1. Free Spyware For Mac
2. Best Spyware And Malware Program For Macbook
3. Best Spyware And Malware Program For Mac Os X
4. Best Spyware For Mac
5. Best Spyware And Malware Remover Reviews

Spyware is a form of malware that tries to steal information from you without you knowing or approving. It could be disguised as legitimate software or work behind the scenes to do things like track web browsing data or monitor keystrokes to collect passwords.

Mac computers can get malware the same as a windows computer. That's why a good anti malware for mac is very important. We recommened using a malware scanner regulary to avoid having any issues with your mac. Protect your privacy and keep your sensitive data safe from spyware, Trojans, keyloggers, and other monitoring malware. Find the best method for guarding personal information, online banking data. Choosing the best malware removal software of 2018 According to the latest cyber crime statistics [1], adding an extra layer of security to your computer's protection is a must in 2018. New dangerous viruses emerge every single day and they are more sophisticated than they have ever been.

You might have a spyware infection if your computer's performance has recently started to suffer, and especially if strange pop-ups are showing up, websites are redirecting to places you don't want to go, email contacts are getting odd spam messages that appear to be from you, or you're a victim of identity theft.

Below are several free anti-spyware tools that can scan your hard drive, flash drive, external hard drive, etc. to remove spyware. Some of them only work when you manually start the scan but others will monitor your computer all the time to make sure spyware can't modify your computer or monitor your information.

All the programs mentioned below are known to scan for spyware but they might not scan for other things like viruses. Other scanners remove some kinds of malware but not spyware, so we've omitted those from this list.

Spyware is often bundled with a normal program's installer. See How to Safely Download & Install Software for some tips on avoiding spyware in the first place.

Free Spyware For Mac

SUPERAntiSpyware

What We Like

• Lots of scan options

• Scans can run quickly by using more processor power

• You can scan anywhere you want, including the system memory

• Works from Explorer to scan any folder/file at any time

What We Don't Like

• Doesn't update automatically

• Can't schedule scans to run automatically

SUPERAntiSpyware should be your very first pick if you want to get rid spyware that's already on your computer. It updates often, installs and scans quickly, and gives you complete control over what gets scanned.

It's able to check inside ZIP files, skip unknown file types (for a quicker scan), ignore files bigger than 4 MB, and skip over non-executable files (so that only EXEs and similar file types are scanned).

What really makes SUPERAntiSpyware stand out among the others in this list is that it can also be set up to only scan files that have been changed within the last so-many days (1 day, 5 days, etc.), ignore System Restore and Volume Information data, use more of the CPU for a faster scan (called Scan Boost), and even scan the files that shortcuts point to.

SUPERAntiSpyware can scan the whole computer or just parts of it where spyware normally exists. You can also run a Critical Point Scan to delete spyware that's currently running in memory or use the Custom Scan option to pick what gets scanned and where to check (flash drives, internal/external hard drives, select folders, etc.).

This anti-spyware tool can also delete temporary Windows files before the scan is started, exclude folders from scans, scan from the right-click context menu, and close down any open web browsers before scanning.

The freeware version is 100 percent free but you do have to manually run scans and definition updates (they don't happen automatically). However, these limitations are lifted with the professional version.

If you want to try the professional edition, you can enable the trial during installation of the free version.

Malwarebytes

What We Like

• Usually finds more threats than similar programs

• It's able to locate PuPs and many types of malware

• Can run from the right-click context menu in Explorer

• Lets you customize the scan settings

What We Don't Like

• Automatic updating requires the premium, non-free edition

• Automatic quarantine isn't included for free

• You can't set up custom automatic scan schedules

Malwarebytes is another big-hitter when it comes to cleaning up spyware. It's easy to use and tends to find a lot more malicious items than similar programs.

It scans through registry values and keys, files, and running processes, plus includes a heuristics analyzer to find potentially unwanted programs (PuPs).

When the scan is complete, it's really easy to tell where the spyware was found, and selecting the ones to quarantine is just a click or two away.

Malwarebytes can also scan individual files and folders as well as whole hard drives, with the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer. There's an option to scan within archives, ignore certain files/folders, and to scan for rootkits too.

Automatic updates, a more detailed scanning schedule, and automatic quarantine is only available in the premium version. You can start a trial from the top of the free version.

