Best free antivirus for Mac: Avast Free Mac Security Many antivirus suites provide a decent level of protection, but a few rise above all others by providing the very best in performance. Avast Antivirus expert review by Shelley Elmblad Czech-based Avast was the first company to offer home network security and is dedicated to providing free antivirus protection to homes, schools. Complete reviews of the best free antivirus software for Windows. Share Pin Email Print. Free Antivirus supports Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Why BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is a Top Pick for Mac Users. When it comes to free antivirus for Windows computer, your friends will mostly recommend you either Avast Free Antivirus 2018, AVG AntiVirus FREE 2018, or Avira Free Antivirus 2018.But which one of them is the best? All are completely for free and offers plenty of advanced features.
For our full antivirus for Mac review, visit: Our verdict: Avast Free Mac Security is a bare bones antivirus security pro. Avast Free Mac Security is a noteworthy antivirus for Mac, despite it lacks some functionalities.Avast Mac Security assures excellent malware detection scores in a simple interface, coming second only to the competitor Avira. Like AVG, Avast’s antivirus software comes in three versions, all with support for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. One of these is a free edition with basic antivirus protection for a single.
Avast Free Antivirus (Windows, macOS) is a no-cost package that includes an extensive list of both standard malware protections and specialty add-on features. Avast Free includes protections. Antivirus protection for your Mac is a must. More than just an antivirus, Avast One for Mac includes integrated VPN protection, protection against browser fingerprinting, data.
avast! Free Antivirus for Mac version 9
Pros
Certified by one independent testing lab. Free. Speedy full scan. Network security scanner. Password manager. Website rating. Active Do Not Track.Cons
Poor scores in phishing protection test. Password manager includes only basic features. SiteCorrect feature did not work in testing.Bottom Line
Avast Security (for Mac) delivers effective malware protection along with unusual bonus features. It tanks our antiphishing test, but this free utility is still worth a look.
For years, Mac users basked in the mystique of virus-free computing. It wasn't true, alas, and as time goes on we see more and more Mac-specific malware attacks. The situation may not be nearly as bad as for Window or Android, but prudence still dictates that you install antivirus protection on your Macs as well. Avast Security offers Macs protection against malware along with advanced features including a password manager and a network security scanner, all for a cost of exactly nothing.
Installation went quickly, though I did find I had to separately activate the password manager and the Online Security browser extension from the Tools page. You'll also find Avast's SecureLine VPN on that page, but it's not free like the others. When you click to activate, you get a choice of signing up for $2.99 per month or starting a 30-day trial.
The product's spacious main window features a large status indicator centered in an otherwise-empty white region, with a menu down the left side. It's a very different appearance from Avast Free Antivirus on Windows, which uses pops of purple and green on a dark gray background.
Pricing and OS Support
Like Bitdefender and Kaspersky, Avast supports macOS versions back to 10.9 Mavericks. If you have an antique Mac that for some reason can't even run Mavericks, consider ESET Cyber Security (for Mac),
Like Sophos and Avira, Avast offers full antivirus protection for free. Avast Security Pro (for Mac) costs $59.99 per year for one license or $69.99 for three. The Pro edition adds ransomware protection and real-time notification when new devices connect to your network. The free edition is strictly for non-commercial use; in a business setting, you must pay up.
Good Malware Protection Scores
When reviewing
It took years to develop my hands-on tools and tests for Windows. Most of them don't carry over to the macOS platform. Hence lab results become extremely important for my Mac antivirus reviews. Two of the labs I follow, AV-Test Institute and AV-Comparatives, test Mac antivirus, and Avast participates with one of them.
Experts at AV-Comparatives test Mac antivirus products using the latest macOS malware. They also evaluate each product's ability to detect Windows malware. Why? While a Trojan written for Windows wouldn't run on a Mac, the Mac could serve as a carrier.
Avast managed 99.9 percent protection against Mac malware. That's very good—better than most. However, Bitdefender and Kaspersky exhibited 100 percent protection. In the Windows malware test, Avast detected 100 percent of the samples. Most competing products also took 100 percent. However, Webroot only caught 75 percent, and Intego Mac Internet Security X9 got just 18 percent. Like most tested products, Avast received certification from AV-Comparatives for Mac antivirus protection.
