Is Avast A Good Antivirus For Mac
(Last updated on August 28th, 2019)
McAfee or Avast, which antivirus software is a better pick in 2019?
Avast is a direct competitor to AVG and follows AVG’s long-time business model: Offering a free program as a premier option. Avast Free Antivirus provides award-winning protection for Windows users. Mac Tip #6 — Install extra cybersecurity. Apple’s security protocols are terrific, but to stay a step ahead of sophisticated cybercrime, you really need to augment with additional security and privacy software, such as: Antivirus. Installing a strong antivirus for Mac is an excellent step in defending your digital life.
- Jun 29, 2016 Avast Free Antivirus for Mac is a free antivirus program with a virus scanner, firewall, and various features that you can turn off or on. The program is free, but will request payment for some features, which means that you can’t expect everything in the features section to be free.
- Avast Free Antivirus for Mac is a free antivirus program with a virus scanner, firewall, and various features that you can turn off or on. The program is free, but will request payment for some features, which means that you can’t expect everything in the features section to be free.
Read this value='{'show_for_logged_in':'1','hide_on_device':'}'>
Months
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
During the past few months, we evaluated and reviewed over 50 antivirus suites from the biggest names in cybersecurity. We did this so you can confidently choose the best antivirus software to protect yourself and those whom you love.
Overall, Bitdefender is our #1 antivirus software for 2019 (and beyond), because of its excellent, flawless performance in all independent lab evaluations, particularly those conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.
Right now, we think that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus package available in the market. Apart from providing excellent anti-malware protection, it offers all the advanced premium features and utilities that must be there in a high-end package -- and best of all, it offers excellent value for money. You can protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, or smartphones) with just one license.
If you need protection for more than five devices, we highly recommend Bitdefender Family Pack 2019. It will cover all the internet-capable devices in your household with the Total Security suite, so your family is protected no matter what goes wrong.
Overall, Bitdefender is our #1 antivirus software for 2019 (and beyond), because of its excellent, flawless performance in all independent lab evaluations, particularly those conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.
Right now, we think that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus package available in the market. Apart from providing excellent anti-malware protection, it offers all the advanced premium features and utilities that must be there in a high-end package -- and best of all, it offers excellent value for money. You can protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, or smartphones) with just one license.
If you need protection for more than five devices, we highly recommend Bitdefender Family Pack 2019. It will cover all the internet-capable devices in your household with the Total Security suite, so your family is protected no matter what goes wrong.
In this guide, we’ll go over McAfee and Avast and compare the two in a head-to-head competition to see which software is a better option.
In a rush? Look at the breakdown below. It’ll give you a quick summary of the winners in each category. You can scroll down to the individual categories for details.
A Quick Rundown of Winners in Each Category
1. Features
Winner: McAfee. McAfee offers all the advanced security-related features and utilities with its flagship premium product, while Avast reserves its important features and tools for its high-end products.
2. Malware Protection
Winner: McAfee. Overall, McAfee offers better anti-malware security than better than Avast, as evidenced by independent lab tests.
3. System Performance
Winner: Tie. Independent tests confirm that both McAfee and Avast are excellent in terms of the impact on system performance; both software put a very minimal (almost negligible) strain on systems.
4. User-Friendliness
Winner: Tie. Both McAfee and Avast offer a simple, easy-to-use user interface.
5. Pricing
Winner: McAfee. McAfee gives you more bang for your buck; you can get more licenses for less money through McAfee.
6. Customer Satisfaction
Winner: McAfee. McAfee has slightly better customer satisfaction ratings than Avast.
Short Verdict
Both Avast and McAfee offer several feature-rich antivirus suites to meet your protection needs. Independent tests prove that both software provide top-notch protection against all sorts of malware threats, but McAfee is slightly better than Avast in terms of the impact on system performance.
Our recommendations: If you want to get the highest level of security and performance, there's no better choice than Bitdefender, which protects over 500 million computers worldwide.
We have reviewed and rated most (if not all) antivirus software packages out there, and we think that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus package you can buy right now. You can protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, or smartphones) with a single license of this suite.
If you have more than five devices, Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 is the best option for you.
If you're just looking for Mac-specific protection, we recommend Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac 2019 for complete peace of mind.
We have reviewed and rated most (if not all) antivirus software packages out there, and we think that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus package you can buy right now. You can protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, or smartphones) with a single license of this suite.
If you have more than five devices, Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 is the best option for you.
If you're just looking for Mac-specific protection, we recommend Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac 2019 for complete peace of mind.
Now, let’s delve into the details.
1. Features
These days, almost all cybersecurity companies offer a slew of advanced security-enhancing features and tools as part of their security packages.
First, let’s see what McAfee brings to the table in terms of features.
