In spite of persistent rumours circulating online about Mac OS’ supposed invincibility as opposed to Windows systems, the truth is a completely different sordid tale. On the contrary, Mac OS is just as vulnerable to malware attacks as Windows 10 or its older versions are. Also, the argument that more malicious malware is coded with Windows users in mind because Windows OS is a more common platform, doesn’t hold much water either. In fact, Apple’s trademark Mac operating system witnesses regular threats online, so it’s pertinent to have a solid Antivirus solution. Of course, there are paid Antivirus on the App Store, but who wants to spend precious money when there are some of the best free Antivirus for Mac 2019 waiting to be downloaded in a jiffy?

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The only problem is collating and reviewing these fantastic anti malware solutions. Fret not, we have compiled a list of seven of the best free antivirus software for Mac users in 2019 that will give your Mac a steady booster against the latest ransomware, adware and virus online. So, are you ready to find out what are the best free Antivirus for Mac 2019 that will eradicate vicious phishing scripts, and trojans for once and for all? Let’s get started-:

1) Avast Free Mac Security [Best Antivirus for email scanning and phishing protection]

12 years with Macs, no protection, and not one virus - only problem has ever been macro things in Microsoft Office, but even that was with system 9. Here is what i found: According the Tom's guide best overall antivirus is Avira, it is free and scored 9/10 BitDefender 7/10 (best paid antivirus) Avast 7/10 Kaspersky 6/10 Sophia 4/10 Webfoot 3/10 (google it, can't post direct link) All personal experience is subjective and simply a. Hi Reddit, I'm looking for recommendations for the best free Anti-Virus software available. I've been using the same software for years, but I'm sure lots has changed. Avast Security (for Mac), Avira Free Antivirus for Mac, and Sophos Home Free (for Mac) are totally free for personal use, although Sophos technically limits you to three devices, macOS or Windows.

One of the most renowned antivirus security suites for a while now, Avast is quite effective in quickly performing full-system malware scans, malware removal and seamlessly sifting through various web activities such as javascripts, downloads, web pages, etc. So much so, it can even scan specific email threads, and attachments without affecting your workflow.

In fact, Avast also proffers phishing protection, and an intrinsic drag-and-drop scanning for individual files. Of course, you can scan attached volumes and external drives for potential infections.

Moreover, you won’t be overwhelmed by this free application’s interface which comes across as quite straightforward and modest thanks to a navigation pane on the left comprising a real-time graph that encapsulates Avast shield’s activity. Avast also consists of five primary buttons that allow users to swiftly check the summary of security stats of their Mac.

2) Bitdefender Internet Security [Best Antivirus for deep scans and auto-updates]

With a gamut of scan options at its disposal, Bitdefender Virus Scanner proffers quick deep scans of your entire system, and can even target specific locations. Adorned with a streamlined and sleek interface, Bitdefender can also be initiated to scan critical locations such as the entirety of your system library as well as your Mac’s launch agents thanks to its triple scanning modes. This is a great relief for those users who want to bypass lengthier scans when facing shortage of time.

But, the real novelty factor that injects Bitdefender into our lineup of the best free Antivirus for Mac 2019 is its nifty update download mechanism. That is, Bitdefender automatically updates hourly malware definitions, so as to give your system a prior edge should it get infected with malware before a scan even commences.

Not to mention, this helps in providing a quick fix for blacklisting specific locations from system scans. Moreover, Bitdefender is endowed with the ability to swiftly search for malware inside various archives and file types such as ZIP, RAR, PDF, PKG, et al.

3) MalwareBytes Anti-Malware [Best Malware remover]

The Mac iteration of Malwarebytes initially rolled out as an adware removal tool, but as of today, it’s also doubled up as a prolific application for safeguarding your Mac against malware. Now it is an exclusive malware removal tool. You won’t have to fiddle with any extra controls on the UI which comes off as quite simple and decluttered. Just launch MalwareBytes, hit Scan button, and MalwareBytes will populate a list of possibly infected files and weed them out.

Further, MalwareBytes is one of the best free Antivirus for Mac 2018 if you want to quarantine pernicious MacOS malware (such as Fruitfly) off your system and perform deep scans in a jiffy.

