We've tested them, and what follows are our top recommendations, along with buying advice to find the right antivirus protection for your needs.

Still, nothing we've seen suggests that upgrading to Monterey will obviate the need for an antivirus utility. And Monterey adds subtle security enhancements like hiding your IP address in Safari and Mail and easier access to passwords. Big Sur goes further, sealing the operating system in a protected volume that's unreachable by malware.

MacOS Catalina piled on more security features, with enhanced control over data-access permissions, weak password warnings, a strengthened anti-malware gatekeeper, and more. When macOS Mojave came out, it advanced security in various ways, including tracker blocking in Safari, a password manager, and a tighter rein on AppleScript. At the high end, you pay $99.99 per year for a three-license subscription to Intego Mac Internet Security X9 or Airo Antivirus for Mac. With Sophos Home Premium, $60 per year lets you install and remotely manage protection on 10 Macs or PCs. McAfee goes beyond that, with a $59.99 per year subscription that protects all your Macs, PCs, Android, and iOS devices. ProtectWorks is unusual in that a single $29.95 payment lets you protect all the Macs in your household, with no subscription needed. Which antivirus should you choose for your Mac? We’ve reviewed dozens to help you make an informed choice.Īs with Windows antivirus tools, the most common price is just under $40 per year for a single license. Some attacks don’t even try to defeat operating system security, instead choosing to bamboozle the user into giving up secrets-most antivirus products include protection against these fraudsters. Malware coders must work harder to break through the layers of protection on a Mac, but they can and do succeed. But that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from antivirus protection. It’s better than Windows, or Android, no question. (Opens in a new window)Īpple deserves praise for the security baked into macOS. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions.

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