McAfee Total Protection (works on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS) is the company’s flagship and most popular security offering. It has a unique purchasing model in that it can be bought in bundles of 1, 5, or 10 devices depending on your preferences. No matter which bundle you select, you will get top-drawer malware protection along with a full set of advanced features and utilities.
The package has a smart two-way firewall that monitors all incoming and outgoing network connections and blocks all sorts of sophisticated attacks. The Vulnerability Scanner is also part of the software; it checks for security flaws and holes that hackers can potentially exploit and use, such as outdated software.
The TrueKey Identity Manager (lets you store all your passwords and sensitive details for in a secure vault) and a file shredder (allows you securely delete confidential files) are also jammed into the suite, along with the Network Manager tool that protects your WiFi against intruders and hackers.
The file encryption utility is also there as well; it lets you encrypt your sensitive files so no one can have access to them without authentication. There’s also a full suite performance optimization features; these features help your computer run faster and more efficiently, so you can focus on doing things that matter to you.
Finally, the suite comes with a full suite of parental controls. These features allow you to monitor the browsing habits of your children and control which websites they can (and cannot) visit. You can also set daily time limits on their computer use, to prevent them from spending all day in front of the computer.
Another suite that the company offers is McAfee LiveSafe. There’s no difference between LiveSafe and Total Protection in terms of features offered, but the former allows you to protect unlimited devices with a single license. But the major downside of LiveSafe is that it comes at a slightly higher price point. (You’ll see prices later in this guide.)
Now, let’s see what Avast offers in terms of features.
Unlike McAfee, Avast offers separate products for Windows and macOS. We’ll cover the Windows-only products first.
Avast Free Antivirus is the company’s first antivirus software. As the name suggests, you can use it for free for as long as you want, but there aren’t any advanced features and utilities jammed into this package. However, the product does protect against different types of digital threats, including viruses, ransomware, worms, spyware.
Next up is Avast Internet Security, the company’s first premium antivirus offering. It offers top-notch protection against all sorts of malware threats, plus several useful advanced features and functions. There’s a smart firewall that protects your computer against unauthorized access and hacking attempts, an email filter that can keep junk mail from clogging up your inbox, and the WiFi Inspector tool that protects your network against hackers and intruders.
The Sandbox utility is also part of the suite; it lets you run suspicious files and software in a secured portion of your computer, so you don’t risk the rest of your computer when installing new software or opening new files. The Real Site utility is also incorporated into the suite; it protects your network and prevents fake DNS routing from taking place, which is a common tactic that hackers use these days to steal financial details and other sensitive information.
Another level up is Avast Premier. This suite includes everything that is found in the previous suites, plus a webcam protector that stops people from secretly spying on you through your webcam and an automatic software updater. The Data Shredder utility is also included; it allows you to securely erase your sensitive files so no one can recover them.
Finally, there’s Avast Ultimate – the company’s top-tier security package. This package has everything that comes with the Premier suite, plus there’s a VPN that you can use to anonymously browse the internet and access content that is restricted in your geographic location.
The Avast Cleanup utility is also jammed into the Ultimate suite; it cleans junk files and improves the performance of your computer.
For Mac users, there’s Avast Security for Mac. This suite comes in two versions, Free and Premium. The freeware is very barebones in terms of advanced features and utilities but does offer “essential malware protection.” The Premium offering comes with advanced ransomware protection and the WiFi Intruder Alert feature.
If you’re interested in Avast’s business-specific solutions, click here for more information.
Winner: McAfee. Overall, McAfee is the winner in this category as it offers all the advanced features and tools with its flagship product. Avast’s best features are only found in its high-end suites.
2. Malware Protection
Malware defense is one of the most important aspects you should consider when purchasing antivirus software.
But how to tell which software boasts better anti-malware defense? We can examine how both McAfee and Avast fared in the recent lab evaluations conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives – two highly regarded independent organizations in the antivirus space.
In AV-Test’s April 2019 evaluations, all antivirus products were evaluated in three different areas: Protection, Performance, and Usability.
In the Protection test, McAfee received a perfect 6 out of 6, showing exceptional anti-malware capabilities.
Avast’s performance was slightly less appealing; it got a 5.5 out of 6, which is a good score but not a perfect one.
AV-Comparatives, another reputable independent organization, also conducts several thorough tests to evaluate the performance of various security software brands.
In their recent Real-World tests, both McAfee and Avast fared exceptionally well; both software received the highest ADVANCED+ award because of their impressive protection rates and low false positives’ count.
Winner: McAfee. It’s a close call, but McAfee is the winner in this category as it fared better than Avast in the AV-Test evaluations.
3. System Performance
There’s no doubt that malware defense is important, but if a security software becomes a burden on your system and slows down your routine tasks and activities, it’s not worth your money.