Having one certification is good; having two is better. Bitdefender, Kaspersky, and Sophos are among the products that received certifications from both labs for Mac malware protection.
Scan Choices
Avast offers several scans to improve your Mac's security. A full scan on the Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch that I use for testing took 14.5 minutes, just a hair over Intego's 14 minutes, and quicker than the 18 minutes required by Avira. The average for recent products is 24 minutes, so Avast proved quite speedy. Norton is the current speed champ, completing a full scan in 10 minutes.
There's a separate scan for removable volumes, though you can configure the full scan to include them. I scanned a thumb drive containing my Windows malware collection and found that it quarantined 85 percent of them. For comparison, Avira detected 82 percent of these, while Sophos Home (for Mac) wiped out every single one.
There's no predefined quick scan, which makes sense given the speed of the full scan. The custom scan settings confused me, though. As with the full scan, you can add file locations to exclude from scanning, and configure it to scan Time Machine backups. But the full scan's settings include those
You can schedule a daily, weekly, or monthly scan if desired. Settings for a scheduled scan include two additional choices. You can set it to skip scanning if your device is running on batteries, and you can have it wake from sleep if necessary, to perform its scheduled scan. Avira Free Antivirus for Mac not only offers scheduled scanning, it defaults to a weekly scan with no effort on your part. Sophos skips scheduled scanning, relying instead on real-time protection.
Network Security Scan
The final scan choice doesn't look for malware. Rather, it collects information about all the devices on your network and flags any security problems. On my own network, the scan finished in just under three minutes.
The scanner correctly reported that my main router has an open port that could theoretically become a point of attack. It's true that the port is open, as my ISP uses it to run remote diagnostics when necessary. But that function requires a key that only the ISP has.
More interestingly, it found serious problems with a network storage device (fortunately, one that I'm not currently using). Not only does this device have numerous open ports, it's vulnerable to a buffer overrun attack. Avast advised updating the firmware; I just unplugged it.
The report also serves as a list of everything that's connected to your network, identifying each by name and type. It's similar to the output of Bitdefender Home Scanner. With both products, I found devices with names like unknown6542990b6483—not much help! Bitdefender includes an option to edit the name and type, and it remembers your edits in subsequent scans. I'd like to see that ability in Avast.
Excellent Phishing Protection in Chrome and Firefox
In the Windows realm, one thing that differentiates Avast's premium product is better protection against phishing sites, those fraudulent sites that imitate secure sites and try to steal your login credentials. The free Windows edition scored very poorly, while the premium edition did an extremely good job. Based on initial round of testing, the Mac product's phishing protection, both free and Pro, seemed to match that of the free Windows product, meaning it's not very good.
I learned later that Avast's phishing protection is not fully functional in Safari. The developers are working on making it completely browser-independent. In the meantime, they advise using Chrome or Firefox. Norton was also having problems during my original test, so I tossed those results and started fresh.
My phishing protection test uses URLs reported as fraudulent, but not yet verified. Typically, these are only a few hours old. That's
I simultaneously launch each URL in Safari on the Mac and in a browser protected by long-time antiphishing champ Symantec Norton Security Premium. I also launch each in Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer, relying on the browser's built-in protection. If any of the five browsers throw an error message, I discard the URL. A true phishing fraud masquerades as a secure site and tries to capture your login credentials. Any URL that doesn't match that profile also gets junked.
I've written a Windows-based tool that handles launching URLs and capturing results. On the Mac, I copy and paste each URL into Safari and manually record the result. When I have enough data, I dump the five reports into Excel for comparison.
The malefactors that perpetrate these phishing frauds are clever. They're always devising new techniques to get past security software. That being the case, I report results not as hard figures but as the difference between the product under test and the others.
Tested using Safari's incomplete phishing protection, Avast's detection rate lagged Norton's by 32 percent, and Norton itself was having a bad day. All three browsers soundly drubbed Avast. When I retested using Chrome, Avast tied with Norton and beat the detection rates of the three browsers. That's impressive. Of the Mac security products I've tested, only Bitdefender did better, beating Norton by 5 percentage points.