Avast Free Antivirus

What We Like

• Checks for spyware automatically, all the time

• Lots of settings you can tweak

• Works from Explorer's right-click context menu

• Includes other useful tools

What We Don't Like

• You might not need or ever use the extra tools it includes

• Takes much longer to install than some spyware cleaners

• Could be considered cluttered with all the other tools

Avast Free Antivirus can detect and remove spyware before you even know it's on your computer. What makes it different than the two from above is that it's always on and always watching for new threats.

There are lots of settings you can adjust in Avast, like to enable CyberCapture to block unrecognized files, use Hardened Mode to really lock down on security, scan for potentially unwanted programs, scan from Windows Explorer, exclude files/folders/URLs from scans, and lots more.

Also included in Avast is a Wi-Fi inspector, VPN client, junk cleaner, software updater, and web and mail protection

Avast sells paid antivirus programs but also offers this free one, all of which provide anti-spyware protection.

AVG AntiVirus Free

What We Like

• Finds spyware automatically

• Scans can be performed during bootup

• Includes an advanced, deep clean procedure

• Makes finding spyware on external drives easy

What We Don't Like

• Uses more system resources than a dedicated spyware cleaner

• Includes features you might not want if you're after just a spyware remover tool

• Includes ads

AVG is another popular antivirus program that serves as a full malware scanner, checking for and removing not only spyware but also ransomware, viruses, and more.. all automatically and for free.

AVG provides not only protection for your computer but also for your web activity and email. You can perform a full system scan, a boot-time scan, or a custom scan, but there's also a dedicated button that instantly starts a check for spyware on all your removable devices.

Another unique feature in AVG is its Deep Scan option that runs a much slower but also more thorough scan, a good option if nothing else seems to get rid of the spyware. You can configure it to recognize files by their content and not their extension, which is ideal if the spyware is using a hidden/false file extension.

The Deep Scan option can also open and scan through over 20 archive file types, much more than most other spyware scanners that usually just support the popular ones (ZIP and RAR).

Something else worth mentioning about AVG is its ability to scan through files in the order that they exist on the hard drive, which can speed up scanning since it's not performing an unnecessary number of HDD seeks.

Adaware Antivirus

What We Like

• Checks for spyware automatically, all the time

• Lets you run scheduled spyware scans

• Definitions are updated automatically

  

• Finds other threats, too

What We Don't Like

• It's missing several features found only in the Adaware Pro and Total editions

Adaware Antivirus is another anti-spyware program that actively blocks new threats as well as scans the computer for existing ones. It has a clean, new design and isn't hard to use.

This program is unlike some anti-spyware tools because it does update on its own and can even run a full system scan on a schedule.

While it doesn't provide an active web, email, or network protection, when it comes to spyware, you can be confident that it will do everything it can to stop and remove those threats.

Like most always-on antimalware programs, Adaware supports silent/gaming mode and exclusions. It can also scan boot sectors, rootkits, archives, processes, cookies, and registry items.

Several additional features that are in other editions of Adaware are not included in this free version; you can see what they are here.

Trend Micro HouseCall

What We Like

• Doesn't require installation (it's portable)

• Uses minimal processor and memory resources compared to other system cleaners

• You can pick which parts of the computer to scan

What We Don't Like

• Doesn't let you start scans from a folder or file in Explorer

• Updates and scans must be run manually

HouseCall is a simple and portable spyware cleaner that doesn't use up a lot of

or disk space but still provides a full scanner against malware.

Just hit the scan button to start the default quick scan, or go into the settings to change where to check for spyware; you can choose everything or custom areas like certain folders or hard drives only.

SpywareBlaster

What We Like

• Protects your computer from new spyware threats

• Lets you restore files damaged by spyware

What We Don't Like

• Can't find spyware that's already on your computer

SpywareBlaster is different from the rest of these programs since it doesn't scan for existing spyware, though true to its name, it does 'blast' new threats before they can reach your system.

The way it works is that you can enable protection for your web browsers to protect against malicious scripts, exploits, and cookies that track your web behavior. It does this by enabling a pre-made list of blockades (which you can update manually at any time) against certain websites, cookies, and scripts.

The System Snapshot option provides a way to create a backup of various system settings so that if spyware does happen to make changes, you can restore the backup to get your settings back to normal.

There are also some very specific spyware protection tools included in SpywareBlaster, like Hosts Safe to back up and encrypt the hosts file (which is one target for spyware), an Adobe Flash blocker for Internet Explorer, and even a list of your own custom ActiveX blocking rules.

