Plus, paid antiviruses include many more useful features, including a VPN or a password manager. So all it will do is remove malware that’s in your system, but it won’t stop threats from entering your device. Free antiviruses provide you with basic protection only, meaning you’re most likely not going to be protected in real time. To put it simply – it’s better to have a free antivirus on Mac than to have none at all.

Is it worth having a free antivirus on Mac?

Avira – completely free Mac antivirus with essential features.

Bitdefender – basic free antivirus software.

Surfshark AV – secure antivirus for Mac with a free trial.

Norton – Mac antivirus for versatile protection.

TotalAV – best free antivirus for Mac overall.

But it’s not the only strong competitor – let’s look at our top picks for the best free antivirus software for Mac. Our top recommendation is TotalAV because it has a truly free version with all the essentials and great malware detection rates. We tested loads of free antivirus products that are trustworthy to help you out. In a market full of antivirus solutions, it’s already difficult to choose the right one for Mac, and even harder to pick a free one.

That’s why you need an antivirus – better be safe than sorry and protect yourself online. While it’s considered one of the safer operating systems, it’s not threat-proof. Viruses and malware can sneak up on any of your devices unexpectedly, and macOS is no exception.

Sophos antivirus for mac review