While phishing is browser-agnostic, phishing protection is not. Bitdefender beat Norton by 5 percentage points, but its Windows cousin more than doubled that gap. Even Symantec Norton Security Deluxe (for Mac) didn't detect many frauds that its Windows edition caught.
Site Rating and Do Not Track
Like McAfee AntiVirus Plus (for Mac), Avira, Trend Micro, and several others, Avast marks up results in popular search engines with green for safe, red for dangerous, and gray for unknown. You can click to vote a page up or down. Simple!
Clicking the Online Safety toolbar button displays the status
Digging into the settings for Online Safety reveals a hidden gem: SiteCorrect. If you mistype a site name, this feature offers to change to the correct name. You can even set it to automatically make the fix, with no prompt. However, in testing, I couldn't tease it into action. I tried pyapal.com, pcmga.com, whitehous.gov, wallmart.com, and many others, with no reaction from SiteCorrect.
Basic Password Manager
Avast Free Antivirus Download 2021
Like Avast's Windows antivirus, this product includes
There's no limit on the number of devices, and you can sync your passwords between them all, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Avast doesn't keep your passwords in the cloud. Rather, it uses your Avast account to authorize syncing data that's stored locally on your devices.
Once you've enabled syncing on a device, that device becomes an authenticator for adding more devices. The new device displays a numeric code, and the existing device gets a notification with the same code. If the numbers match, just click to approve. What if you lose all your devices? On installation, Avast sends an email with a recovery link; don't lose that email!
On each of your devices, you create a master password to protect the local password stash. The master passwords need not be the same, but who'd want the confusion of making them different? Avast offers advice on creating a strong password, with a color-coded line representing the strength of what you've typed. It's not easy to get all the way to green, but Avast doesn't require it. In fact, it accepted 'Password' as a master password.
Avast offers browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. When you log in to a site, the extension offers to save your credentials. If you come back to the site, it fills your saved credentials. Clicking the key icon in one of the fields brings up a menu showing all the credentials you've saved. And it handles two-page logins like what Google uses.
Avast doesn't use the typical menu of logins attached to its toolbar button. Rather, you click the button and launch the main application. Unlike the Windows edition, this is a separate app, not integrated with the main antivirus. Its main window is seriously tall and skinny, like something you'd find on a smartphone, and you have only limited control over its size. Clicking an item opens its details, with a link to open the site itself.
You can also use the password manager to sync and share secure notes between your devices. These are simple, unformatted text snippets, suitable for saving such things as locker combinations and non-digital passwords.
The left-rail menu offers simple icons to manage passwords and secure notes, and one to bring up the password generator. By default, it generates 18-character passwords using all character types. You can set the length anywhere from four to 30 characters using a slider.
Avast analyzes the strength of your master password when you first create it, but not when you update it. Avast Pro Antivirus on Windows can analyze your passwords, flagging any weak or duplicate ones. The free Windows edition used to include this feature, but it was recently enhanced and redefined as a Pro-only feature.
This password manager handles all the basic tasks and no more. Fancy features like secure sharing, two-factor authentication, and password inheritance aren't here. But you do get it along with the antivirus, at no charge, so if it does enough for you, go ahead and use it.
Worth a Look
Download Avast Free Antivirus For Mac
AV-Comparatives certified Avast Security as an effective Mac antivirus. Impressively, it offers a network scanner and password manager, features often reserved for full security suites. On the other hand, the password manager handles basic functions only—nothing advanced. And while Avast earned great stores in my hands-on antiphishing test, that function currently works well in Chrome and Firefox, but not Safari. But the pros outweigh the cons. If you're looking for free Mac antivirus protection, give it a try, along with Sophos and Avira, and see which you like best.
For truly top-notch Mac security, you'll need to lay out some cash. Our Editors' Choice products in this realm are Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac and Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac. Both received certification from two labs. Both scored well in our hands-on antiphishing test. Bitdefender's AutoPilot mode means you can set it and forget it. And Kaspersky goes above and beyond feature-wise, with full-scale parental control, protection against webcam peeping, a network attack blocker, and more.
Avast Security (for Mac)
Best Free Antivirus For Mac
Bottom Line: Avast Security (for Mac) delivers effective malware protection along with unusual bonus features. Phishing protection only works well in Chrome and Firefox, but this free utility is still worth a look.