Besides, this free anti malware solution doesn’t interfere with other Antivirus programs and can also work as a complementary program for tracking down malware in real-time. In fact, MalwareBytes is not an always-on solution, so it doesn’t really exhaust your Mac’s resources. However, the only downside is that MalwareBytes only tackles Malware, so it can’t give real-time protection against any other forms of security loopholes.

4) Sophos Antivirus [Best Lightweight Antivirus]

Don’t be swayed by Sophos Antivirus’ slow scan speeds, this free Antivirus is a beast when it comes to quarantining unknown files that merely exhibit dubious behavior. Also, Sophos incorporates real-time online protection features that come in handy against all sorts of trojans, virus, phishing scripts, et al. Not to mention, Sophos is pretty lightweight, doesn’t hog system resources and can non-intrusively perform crucial background checkups.

Coming on to the interface, at first glance it comes across as fairly compact considering how easily Sophos managed to cram in robust features in one program. Also, navigating the menu is a cakewalk as users can seamlessly initiate a full-system scan directly from the top of the main menu, and even configure exemptions. All in all, Sophos doesn’t disappoint wee bit in tackling malicious malware.

5) Avira Free Antivirus [Best Antivirus for Spyware and adware protection]

If you are seeking an antivirus that strikes a fine balance between quick access to advanced utilities and ease of use, look no further than Avira. It takes a centre-stage on many fronts, for instance, Avira is equipped with standard spyware and adware protection and can effortlessly block tracking as well as intercept harmful websites online.

Moreover, you don’t have to worry about updating Virus definitions since they are updated in a timely fashion. Plus, Avira comes bundled with 5GB of free online storage and offers one-click deletion of malicious files which make it one of the best free Antivirus for Mac on the market.

This free Antivirus solution has also got you covered if you want to check scan history or initiate automation, that is, smoothly carrying on with your activities while it scans the system in the background without interrupting your workflow. Overall, Avira makes rendering full system scans just as simple to execute as file-specific and scheduled scans.

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6) AVG Antivirus [Best Antivirus with smooth interface]

Beneath AVG’s simplistic design lies a robust security engine that detects and eradicates Mac-specific virus, spyware and malware in real-time. It works like a charm for eliminating threats on your iPhone, too. In fact, considering how pioneering AVG AntiVirus has been over the years, it not only helps protect important system files on your Mac, but also prevents you from inadvertently infecting friends on other devices.

Moreover, the Resident Shield of AVG is quite formidable as it runs quietly in the background. How? Well, every file that you run, copy, or save gets automatically scanned quickly by AVG without nagging users with pop-ups.

We were also impressed with the drag & drop functionality proffered by AVG for easily singling out specific suspected files or folders. Of course, you can get automatic online updates as well as run thorough scans of your entire Mac with a single click.

SEE ALSO: Best Free Data Recovery Software for Mac

7) Comodo Antivirus [Best Antivirus for real-time protection against trojans]

Rounding off our lineup of the best free Antivirus for Mac 2019 is Comodo which personifies comprehensive virus protection. In fact, Comodo is a proactive Antivirus which provides foolproof protection against Trojan horses, virus, and worms in Mac OS X systems. Thanks to its state-of-the-art virus protection, you can avail an on-demand scanner, frequently updated database of known viruses and an always-on real-time protection.

If you were thinking this program is a stripped down version of a premium product, you would be sorely mistaken. In fact, Comodo Antivirus comes loaded with some goodies such as in-depth reports on viral activity, superior protection against zero-day malware in any drive or file and the ability to even scan compressed .zip files, where virus often take refuge.

On the UI front, at first glance you would be awestruck with how easy it is to drag and drop objects onto the dock for a quick virus analysis. Moreover, you are also entitled to get automatic online updates for up-to-date virus protection. All in all, Comodo boasts a pretty attractive user-friendly interface.

And…that’s a wrap! So, did you like our roundup of the best free Antivirus for Mac 2019? Did we miss out on any good Antivirus solutions that you know of? Sound off in the comments. Don’t forget to download these software by clicking through the links.

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Bitdefender Antivirus Plus

Superior protection, low system impact

Kaspersky Internet Security

Most everything you need

Free Antivirus For Mac

Kaspersky Total Security

Still top of the class

Plenty of Windows users believe they don't need to pay for antivirus software. Many Mac and Android users think they don't need protection at all. Windows' high profile makes it the biggest target, but macOS and Android are also vulnerable to malware, even if they don't encounter as much of it.

