Antivirus · June 2026
Macs get malware too. We tested the leading suites on macOS for detection, speed and native feel — these are the ones worth installing.
TotalAV
Get 80% off TotalAV Premium 2026
Award-winning antivirus trusted by millions worldwide, with unbeatable first-year value.
Bitdefender
Consistently collects top marks from independent testing centres around the world.
Norton
One of the most trusted names in security, with strong protection and a virus-free guarantee.
Avira
German-engineered protection with a genuinely capable free tier.
"Macs don't get viruses" stopped being true years ago — adware, browser hijackers, info-stealers and cross-platform phishing now target macOS daily, and Apple's built-in XProtect catches only a fraction. We ran each suite on Apple-silicon Macs and scored macOS-specific detection, system impact and how native each app feels.
Scores are not pay-to-play. We combine independent lab results with our own hands-on testing of detection, performance and usability. Affiliate links never change a ranking.
Apple's XProtect and Gatekeeper provide a baseline, but independent macOS lab tests show third-party engines catching substantially more — especially adware and potentially unwanted apps, the most common Mac infections. If you bank, work or shop on your Mac, dedicated protection is worth it.
Native Apple-silicon builds (no Rosetta), low memory footprint, web and phishing protection that works in Safari, and removal — not just detection — of adware. All four picks above meet that bar.
All of our picks cover Mac, Windows, Android and iOS on one plan — compare full pricing on the main antivirus ranking.
Get 80% off TotalAV Premium 2026
Yes — macOS malware grows every year, led by adware and info-stealers. Apple's built-in protection is a baseline, not a complete defence, and it offers no phishing protection outside Safari's own checks.
The suites we recommend run natively on Apple silicon and add no noticeable lag in daily use. We measured boot, file-copy and browsing impact on an M-series MacBook for every product above.
Adware and browser hijackers by a wide margin, followed by fake-app trojans and credential-stealing malware spread through phishing. Classic self-replicating viruses are rare on macOS.
Yes — every suite here sells multi-device plans covering macOS, Windows, Android and iOS under a single subscription.
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