Emsisoft Emergency Kit (EEK)

What We Like

• Checks for actively running spyware and spyware in the file system

• Runs in portable mode

• Custom scan options

• Finds more threats than just spyware

• Also works as a command line program

What We Don't Like

• The program files have to be extracted, and they take up nearly a gigabyte of space

• No option to install it to check for spyware automatically

• Scheduled scans aren't supported

Emsisoft Emergency Kit is a portable anti-spyware tool that you can run from anywhere to scan and delete all types of malware in addition to spyware, like worms, adware, keyloggers, etc.

The reason it's on this list is because it's completely portable (doesn't need to be installed) and is capable of scanning for actively running spyware that's currently loaded into memory.

EEK can also check for spyware traces that exist in the registry and elsewhere that could indicate an infection. There are also some options for finding potentially unwanted programs and rootkits.

This anti-spyware utility supports some other features too, like scanning email data files, finding spyware in archives like CAB and ZIP files, and excluding or including only certain file types in the scan.

There are two versions of this tool — one is a regular application with a user interface and the other is a command line utility that's useful for automated or batch scanning. They are both included in this one download.

This program is around 300 MB when downloaded, and after you extract all the program files, the total space required to run it ends up being around 700 MB.

Spybot - Search & Destroy

What We Like

• Great for advanced users

• Helps protect your files from new spyware in the future

• Can scan any file or folder to check for spyware

• Includes lots of options you can customize

• Scans for rootkits, too

What We Don't Like

• Might be too advanced for most people

Spybot is great for advanced users who want total control of how the program scans and protects against spyware, but it's not ideal for novice users who just want to delete spyware. For that, use one of the other programs mentioned above.

One of Spybot's most notable features is its immunization option, which blocks common threats in various web browsers. It's as easy as scanning for the vulnerabilities and then hitting Apply immunization.

Another benefit of Spybot is that it makes it a breeze to disable tracking cookies that could compromise your privacy, again with just one click.

Of course, Spybot can also 'search and destroy' spyware, too, using its system scanner. If you have particular files to scan, you can do that too.

Among the many options you can enable is one to scan and immunize not only the current user's files and settings but also those of any other user on the computer.

You can also add a spyware scan option to autoplay devices like flash drives, tell the program which folder holds your internet downloads so that it will do deep spyware scans there, and run rootkit scans.

Dr.Web CureIt!

What We Like

• No installation needed (it's portable)

• You can choose what to scan, including just the memory

• Lots of scan options

• Removes other threats, too

What We Don't Like

• Free for personal, home use only

The Dr.Web CureIt! anti-spyware scanner is completely portable, which means you don't have to install it and can even keep it on a flash drive or other portable device.

You can scan the whole computer or check for spyware in particular places only, like in the Windows system folder, temporary files, the user's Documents folder, RAM, and some other places.

You can also add your own custom locations like another hard drive or some other folder, as well as scan inside installation packages and archives.

Dr.Web CureIt! is a bit large when compared to these other tools (over 170 MB), but it can also scan for a number of other malware types like adware, riskware, hacking tools, dialers, etc.

Something interesting to note about this program is that it's the only spyware scanner from this list that uses a unique name with each download, which is to help prevent malware from blocking it.

This program is only free for home users. You must purchase Dr.Web CureIt! to use it in any other form.

ComboFix

What We Like

• A spyware scan runs automatically when you start the program

• Important files get backed up automatically before deleting any spyware

• Installation isn't required

What We Don't Like

• Results are hard to read

• No graphical user interface

• Windows 10 isn't supported

ComboFix is very much a hands-off, on-demand spyware scanner. After downloading it, just open the ComboFix.exe file to immediately start the whole process.

Here's how it works: ComboFix backs up the Windows Registry before anything else, followed by the creation of a System Restore point. After that, the scan starts automatically and you see the results populate in Command Prompt.

When the spyware scan is complete, a log file is created at C:ComboFix.txt and then opened for you to read through. It's there that you can see if any spyware was detected and removed and which ones were found but not removed (which you can delete manually or use another tool to remove).

ComboFix only works on Windows 8 (not 8.1), 7, Vista, and XP.