We believe it's worth paying for Windows antivirus software, because even the best free software leaves out some protection features we consider essential. But you don't have to spend a lot. Many antivirus products are sold online for much less than their list prices. Mac and Android users have other options: Some of our favorite Mac AV products cost nothing, and most Android security apps have free versions.

Different Types of Antivirus Software

Latest Security Alerts and Threats

—The Android PDF-creation app CamScanner was corrupted with adware, despite being in the Google Play app store. CamScanner's developers may not have been aware. ADVICE: Delete CamScanner from your Android device until a new version appears in the Play Store, and run Android antivirus software.

—Spammers have been sending emails to inject scam or malicious messages in regular people's Google Calendar pages. ADVICE: Follow our instructions to stop phony Google Calendar notifications from happening to you.

—Diagnostic software loaded onto most Lenovo Windows computers made between 2011 and 2018 could be used to hijack a PC. ADVICE: Uninstall Lenovo Solutions Center from your Lenovo PC., and run Windows antivirus software.

How We Tested

Our evaluations were based on an antivirus product's interface, performance, protection and extra features. Was the interface intuitive and user-friendly? How badly did malware scans slow performance? How well did the program detect and remove malware? Does the program have any additional tools, and are they useful?

All of our Windows tests were performed on the same Asus X555LA laptop running 64-bit Windows 8.1 (later upgraded to Windows 10), with an Intel Core i3 processor, 6GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive containing 36GB of files. To assess a program's impact on system speed, we used our custom OpenOffice benchmark test, which matches 20,000 names and addresses on a spreadsheet. The longer it took the laptop to finish the test, the heavier the performance impact. For smartphones, we used the Geekbench 3 benchmarking app.

Our Mac evaluations were conducted on a late-2013 MacBook Pro running OS X El Capitan 10.11. The Mac had a 2.6-GHz Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM and 23GB of data on a 512GB SSD. For Android, we used a Nexus 6P smartphone running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

For malware-detection scores, we've used the results of four independent testing labs: AV-TEST in Germany, AV-Comparatives in Austria, SE Labs in England and our own labs in Utah. Each lab subjects the major antivirus brands' products to stress tests involving thousands of pieces of malware, including hundreds of previously unseen samples.

Windows Antivirus Software Types

Most antivirus makers have three or four tiers of Windows products, with each price bump adding extra features, such as parental controls or cloud backups. But because each company uses a single malware-detection engine for all its Windows antivirus software, the cheapest item — even a free one — in any product line usually finds malware just as thoroughly as the priciest.

Not all users will need premium suites, or even midrange products. If you don't have kids, or if you already have backup software, the basic product may be enough.

MORE: How to Buy Antivirus Software

Basic or Entry-Level Windows Antivirus

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The least-expensive paid Windows antivirus products, which generally list from $40 to $60 per year depending on the number of PCs covered, have the essentials. Definition updates and scans are automatic; websites and email attachments are screened, and the products are mostly easy to use. Some basic AV programs toss in extra features, such as file shredders or system optimizers, that are normally found in pricier products.

Best Basic Antivirus Product

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

Not only does Bitdefender Antivirus Plus have nearly perfect malware-detection scores, but it also offers great value, with a strong selection of extra tools. You'll find a built-in password manager, a secure browser, VPN client software, protection against encrypting ransomware and automatic profiles that optimize Bitdefender's impact on your system, depending on whether you're working, watching a movie or playing a game.

Midpriced Windows Antivirus

These products usually list from $60 to $80 per year. They generally build on the basic packages by bundling in parental controls and a two-way firewall to catch outgoing data, although many add other features. But for the full feature set each brand offers, you'll have to pony up for the premium products.

Best Midrange Antivirus Product

Reasons to Buy

Kaspersky takes first place among midrange antivirus software products, thanks to its excellent malware protection, a moderate system-performance impact and a full assortment of extra features and tools. Kaspersky Internet Security includes a secure browser, a virtual keyboard, specialized protection against ransomware, webcam protection to guard your privacy and VPN client software that automatically switches on when you connect to an unsafe Wi-Fi network.

