The best free antivirus for Mac Avast Security for Mac Avast Security for Mac is one of the most popular security suites available, and it’s easy to see why.

Paid or free, these programs chase malware away This report covers antivirus software, which scans your hard drive, removable media, incoming and outgoing mail, email attachments and instant-messaging chats for malware such as viruses, worms and Trojan horses. Antivirus software is not just for PCs, either. Mac users, who were sheltered from malware and other threats for decades, are increasingly at risk for attacks. Keeping a computer free from malware has become more difficult over the years as threats now emerge from multiple sources including computer files, USB drives, email attachments and websites. Antivirus software makers have responded by beefing up their 'antivirus' software with extra features and defenses. In addition to fighting malware, the best antivirus programs now protect you from spyware, phishing, identity theft, threats delivered over USB and more. This still falls short of the all-in-one protection found in Internet security suites, which typically add in still more safeguards and features such as a software firewall, parental controls, file encryption and backup, plus more.

If you think that a suite's more encompassing protection is something you are interested in, we name some top choices in a separate report on. That said, full-fledged Internet security suites typically cost more than more basic antivirus programs from the same company, and a security suite's extra features might be redundant, or not needed.

For example, experts say that the hardware firewall in most modern routers is usually much more effective than a software firewall. Besides, some of the best antivirus programs are free -- and you can't beat that. Finding the Best Antivirus Programs As with most computer products, professional tests are usually the best guide to finding useful, quality products. Customer reviews, on the other hand, are a good guide to problems that users encounter in the real world. Professional reviewers usually test programs on virtual machines instead of real-world computers, so they sometimes don't encounter the issues that some users experience. That's why user ratings often fall below professional ratings. Taking feedback from these sources into consideration, we base our recommendations on performance (including how well a program blocks attacks and how well it cleans up the mess if a system is already infected) as well as usability.

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Extra features are evaluated both on performance, and how helpful -- or in some cases harmful -- they potentially are. Modern antivirus software is a lot easier to set up and use than older programs, but it's not always smooth sailing. Kaspersky: Best virus protection, but controversial Year after year, Kaspersky and Bitdefender duke it out for the antivirus championship. This year, (Est. $30 per year for 3 PCs) grabs the title, after edging out Bitdefender in AV-Test's latest malware-busting shootout. But controversy swirls around Russian-made Kaspersky and its alleged links to Russian spy agencies – a charge Kaspersky has denied. From their shelves.

Some experts say they'd steer clear. Others argue that while big-name antivirus software would be a great government spying tool, it wouldn't pose any risk to ordinary home users. Top testing organizations still recommend Kaspersky. 'Until we see real evidence that Kaspersky software is a threat to consumers, we will continue to recommend it,' Tom's Guide writes, and PCMag adds a similar note to all of its Kaspersky coverage. Undoubtedly, Kaspersky works.

It's the only home antivirus software that earns the highest possible scores for everything at AV-Test – protection, performance and usability – for all commonly used versions of Windows (7, 8/8.1 and 10). Kaspersky offers a free version with the same impeccable protection, but PCMag says it's worthwhile upgrading to the paid version. Paid users get phone and live chat support, System Watcher (an extra barricade against ransomware that's 'a doozy,' PCMag praises), vulnerability scanner to check for weaknesses in the system and apps, Microsoft Windows troubleshooting and a bootable Kaspersky rescue disk. Despite all of that, if you're wary of Kaspersky, (Est. $40 per year for 3 PCs) is a good alternative. Bitdefender boasts more extra features than Kaspersky, including a file shredder, password manager and a SafePay hardened web browser that provides an extra layer of protection for your online financial transactions. Malware protection is outstanding, and Bitdefender's phishing protection is, quite simply, the best you can buy.