More Not-So-Free Spyware Removers

The following are some other programs that are not free but do provide constant, always-on anti-spyware shields as well as on-demand spyware scanners/removers and automatic updates:

• Norton AntiVirus Plus ($59.99 /year for 1 device): A huge name in antivirus software. The other non-basic editions have more features but are also more expensive.
• Kaspersky Anti-Virus ($59.99 /year for 3 devices): Also protects against phishing attempts and dangerous websites.
• Zemana Antimalware ($24.95 /year for 1 device): Includes a browser add-on/toolbar cleaner and has a very simple interface that makes it a cinch to protect your system from spyware.
• McAfee Total Protection ($69.99 /year for 1 device): Includes a password manager to prevent spyware from collecting your credentials.
• Bitdefender Antivirus Plus ($39.99 /year for 1 device): Light on system resources and can be set up with Autopilot to silently protect against threats.

In addition to offering a discount for the first year and heavy discounts if purchased for multiple years at once, most of these professional anti-spyware programs can be tried for free for a week or so, usually up to 30 days, so make sure to check those out before committing to purchasing something.

Even Macs Need Antivirus Protection

You heard it on the TV—Macs don't get viruses. And like much of what you hear on the TV, this isn't true. Sure, macOS is intrinsically more secure than Windows or Android, but Mac-centered malware totally exists. The time to think about protecting your Mac is now, not after you've lost all your important documents to ransomware. If you're picking a Mac antivirus for the first time, don't worry. Our reviews will help you make an informed choice.

As with Windows antivirus tools, the most common price is just under $40 per year for a single license. ProtectWorks is unusual in that a single $29.95 payment lets you protect all the Macs in your household, with no subscription needed. McAfee goes beyond that, with a $59.99 per year subscription that protects all your Macs, PCs, Android, and iOS devices. With Sophos Home Premium, $60 per year lets you install and remotely manage protection on 10 Macs or PCs. At the high end, you pay $99.99 per year for a three-license subscription to Intego Mac Internet Security X9.

You may have heard that macOS Mojave, the latest macOS, advances the platform's privacy and security. Safari on Mojave automatically blocks ads and social media trackers. The built-in password manager does more than ever. And when AppleScript apps try to access internal macOS features, Mojave makes them wait until you give permission. But nothing we've seen suggests that upgrading to Mojave will obviate the need for an antivirus utility.

Free Mac Antivirus Protection

There's another angle to the variation in Mac antivirus pricing. How about paying nothing at all? Avast Security (for Mac), AVG AntiVirus 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. AVG also offers free antivirus for Mac, but until its phishing protection improves we can't recommend it. The best commercial products offer more protection but if you can't afford the best, at least install a free antivirus.

What's Not Here

Every macOS antivirus that earned 3.5 stars or better appears in the chart above. Another half-dozen managed a decent three-star rating, but there isn't room for another six products. I chose to favor three products that originated on the Mac platform, ClamXAV and Intego Mac Internet Security. Everything else being equal, there's surely some virtue in loyalty to macOS.

Avast Security Pro (for Mac), ESET Cyber Security (for Mac), and Malwarebytes for Mac Premium also earned three stars, as did the Mac-specific ProtectWorks AntiVirus. However, ProtectWorks, ESET, and Malwarebytes don't have any lab results at present, and with Avast, you might as well use the free edition, because you don't get a lot more by paying. These four didn't quite make it into the chart. The names Avast, ESET, and Malwarebytes are well known in Windows circles. If you're using a Windows security product from one of these companies, it makes sense to do the same on your Macs.

Malware Protection Lab Certifications

When you go to select a new washer, refrigerator, or other appliance, chances are good you research it first. User reviews can be helpful, as long as you discard the very best and very worst of them. But actual test results performed by an independent lab give you more reliable information. Two large labs include macOS antivirus products in their testing, but the slate of products for testing is variable. When we first rounded up Mac antivirus products, all those in the chart below had at least one certification, but at present, many of them don't appear in either lab's test results.

The researchers at AV-Test Institute evaluate Mac antivirus products on three criteria: protection, performance, and usability. A product can earn up to six points for each. Protection against malware protection is essential, of course, as is a low impact on performance. A high usability score reflects a small number of false positives, legitimate programs and websites identified as dangerous. Several products achieved a perfect 18 points, all six points for all three criteria.

In the macOS malware test by AV-Comparatives, most charted products scored 100 percent. This lab, too, included a test using malware aimed at Windows. Yes, these samples can't affect a computer running macOS, but they could conceivably escape to Windows machines on the network. Scores in the Windows malware test ranged from zero to 100 percent, which is quite a span.

