketbook. Premium plans are affordable. It's not as expensive than most of its competition, which is always an advantage for the end user.

Offer price: Free to $239.99

Currency: USD

Operating System: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux

Application Category: TotalAV - Brand Review

Author: Best Antivirus

[ More ]

• Security
  (4)
• Features
  (4)
• Ease of use
  (3.5)
• Customer Support
  (4)
• Pricing
  (4)

Overall

3.9

Summary

TotalAV is an effective, yet simple, addition that you can add to your system. TotalAV will not only remove any online germs you might have gotten while surfing the Internet, but it also won’t overwhelm your device. This antivirus is recommended for anyone who needs to be protected online and offline.

Pros

• Good protection against most cyberthreats
• Intuitive apps
• A basic free version
• Fast customer support response times
• Real-time and cloud protection
• Includes optimisation tools

Cons

• Only covers six devices
• The browser extension isn’t particularly user friendly
• Safe Search doesn’t always work

• TotalAV for Windows
• TotalAV for macOS
• TotalAV for Android
• TotalAV for iOS

4. Bitdefender Virus Scanner for Mac — Excellent Cloud-Based Malware Scanning (But Not Much Else)

Bitdefender for Mac offers a cloud-based, powerful anti-malware scanner. It can scan your Mac on-demand, but not in real time. One of the best features of Bitdefender’s program is its “Critical Locations Scan”, where it scans all areas of your Mac that are susceptible to malware, including downloads, temporary and cached files. The program also offers the ability to scan the entire Mac or specific folders or files with a “Deep System Scan”.

Bitdefender achieved a perfect 100% detection rate during all of my malware testing. detected all of the Mac-specific malware samples I tested, even those that many competitors couldn’t catch. Bitdefender’s malware scanner is cloud-based like Avira. This means it won’t slow down your Mac during CPU-intensive tasks such as streaming video or editing.

Bitdefender’s free virus scan is a great quick fix for anyone who’s worried about their Mac’s performance, or suspects that they may be infected with malware. Bitdefender Total Security ($36.00/year), one of the most trusted internet security solutions on the market, is able to scan your Mac for malware, but it’s not an effective long-term solution. Bitdefender Premium Security offers a full-featured VPN for as low as $69.99 a year.

Bottom line:

Bitdefender’s cloud-based antimalware scanner Bitdefender virus scanner for Mac is excellent for detecting and eliminating malware from your Mac. Bitdefender’s no-cost plan lacks other features such as real-time protection, antiphishing protection and device optimization tools. Bitdefender Maximum Security is a comprehensive cybersecurity suite that covers Mac computers. Bitdefender Premium Safety includes a VPN and no limits, providing coverage for upto 10 devices.

Bitdefender Antivirus 2022

Name: Review Bitdefender Antivirus

Description: Bitdefender is the best Windows antivirus software. Bitdefender's Internet Security & Total Security offer comprehensive protection for Windows computers.

Offer price: $14.99 to Up

Currency: USD

Operating System: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

Application Category: Bitdefender Antivirus - Brand Review

Author: Best Antivirus

[ More ]

• Security
  (4.5)
• Features
  (4)
• Ease of use
  (4)
• Customer Support
  (4)
• Pricing
  (4)

Overall

4.1

Summary

Bitdefender Internet Safety Anti-Virus Software is the most affordable for Windows. It offers both online and offline protection.

Bitdefender Total Safety remains our top choice. But, we love Norton 360 Deluxe. This is an excellent anti-virus suite for all platforms. Norton has unlimited VPN, a better password manger and more effective parental controls. This antivirus suite is more expensive but offers more functionality.

Pros

• Great scores in independent tests
• Multiple customer support options
• Available 30-day trials
• Has a free version
• Notification settings adapt to activity

Cons

• macOS supported only with paid plans
• Requires extra payment for full VPN access

• Bitdefender for Windows
• Bitdefender for macOS
• Bitdefender for Android
• Bitdefender for iOS

5. Malwarebytes for Mac (Free) — Decent Antivirus Scanning and Removal

Malwarebytes is a free tool that detects and removes malware. The Threat Scan will scan for Mac-specific malware, while the Custom Scan can be tailored to scan a specific folder or the entire drive.

Malwarebytes detected about 90% of the malware I had on my hard drive. This includes rootkits and other files that are difficult to detect. Malwarebytes can be a great option if malware is on your Mac and you need to quickly disinfect it. Malwarebytes’s Free Plan doesn’t include any additional features.

Malwarebytes’s Browser Guard browser extension is available for free. It protects against malicious websites, phishing sites and ads. This extension is available for Chrome Firefox, Edge, and Safari, but not Safari.