Let’s examine how much impact both McAfee and Avast on system performance.
In the Performance category of AV-Test evaluations, McAfee came up with another 6-star rating, an excellent system performance score.
Avast also got a full score in these evaluations, matching McAfee.
In the AV-Comparatives April 2019 performance test, both software secured the highest ADVANCED+ award because of their exceptional impact scores.
Winner: Tie. Both McAfee and Avira are neck and neck in terms of system performance.
4. User-Friendliness
All the factors we have discussed so far are important, but if a software has a clunky, outdated user interface, it’s likely that you won’t enjoy using it.
First, let’s examine McAfee’s user interface.
McAfee’s interface is simple, bright, and sleek – in colors of blue, gray, and white. There’s a horizontal menu at the top that allows you to access all the features and functions with just a few clicks. Links to Notifications, News, Help, Settings are also there on the right side of the menu.
On the main screen, you’ll find a large green checkmark in the top left corner if everything is okay. The checkmark will change into a red warning sign when there’s an issue.
At the bottom, there are blocks for running a scan, updating apps, removing browser cookies/trackers.
Now, let’s examine Avast’s interface.
Avast uses a dark, modern-styled interface that is both simple and intuitive.
There’s a vertical menu on the left with four different tabs: Status, Protection, Privacy, and Performance. The Status window is what you see when you open the interface. You will find your protection status in the center, as well as a button to run a quick scan. The other tabs have relevant features and options.
The link to Settings is available in the bottom-left corner.
Winner: Tie. Overall, it’s a tie in this category as both software offer a simple, easy-to-use interface.
5. Pricing
Now, let’s look at the prices of the security suites offered by both companies.
McAfee Total Protection, the flagship product from McAfee, comes at different price points; $24.99 per year for 1 device, $39.99 per year for 5 devices, and $44.99 per year for 10 devices.
McAfee LiveSafe protects unlimited devices for $99.99 per year.
| McAfee Security Products | Prices |
|---|---|
| McAfee Total Protection | Check Price |
| McAfee LiveSafe | Check Price |
| McAfee Small Business Security | Check Price |
| McAfee Business Products | Check Prices |
Avast Free doesn’t cost anything, but it doesn’t offer much value. Avast Internet Security, the first worthwhile software from the company, costs $59.99 per year for 1 PC. Avast Premier comes at $69.99 per year for 1 PC.
Avast Ultimate, the full-blown antivirus solution, costs $119.95 per year for 1 PC.
Avast Security for Mac, the company’s only offering for macOS users, costs $59.99 per year for a single Mac.
| Avast Security Products | Prices |
|---|---|
| Avast Pro Antivirus | Check Price |
| Avast Internet Security | Check Price |
| Avast Premier | Check Price |
| Avast Ultimate | Check Price |
| Avast Security for Mac | Check Price |
| Avast Business Products | Check Prices |
Winner: McAfee. McAfee offers better value for money; you can get more licenses for less money through McAfee than through Avast.
6. Customer Satisfaction
One last aspect we will consider is customer satisfaction. Let’s see what the actual customers of both McAfee and Avast think of their products.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a well-known site that collects customer reviews for all companies and averages them out into an A to F letter grade rating. Both McAfee and Avast have an excellent A+ rating from the BBB, which indicates exceptional customer service and high levels of user satisfaction.
Winner: Tie. Both software have comparable customer satisfaction ratings.
Final Thoughts
Months
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
Our recommendations: After reviewing over 50 antivirus suites from some of the biggest names in the cybersecurity landscape, we believe that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus suite for 2019 in terms of value for money. A single subscription of the suites lets you protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, and smartphones) in any combination.
Plus, it comes with premium customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you have more than five devices, Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 is the best option for you.
Plus, it comes with premium customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you have more than five devices, Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 is the best option for you.
Related Comparisons
Bitdefender vs Avast
Bitdefender vs Kaspersky
Windows Defender vs McAfee
Bitdefender vs Malwarebytes
Windows Defender vs Avast
Malwarebytes Vs Kaspersky
AVG Vs ESET
Norton Vs ESET
Norton Vs Avira
McAfee vs Norton
Kaspersky vs Norton
McAfee vs Kaspersky
Bitdefender vs McAfee
Bitdefender vs Norton
Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac
Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac's top-shelf malware detection and barely there system impact make it the best antivirus solution.
Best Free Mac AntivirusBest Antivirus For Mac
Avast Free Mac Security
Avast Free Mac Security's malware-squashing proficiency, negligible performance impact and included password manager make it the best free option.
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offers top-shelf malware detection and protects files from ransomware.
After evaluating eight free and paid antivirus products, we've chosen Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac ($40 per year) as the best antivirus for Mac. It had a nearly invisible impact on system performance, and it caught all malware.