Results in macOS-specific tests have a much smaller point spread than in tests of Windows antivirus utilities. It's good that many products in the chart received at least one certification for Mac protection, and even better that some received two certifications.

Hands-On Phishing Protection Testing

Best Spyware And Malware Program For Macbook

When we test malware protection on Windows, we use live malware inside an isolated virtual machine. We've coded a number of analysis tools over the years to help with this testing. Little of that testing regimen carries over to the Mac.

Phishing, however, isn't platform-specific, and neither is our antiphishing test. Phishing websites imitate secure sites, everything from banks and finance sites to gaming and dating sites. If you enter your credentials at the fake login page, you've given the phisher access to your account. And it doesn't matter if you are browsing on a PC, a Mac, or an internet-aware sewing machine.

Best Spyware And Malware Program For Mac Os X

Almost all the products in the chart below include protection against malicious and fraudulent sites. With ClamXAV and Intego, this just isn't an included feature. Malwarebytes and ProtectWorks also lack an antiphishing component.

The wily malefactors who create phishing sites are in the business of deception, and they constantly change and update their techniques, hoping to evade detection. If one fraudulent site gets blacklisted or shut down by the authorities, they simply pop up with a new one. That being the case, we try to use the very newest phishing URLs for testing, scraping them from phishing-focused websites.

We launch each URL simultaneously in four browsers. One is Safari or Chrome on the Mac, protected by the Mac antivirus that's under test. The other three use the protection built into Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Discarding any that don't fit the phishing profile, and any that don't load correctly in all four browsers, we report the product's detection rate as well as the difference between its detection rate and that of the other three test systems.

Most of the products in this roundup beat the combined average of the three browsers. Kaspersky and McAfee top the list with 100 percent detection, while Bitdefender's score of 99 percent comes close behind. All three of these winners scored precisely the same when tested under Windows.

Ransomware Protection

The scourge of ransomware is on the rise. While ransomware attacks are more common on Windows devices, Macs have suffered as well. Of course, any antivirus utility should handle ransomware just as it handles spyware, Trojans, viruses, and other malware types. But since the consequences of missing a ransomware attack are so great, some security products add components with the sole purpose of preventing ransomware attacks.

We've observed a wide variety of ransomware protection techniques on Windows. These include blocking unauthorized access to user documents, detecting ransomware based on its activity, and recovering encrypted files from backup. Of the products listed here, Bitdefender and Trend Micro offer a ransomware component that blocks unauthorized modification of protected documents.

Best Spyware For Mac

As with Bitdefender's Windows edition, the Safe Files feature prevents all unauthorized access to your documents. On a Mac, it also protects your Time Machine backups. Trend Micro offers multiple layers of Windows ransomware protection. Folder Shield, which, like Safe Files, prevents unauthorized document access, is the only layer that made its way to the macOS edition.

Sophos Home Premium includes the same CryptoGuard behavior-based ransomware protection found in its Windows equivalent. Our Windows test sytsems are virtual machines, so we feel free to release real-world ransomware for testing. We just roll back the virtual machine to a clean snapshot after testing. We don't have the option to do that on the physical Mac testbed, so we just have to figure that since it worked on Windows, it probably works on macOS.

Spyware Protection

Any kind of malware problem is unpleasant, but spyware may be the most unnerving. Imagine some creeper secretly peeking at you through your Mac's webcam! Other types of spying include logging keystrokes to capture your passwords, sending Trojans to steal your personal data, and watching your online activities to build a profile. As with ransomware protection, we've observed more features specifically devoted to spyware protection on Windows-based security products than on the Mac, but a few products in this collection do pay special attention to spyware.

Under Windows, Kaspersky's Safe Money feature opens sensitive sites in a secure browser that's hardened against outside interference. The Safe Money feature on the Mac doesn't do that, but it does check URLs to make sure you're on a legitimate secure site. Kaspersky offers an onscreen keyboard, so you can enter passwords with no chance of capture by a keylogger. Its webcam protection isn't as configurable as it is on Windows, but you can use it to disable your Mac's webcam whenever you're not using it. It even includes the ability to block advertisers and others from tracking your online activities. If spyware is your bugaboo, you'll like Kaspersky.