PrintWith over 435 million product users over the globe, Avast has over 30 years of experience meeting users’ needs for security, privacy and performance. Avast has the largest threat-detection network, with machine-learning virus protection and home network scanners.
Avast uses 6 layers of defense to keep users safe: Web Shield, Static Scanner, Emulators, Deep Screen, Cyber Capture and Behavior Shield. This advanced technology comes to users completely free, providing high quality security protection at no cost.
The most remarkable aspect of Avast Free Antivirus is the flexibility and breadth of protections available to the user, providing a very customizable and peace-of-mind experience.
Avast Free Antivirus includes Core Shields (File Shield, Mail Shield, Behavior Shield, Web Shields, Cyber Capture and Botnet Protection), Ransomware Shield, Hack Alerts, Wi-Fi Inspector, Smart Scan, Do Not Disturb Mode, Rescue Disk, manual Software Updater and Anti-Phishing.
Readers should be aware that in addition to the Avast Free Antivirus for PC/Windows, Avast offers Mac and Android versions and several levels of upgrades for home and business users who require additional protections.
Platforms Supported: Score: 10 out of 10
Although this review concentrates on the FREE version for Windows, readers should be aware that in addition to the Avast Free Antivirus for PC/Windows, Avast offers Mac, Android, and Multi-Device versions.
Avast also offers several levels of upgrades for home and business users who require additional protections.
Ease of Use: Score: 9.9 out of 10
Downloaded directly from the Avast.com web site using MS Edge browser. The program is also available as a plug-in for other popular browsers, such as FireFox.
Using a mid-range laptop with a current Windows 10 Home operating system, the download and installation were quite speedy, and we experienced no issues.
NOTE: To download and install Avast Free Anti-virus on a Windows 10 computer, you must have the most recent updates.
The download process is very simple and user-friendly. A user just needs to click the “download” button if they choose a Free product, and if Premium, they can download after the purchase goes through. If a user already has a Free product, they can activate a Premium license within the existing program; no new download is required.
During the download process, the user is able to personalize settings during installation, but the default configuration just takes a few clicks to get through. Users are also prompted on a screen to ask if they want to download Avast Secure Browser during the Antivirus installation, but it is not required to use the product.
The user interface was designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate. The main window shows a status icon and a large button in the center of the window labeled “Run Smart Scan” The user interface labels the different sections on the left-rail menu, where the user can switch between the default main status page and between specific product features related to Protection, Privacy and Performance. The features have clear explanations, making it easy to understand what each feature does.
The user is immediately prompted to run “SmartScan,” an initial scan. This comprehensive scan looks for malware, browser threats, outdated applications, network and other issues at the same time. It’s difficult to say how long it will take on average, as it depends on the user’s device and number of files that need to be scanned, but normally it should take no more than a couple of minutes. Default is set to run once a month. Avast also recommends that users run the Wi-Fi Inspector scan to do a deeper check on the network level.
DASHBOARD 9.9 out of 10
Users will immediately see a top-tier dashboard with easy-to-navigate and launch program features. The first four features are Status, Protection, Privacy, and Performance
Status shows the general status of the Avast Anti-Virus program; the default setting is for “Passive Mode,” which saves computer speed and capacity. At the user’s option, you can toggle to “Active Mode” which provides for real-time scanning for viruses. The drop-down menu provides a broad information and option array, with a great deal of flexibility for users to select the features which best fit individual needs.
Protection carries 9 choices for scans and protections, of which 5 are standard and 4 optional with upgrades. This section is in many ways at the heart of the versatility of the Avast Free Anti-Virus program, since it gives the user such flexibility in choosing the combination of protections most appropriate and useful for the individual user.
Privacy is the one area which is entirely configured for the optional upgrade. This reviewer’s experience in teaching identity theft courses to many professionals reflects an apparent difference between stated privacy concerns and actions taken to protect it. This Avast upgrade option provides each user the opportunity to make an informed decision on whether to include specific privacy protections under the Avast program.
Best Free Antivirus
Performance tab similarly provides the user with 2 standard protections: Do Not Disturb mode and Software Updater, and the choice to upgrade to include 3 more: Cleanup Premium, Driver Updater, and Battery Saver.