Malwarebytes premium provides real-time protection and ransomware protection. Malwarebytes premium + privacy includes a VPN. Malwarebytes plans start at $39.99/year. There’s also a free 14-day trial of Malwarebytes premium, along with the free Mac software. All purchases come with a generous 60 day money-back guarantee.

Bottom line:

Malwarebytes (Free) can scan your computer for malware, but doesn’t offer any extra protection. Malwarebytes premium adds web protection and Malwarebytes premium + privacy which includes a VPN.

MalwareBytes

Name: Review MalwareBytes

Description: Premium + Privacy, which is slightly more costly, can be purchased for $59.98/year. You get full scans, ransomware, exploit protection, and a VPN. Not only will your devices be safe from viruses but so is all incoming and outgoing traffic.

Offer price: $39.99 to Up

Currency: USD

Operating System: Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS

Application Category: Malwarebytes - Brand Review

Author: Best Antivirus

[ More ]

• Security
  (4)
• Features
  (3)
• Ease of use
  (4)
• Customer Support
  (4)
• Pricing
  (3.5)

Overall

3.7

Summary

Malwarebytes offers a decent antivirus. We would like to see more options for using it on multiple devices. Also, some premium features, such as anti-theft and device cleaning tools, are not available. MalwareBytes can be a great option if you want an antivirus that gives excellent protection to your main device.

Pros

• Excellent virus detection rates
• Great user interface
• Minimal CPU usage
• Browser security extension
• Plan with a VPN available

Cons

• No live chat support
• Adding extra devices costs more
• Lacks certain premium features

• Malwarebytes for Windows
• Malwarebytes for macOS
• Malwarebytes for Android

How to choose the best antivirus free for Mac

• Malware-detection. A Mac antivirus must have a high detection rate. To test the full disk scanning capabilities of each brand, I downloaded over 900 Mac-specific malware files onto my MacBook.
• Very little slowdown. A virus can slow down your computer, especially during a system scan. This could make it more difficult, or even impossible, to use your device normally. All of these antiviruses are lightweight so you won’t even notice that they’re there.
• Extra features. Although many antiviruses offer a variety of additional features to enhance cybersecurity protection, free Mac antiviruses are often very limited. To ensure maximum protection, I considered all features of antiviruses.
• It is easy to use. Mac antiviruses should be easy to use for both beginners and experts. All the products I recommend have well-designed Mac apps, and all features are easy to locate and use.
• Professional support. The best antiviruses for Mac are well-informed and offer a wide range of support options.

Top Brands that Didn’t Make it to the Cut

• Norton. Norton offers a 60 day money-back guarantee on all Norton 360 plans (which include Mac protection). Norton is my favorite antivirus for Mac. It offers extras such as a VPN and smart firewalls. Norton does not offer a free Mac plan so it was not included in this list.
• McAfee. McAfee offers a Mac scanner and a host of additional security features that add on to Apple’s security features. However, it does not offer a free product or a trial.
• Avast/AVG. Avast is alleged to have sold users’ browsing data for many years. We no longer recommend Avast and any Avast company (like AVG), on this site. Read more about our decision.

Can Macs get viruses?

Yes, absolutely. Yes, absolutely. Although macOS has many great security features, they are not enough to protect you from serious cybersecurity threats such as ransomware and spyware.

Even if you are careful online, it doesn’t mean that your network or devices are immune to many types of attacks. It’s important to have a top-quality Mac antivirus such as Intego. This includes features like web protection, real-time malware scanning and network protection.

Are antiviruses free for Mac enough?

No, not really. But they can be useful tools to remove malware off your computer. Avira also offers real-time protection for your Mac after you have cleaned it up.

Paid antivirus software offers better malware scanning, network and web protections, as well as helpful extras such parental controls, VPNs to protect your online privacy and disk cleanup tools that will keep your device running smoothly. Intego, a Mac-only internet safety suite, has a lot of great features that will keep you and your family safe online.

Can I use an online virus scanner for free and not download anything?

Yes, you can. But youshould not. Many online tools that provide free virus scans will make you think your computer is infected with malware and force you to install the program to remove it.

Worse, some online virus scanners can actually be exploit kits. Don’t risk it.

It is safer to download an antivirus program that is trusted and comes with a trial period, such as Intego.

These companies offer antiviruses for free!

It all depends. Many companies promise users amazing features and then place those features behind paywalls in the app. (Unfortunately, some of my favorite antiviruses like TotalAV are guilty of this type of upselling).

Avira, which offers tons of internet security tools for free, seems to believe that offering high-quality products at no cost is an investment in their users. I am sure that I am not the only one who downloaded an Avira plug-in or app for free, discovered the company’s excellent software, and became their customer.

You can’t get free stuff online. You either have to pay with your data or you are forced to view ads or your device is infected by spyware or adware. It’s better to pay for what you value.

Source : #safetydetectives
Editor by : BEST Antivirus KBS Team