Sophos Home Premium offers protection for the webcam and microphone that's more substantial than Kaspersky's. You get a notification any time an untrusted program attempts to access either; you can allow access or stop the program. There's also an option to whitelist a program, so you don't get a popup every time you use your off-brand video chat tool.

Bonus Features

Best Spyware And Malware Remover Reviews

Many antivirus tools on Windows pack in a ton of bonus features, packing in everything from tune-up utilities to VPNs. That behavior seems less common on the macOS side, though Norton now includes a VPN with no bandwidth limits. Even so, some vendors don't have a standalone Mac antivirus, opting instead to offer a full security suite as the baseline level of protection, and a few others include suite-like bonus features in the basic antivirus.

A typical personal firewall component blocks attacks coming in from the internet and also manages network permissions for programs installed on your Mac. Intego, McAfee, and Norton each include a firewall component, while Kaspersky's Network Protection comes close.

Parental control is another common suite component. With Sophos (free or premium) and Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac, a content filter can block access to websites matching unwanted categories. Kaspersky goes beyond that, with content filtering, screen time limits, and control over apps used. An additional $14.99 per year unlocks all the features of the powerful Kaspersky Safe Kids.

Protect Your Mac

Most of the products covered in this roundup earned certification from at least one independent testing lab; some managed two certifications. There really are no bad choices here, as far as basic antivirus protection goes. Even so, a few products stood out. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac not only achieved certification from both labs, it earned the maximum score in every test, and took the top antiphishing score. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac also earned high scores. It offers a full suite of Mac security tools, at the same price competitors charge for basic antivirus protection. Symantec Norton 360 Deluxe (for Mac) is also a suite, and its features include a no-limits VPN. These three are our Editors' Choice winners for Mac antivirus protection.

Look over the reviews, pick the product that suits you best, and get your Mac protected. Once you've done that, you should also consider installing a Mac VPN. While an antivirus protects you, your devices, and your data locally, a VPN extends that protection to your online activities, protecting both your security and your privacy.

Editors' Note: We are aware of the allegations of Kaspersky's inappropriate ties to the Russian government. Until we see some actual proof of these allegations, we will treat them as unproven, and continue to recommend Kaspersky's security products as long as their performance continues to merit our endorsement.

Best Mac Antivirus Protection Featured in This Roundup:

• Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac Review

  
  MSRP: $39.99
  

  Pros: Protects files and backups from ransomware. Top ratings from two independent testing labs. Excellent score in our antiphishing test. No-hassle Autopilot mode. Blocks ad trackers in browsers. Includes VPN.

  Cons: Full access to VPN features requires separate subscription.

  Bottom Line: Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac gets top marks from the independent labs and in our own hands-on testing. With its handy Autopilot mode, you can set it, forget it, and have confidence that your Mac is protected against malware.

  Read Review

• Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac Review

  
  MSRP: $39.99
  

  Pros: Excellent scores from two independent testing labs. Kaspersky Safe Kids for parental control. Network protection. Perfect score in our antiphishing test. Privacy protection. Useful bonus tools.

  Cons: Safe Money and webcam protection features are limited compared to their Windows counterparts. Safe Kids and VPN require additional subscription for full functionality.

  Bottom Line: Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac excels in independent lab tests, and it goes far beyond mere antivirus, offering protection against network attacks, parental control, privacy protection, and many other useful features.

  Read Review

• Symantec Norton 360 Deluxe (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $99.99
  

  Pros: Includes no-limits VPN. Certified by one independent testing lab. Fast scan. Firewall blocks exploit attacks. Cleans up unneeded files.

  Cons: Relatively expensive. Limited detection of Windows malware.

  Bottom Line: Symantec's Norton 360 Deluxe delivers lab-certified Mac antivirus protection along with a two-way firewall, a password manager, and a full-powered VPN.

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• Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $39.99
  

  Pros: Very fast full scan. Certified by one antivirus lab. Excellent phishing protection. Excellent detection of Windows malware. Marks dangerous links in search results.

  Cons: Lowest passing score in independent lab test.

  Bottom Line: Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus is by far the fastest Mac antivirus scanner we've seen, and it provides especially good phishing protection in our testing, too.

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• F-Secure Safe (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $69.99
  

  Pros: Very good scores from two testing labs. Simple cross-platform parental control. Quick full scan.

  Cons: Expensive at high numbers of licenses. So-so phishing protection.

