I used my Apple MacBook Air with 1.1 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor to examine each antivirus using the following criteria: I tested a range of different antivirus software packages to find the best ones that are free to use on Mac computers. How I Tested & Ranked the Top Free Antiviruses for macOS in 2021 Malwarebytes - Fast virus scanner with malware removal tools, but that’s all it does.Bitdefender - Easily detects and removes malware on Mac, but can’t protect you in real-time or against advanced cyberthreats.Sophos - Cloud-based antivirus offers real-time scanner, web protection, and parental controls, but requires a constant internet connection to run.TotalAV - Offers excellent scanning tools and free firewall, but lacks real-time and ransomware protection.Avira - #1 free antivirus for Mac with near-perfect detection rates and premium features like real-time and ransomware protection.Try Avira on Mac for free! Quick Guide: Best Free Antivirus Software for Mac in 2021 I highly recommend you try Avira for free on your Mac for an extra layer of protection. While you won’t have access to all of Avira’s premium features, the free plan does offer basic antivirus essentials.

I especially liked Avira as it has real-time and ransomware protection, as well as optimization tools designed specifically for Mac. While no free antivirus is perfect, every antivirus on this list offers excellent defense against malware and won’t slow down your Mac. To save you time and money, I tested and shortlisted the best 5 Mac antiviruses that are 100% free to download and use. Other shadier free antiviruses have intrusive data collection policies that put your privacy at risk. Some antiviruses are effective but so slow that you just want to turn it off. Many free antivirus brands often treat macOS as an afterthought and provide little protection beyond Apple’s built-in security features. You can try Intego for 30 days with its free trial (no credit card needed).įinding a trustworthy and free Mac antivirus isn’t easy. It easily flagged and removed all malware on a MacBook Pro (and even comes with optimization tools for cleaning up your Mac!). In tests, Intego emerged as the strongest macOS antivirus available in 2021. In a rush? The best Mac antivirus you can use for free is Intego. IPVanish VPN vs Private Internet Access.

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