Features: Score: 9.9 out of 10
Avast Free Antivirus includes many useful features. The collection of programs is highly versatile for customized use. Some may take getting used to, in order to apply those most relevant for individual user. Overall, the Avast system is user-friendly and immediately functional with little or no customization required.
Core Shields include several complementary protections.
File Shield – Whenever you execute a file, File Shield immediately scans it. If the file is malicious, it’s safely moved to the Virus Chest to prevent it from harming your PC (or spreading to other PCs).
Email Shield works with installed email clients like Outlook and Thunderbird to strip malicious attachments from messages before they’re downloaded to — or sent from — your PC.
Behavior Shield uses advanced artificial intelligence to monitor all running apps in real-time for malicious behavior. If any is detected, Behavior Shield immediately stops the app and locks it away in the Virus Chest.
Web Shield blocks known malware from downloading to your PC while you browse the web.
Cyber Capture If you try to open a file that Avast doesn’t recognize (and might be dangerous), CyberCapture will block it and upload it to our servers for deeper analysis. If it’s malicious, Avast will push a cure out to you and hundreds of millions of users.
Wi-Fi Inspector automatically detects weaknesses in your home Wi-Fi and strangers piggybacking on your network.
Smart Scan finds all those cracks which allow malware to slip in, from unsafe settings and passwords to suspicious add-ons and out-of-date software.
Additional protections and convenience options are available in the free version:
New features introduced at the end of 2020 include Ransomware Shield and Hack Alerts
Ransomware Shield – Ransomware Shield goes a step further than the Avast Shields by giving users an additional layer of ransomware security. Ransomware Shield stops both ransomware and untrusted apps from changing, deleting, or encrypting personal photos and files in protected folders.
Hack Alerts – Monitors all accounts linked to a user’s email address and immediately alerts users if their passwords leak online.
Passive Mode – (This is the default setting, but can be changed by the user.)
The user should be aware that several of the SCANS identify potential problems – but the resolution of some of these is available only with upgrades to premium versions of Avast.
For most users, the broad array of features provided in the free version is likely to cover all the needs they may consider necessary.
Customer Support and Documentation: Score: 9.8 out of 10
Avast Free Antivirus Mac Reviews
Free users are able to reach Avast through online forums, online help through support articles (
Paid users are able to reach Avast through phone, email, chat and all of the options available for Free users as well. Avast Care comes with a subscription to our paid PC products which provides 24/7 phone support to troubleshoot and fix problems through remote access. This service is currently only available in English.
For other bigger issues, Avast users can access Avast’s Premium Tech Support (
Pricing: Score: 9.9 out of 10
Avast Antivirus available for free for all platforms.
Avast Premium Security for Windows and Mac starts at $69.99 for one license for one year or $89.99 for 10 devices for one year.
Avast Mobile Security for Android is $19.99 for one license for one year or $4.99 monthly.
Avast Mobile Security for iOS is $12.99 for one license for one year or $1.99 monthly.
A user is able to start a free trial for Avast Premium Security for 30 days without a credit card or a 60-day pre-authorized trial with a credit card.
Final Thoughts
The Avast Free Antivirus (Windows Version) is a powerful suite of anti-virus and related protections against cyber attacks. It is easy to download and install, has a user-friendly system to allow customization by individual users. With this broad, and growing, array of applications, the free version will meet all the needs of most users. For those who require additional protections, Avast’s optional upgrades are reasonable in price and can respond effectively to most foreseeable threats. All in all, the Avast program is cost-effective and rates highly in this product review.
Overall Review Score: 9.9 out of 10
Ccleaner
Visit Avast online, today: https://www.avast.com/
Highly recommended.
About the US Editor-in-Chief
Avast
Yan Ross, J.D., is a Cybersecurity Journalist & US Editor-in-Chief for both Cyber Security Magazine and Cyber Defense Magazine. He is an accredited author and educator and has provided editorial services for award-winning best-selling books on a variety of topics. He also serves as ICFE’s Director of Special Projects, and the author of the Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist ® XV CITRMS® course. As an accredited educator for over 20 years, Yan addresses risk management in the areas of identity theft, privacy, and cyber security for consumers and organizations holding sensitive personal information. You can reach him via his e-mail address at yan.ross@cyberdefensemediagroup.com