Premium Windows Antivirus

Top-tier packages are often called suites because they do much more than catch malware. They might also offer file encryption, secure online storage, a password manager or an ad blocker. As most suites cover multiple devices, they also frequently bundle in licenses for Mac and Android antivirus software. For all this, you're meant to pay between $80 and $100 per year — but as with all paid antivirus software, steep discounts can often be found online.

Best Premium Antivirus Product

Reasons to Buy

Kaspersky Total Security has it all for those who want more than just excellent malware detection. This one rose to the top because it eliminates threats without generating many annoying false positives. We also like the included secure browser, which is ideal for online banking and shopping. Other highlights include a thorough file shredder and Windows backup and recovery software.

Free Windows Antivirus

Free Windows antivirus products have gotten much better, and our top two choices offer excellent malware detection, if little else. The others provide adequate protection with a smattering of goodies such as password managers or parental controls. Among those is Microsoft's built-in Windows Defender, which has risen to the middle of our rankings. However, free antivirus software generally leaves out extra protection features such as dedicated defenses against ransomware or spam blockers.

Best Free Windows Antivirus

Reasons to Buy

Kaspersky Lab largely keeps quiet about its free antivirus product, but it's a winner, with a user-friendly interface, a fairly light system-performance impact and Kaspersky's nearly flawless malware protection. Just don't expect anything from it but the bare necessities.

Mac Antivirus

Despite what Apple's marketing has implied, Macs do get infected, and the amount of Mac malware keeps rising, with more seen in the first half of 2017 than in any previous year. But there's less money to be made in the Mac antivirus market than in the Windows one, and the products are less standardized. Some Mac antivirus products are free, and some are paid. Of the products we recently evaluated, one of our No. 2 choices, Avast Free Mac Security, doesn't cost a dime.

Best Mac Antivirus

What Is Best Antivirus For Mac

Reasons to Buy

Kaspersky Internet Security offers both the lowest system impact and some of the best malware-detection rates recorded. It even provides extra security features, including parental controls and options to lock down your webcam and stop websites from tracking your browsing activity. If you're willing to pay to protect your Mac from malware, Kaspersky Internet Security is the best option available.

Android Antivirus Apps

Every Android device, whether it's a smartphone, tablet or TV stick, should have antivirus software. Usually, that software comes with an all-encompassing security app that also includes anti-theft and remote-locating features, and many apps have both a basic free version and a premium version with more features.

The free versions of the Android security apps we reviewed are pretty solid. The paid versions, which cost between $15 and $30 per year, range from being just a bit better than the free ones to becoming practically separate products, with a wide range of capabilities. You'll have to decide what you need and select accordingly.

Avast

Best Android Antivirus

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

The Bitdefender Android security app has flawless malware protection, a small performance hit, privacy-protection tools and Android Wear integration. Yet there are no scheduled malware scans, and no freemium option. (The separate Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Android only scans for malware.) Still, at $15 per year per device, Bitdefender Mobile Security is worth the expense.

iOS Antivirus Apps

Reddit Best Free Antivirus For Mac

A lot of people want iOS antivirus software for their iPhones and iPads. The truth is that such software doesn't exist. Apple won't let third-party apps examine other iOS apps, or even inspect new apps as they're installed. Anything that claims to be antivirus software swiftly gets kicked out of the iTunes App Store.

Many major antivirus vendors, including F-Secure, McAfee, Norton and Trend Micro, do have 'security' apps in the App Store. But these check web links for known malicious sites, locate lost devices or pretend to protect your privacy. None scans an iPhone for malware.

Best Free Antivirus Software For Mac

There has been real iOS malware that affects non-jailbroken devices, but it's very rarely cropped up. In each instance, Apple has pushed out a new version of iOS to stop the malware in a matter of days or weeks. Generally, if you keep your Apple mobile device updated to the latest version of iOS, you should be safe.

Free Antivirus For Mac Computers

Webcam download for mac. [Editor's Note: Best Buy has removed Kaspersky Lab products from its shelves, citing concerns regarding Kaspersky's alleged (but as yet undocumented) ties to the Russian government. Top U.S. newspapers have run stories in which anonymous sources say Kaspersky software helps Russia spy on American spy agencies. However, until we see real evidence that Kaspersky software is a threat to consumers, we will continue to recommend it. Here is further clarification of our position.]