  Bottom Line: F-Secure Safe for Mac gets high marks from two independent antivirus testing labs. It offers simple multi-device parental control, but it can't match the rich feature collections of the best Mac antivirus tools.

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• McAfee AntiVirus Plus (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $59.99
  

  Pros: Subscription covers unlimited macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS devices. Perfect score in antiphishing test. Includes simple personal firewall.

  Cons: No current test results from independent labs. Firewall no longer includes application control.

  Bottom Line: One subscription gives you unlimited licenses to protect all your Macs with McAfee AntiVirus Plus, and your Windows, Android, and iOS devices, too, and it aces our phishing protection test.

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• Sophos Home Premium (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $60.00
  

  Pros: Remote management. Webcam protection. Decent phishing protection. Ransomware protection. Simple parental control. Inexpensive.

  Cons: No independent lab test results. Parental content filter foiled by secure anonymizing proxy. Lacks exploit protection, download reputation check, keylogger protection, and other advanced features found in the Windows edition.

  Bottom Line: Sophos Home Premium offers Mac antivirus protection at a low price, but it lacks many advanced features found in the Windows edition and doesn't have verification from independent testing labs.

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• Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac Review

  
  MSRP: $39.95
  

  Pros: Certified by two antivirus testing labs. Speedy full scan. Social network privacy scan. Includes ransomware protection, webcam privacy, and parental control.

  Cons: Parental control foiled by secure anonymizing proxy. Very poor phishing protection score. Webcam privacy needs work. Social network privacy not fully functional. Licensing model not practical for all-Mac households.

  Bottom Line: Two major independent testing labs certify Trend Micro's ability to fight malware on your Mac. It comes with a boatload of bonus features, but some of those need work.

  Read Review

• Avast Security Pro (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $59.99
  

  Pros: Certified by one independent testing lab. Speedy full scan. Excellent phishing protection for Chrome and Firefox. Useful bonus features. Ransomware protection. Wi-Fi intruder detection.

  Cons: Doesn't add much to free edition's features. Expensive. Poor phishing protection for Safari. Password manager includes only basic features.

  Bottom Line: Avast Security Pro (for Mac) adds ransomware protection and Wi-Fi intruder detection to the features found in Avast's free antivirus, but these additions don't merit its high price.

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• ClamXav (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $29.95
  

  Pros: Lab-certified for Mac malware protection. Scans for malware on demand, on access, and on schedule. Straightforward user interface.

  Cons: No filtering of malicious or fraudulent websites.

  Bottom Line: ClamXAV wraps the venerable, open source ClamAntiVirus engine in a straightforward user interface. It's lab-certified to protect your Mac, but doesn't go beyond the basics.

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• ESET Cyber Security (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $39.99
  

  Pros: Elaborate scan scheduling options. Good detection of Windows malware. Simple device control. Includes online cybersecurity training.

  Cons: Poor results in our hands-on antiphishing test. Slow scans in testing. No longer certified by independent labs.

  Bottom Line: Though it doesn't have current certification from independent testing labs, ESET Cyber Security offers comprehensive protection for your macOS devices plus cybersecurity training.

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• Intego Mac Internet Security X9 Review

  
  MSRP: $49.99
  

  Pros: Certified by two labs for Mac malware protection. Includes full-featured firewall. Detects Mac, Windows, and Linux malware.

  Cons: Poor detection of Windows malware. No protection against malicious or fraudulent websites.

  Bottom Line: Intego Mac Internet Security X9 scores well in lab tests using Mac malware, and it offers firewall protection. But it fails against Windows malware and lacks protection against dangerous URLs.

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• Malwarebytes for Mac Premium Review

  
  MSRP: $39.99
  

  Pros: Extremely fast malware scan. Very good reputation among tech experts.

  Cons: No protection against malicious or fraudulent websites. No detection of Windows malware.

  Bottom Line: The premium edition of Malwarebytes for Mac scans for active malware and uses real-time detection to prevent infestation. It has a very good reputation, but hard data showing its effectiveness is scarce.

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• ProtectWorks AntiVirus (for Mac) Review

  
  MSRP: $44.99
  

  Pros: Certified for Mac protection by an independent testing lab. Scans on demand, on access, and on schedule.

  Cons: No web-based protection against malicious or fraudulent sites. Mediocre detection of Windows malware.

  Bottom Line: An independent lab verifies that ProtectWorks AntiVirus can keep your Mac safe from malware, but it lacks some useful features found in competing products.

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