Avast Free Mac Security is our favorite free option, as it provided nearly perfect malware protection and an easy-to-use interface with an imperceptible performance hit.
You do need an antivirus program on your Mac. Recent years have seen more Mac malware and adware than ever before, from Trojans to targeted attacks, supply-chain attacks like the XcodeGhost attack and even encrypting ransomware.
MORE: Best Antivirus Software and Apps
Latest Security Alerts and Threats
— Google pushed out an emergency patch for its Chrome browser for Windows, macOS and Linux after a vulnerability was found that could let a malicious website take over a computer. ADVICE: Copy and paste 'chrome://settings/help' into your Chrome address bar to make sure your browser is updated to version 76.0.3809.132.
— Apple patched a security hole that let you -- or a malicious website -- jailbreak an iPhone and install any kind of app, including potential malware. (This is not among the flaws that let several websites infect any iPhone.) ADVICE: Make sure your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch is updated to iOS 12.4.1.
— 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.
How We Tested
To find the best antivirus for Mac desktops and laptops, we evaluate ease of use, interface and performance impact, we installed each AV program on the same Late 2013 MacBook Pro with Retina Display running macOS 10.12 Sierra. It was powered by a 2.6-GHz Intel Core i7 processor and had 8GB of RAM and 70GB of data stored on a 512GB SSD.
We conducted our own tests in July and August 2017 based on how much each antivirus product affected our laptop's performance. To do this, we used our custom OpenOffice benchmark, which matches 20,000 names and addresses in a spreadsheet. We measured how long it took to run a quick scan and a full scan while the laptop crunched numbers in the background.
We assessed how easy each program was to use and the number of useful extra features it offered (including free add-on software). To gauge how effective each package was at stopping malware, we used the results of evaluations conducted in May 2017 by AV-TEST, a well-regarded independent product-testing lab in Germany, and results from other tests conducted in July 2017 by AV-Comparatives, a similarly well-respected firm in Austria.
Best Mac Antivirus
Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac
Reasons to Buy
Minimal system impact
Reasons to Avoid
Kaspersky Internet Security is the best antivirus for Macs because it 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.
Is Avast A Good Antivirus
Best Free Mac Antivirus
Avast Free Mac Security
Reasons to Buy
Excellent malware protection
Password manager included
Reasons to Avoid
Avast Free Mac Security caught 99.9 percent of all malware, packs in a password manager, barely leaves a smudge on system impact and doesn't charge a dime. If only it caught 100 percent of malware, as Kaspersky did.
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Reasons to Buy
Ransomware protection
Parental controls
Reasons to Avoid
$38.99
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is one of only a few solutions we tested that offers perfect malware detection. Further, its modern, streamlined interface places on-demand scans front and center. Bitdefender has dropped from first place, though, because its system-impact scores don't match the flawless marks posted by Kaspersky.
Norton 360 Deluxe
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Noticeable system impact
Norton 360 Deluxe may offer excellent protection, but it charges more (after the first year) than its competitors do, without offering as many perks. Norton AntiVirus Plus offers similar protection for a single Mac, but with fewer perks. Still, both have always-on-call customer support.
AVG Antivirus for Mac
Reasons to Buy
Free
Reasons to Avoid
Comparatively high background impact
AVG Antivirus for Mac
If you're looking for the best antivirus for Mac without having to pay, AVG AntiVirus for Mac is not too shabby, with its 99.9 percent detection rate and easy-to-use design. Unfortunately, other free competitors provide extras (Sophos with parental controls, Avast's password manager) that AVG does not.
Best for Families
Sophos Home
Reasons to Buy
Remote manageability
Low system impact
Reasons to Avoid
With Sophos Home for Mac's simple interface and low system-performance impact, you'll barely realize the program is shielding you until you need it. Anyone with young children at home will find Sophos' parental controls useful, as they allow for remote scans and checks, and let you block sites by category. Sophos even keeps a log of when users try to reach banned pages. This program's major drawback, though, is its lackluster malware-detection rate.
Avira Free Antivirus for Mac
Reasons to Buy
Solid malware protection
Reasons to Avoid
Once our favorite, Avira Free Antivirus for Mac is no longer the best antivirus for Mac. That's because it is a hair shy of perfection in its malware detection, and fell behind in system-performance testing, earning some of the higher performance impacts recorded.
McAfee Antivirus Plus
Reasons to Buy
Familiar user interface
Reasons to Avoid
Unproven detection rates
McAfee® AntiVirus Plus
While McAfee's unlimited licenses mean you can support a whole family of Macs (and PCs and Android devices, too), this program's lack of special features (for a paid version) make it hard to recommend. Further, we don't have malware-detection testing scores for McAfee, so its protection powers are unproven.
