With Apple already including built-in antivirus protection for Macs you might be wondering “Do Macs need antivirus software?” especially when confronted by pricy monthly subscriptions for services. In this article we’ll explain why you need an extra layer of protection and how to get the best Mac antivirus software deals.
Mac security software adds another layer of protection to what Apple already provides, with features that can help to protect your identity, passwords, and financial details. These are the things that criminals are after, and they’ll often use cunning ways to extract them rather than spending time trying to break past Apple’s defenses in macOS.
Although some of the packages here are solely focused on macOS, others will also protect Android and Windows devices you might also own, and that makes the price of protection much cheaper per computer.
Our best deal this month is Intego Mac Internet Security X9 – you can get it for $24.99/£20.99 a year for one Mac, normally $49.99/£49.99 a year get the deal here.
We’ve evaluated many antivirus for Mac solutions from several companies, including free and low-cost options as well as some more feature-packed alternatives. See our round-up of the Best antivirus for Mac. Here we will share the best free antivirus options as well as the best deals we have seen on the paid-for antivirus solutions.
Best free antivirus for Mac
Several companies offer free antivirus software for Mac. However, you should always be cautious using a free antivirus and don’t expect all the features of the paid-for options.
Cheapest antivirus deals for Mac
You’ll find the following Mac antivirus recommendations in our round-up of the Best antivirus for Mac. We’re just presenting the lower-priced options here, but if you look at the roundup you may find alternative deals that suit you better.
1. Intego Mac Internet Security X9
Pros
- Built for Mac
- Easy to set up
Cons
- No protection from phishing links in email
Intego Mac Internet Security X9 offers a useful set of security utilities that help keep your Mac safe and running smoothly and its user-friendly interface is right at home with Apple’s macOS aesthetic.
We have a special deal for Intego Mac Internet Security X9 so you can get it for $24.99/£20.99 a year for one Mac: get the deal here. There’s also a two-year intro rate of $42.24/£35.99 that can be chosen at checkout.
Read our full
Intego Mac Internet Security X9 review
2. Norton 360
Pros
- Fast, good performance and stability
- Minimal performance impact
Cons
- Unable to scan .zip archives
The user interface is clean and friendly and the program ran both its foreground and background tasks briskly, with no crashes or slowdowns. There are some differences between the UK and US versions of Norton 360. In the U.S. you pay $39.99 for Norton 360 Standard which gives you protection for 3 devices, but in the U.K. it’s £24.99 for Norton 360 Standard for just one device.
We’ve seen deals on Amazon. For example, at Amazon U.S. Norton 360 Deluxe (covering three devices) is $14.99 get the deal here.
In the U.K. there’s also a deal on Amazon U.K. Get cover for three devices for just £12.99. Get the deal here
Read our full
Norton 360 review
3. McAfee Total Protection
Pros
- Good, customizable set of security tools
- Background scanning feature
McAfee Total Protection offers some good tools with good background protection and customization as well as an easy means of keeping your devices secure.
You can get McAfee Total Protection for five devices for $39.99 for one year in the U.S. – get the U.S. deal here. It’s £34.99 a year for five devices for the first year in the U.K – get the U.K. deal here.
Read our full
McAfee Total Protection review
4. Avast Premium Security
Pros
- Impressive malware detection and network tools
- Easy to specify antiviral scan types and target volumes
Cons
- Descriptions of suspect files lack detail
This suite offers a good suite of tools at a good price. The best functions such as VPN, disk cleanup, and anti-tracking tools are only available on the “Ultimate” subscription tier.
Avast will cover for one Mac for $50.28/£39.99 for the first year.
Read our full
Avast Premium Security review
5. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Pros
- Easy to scan external volumes such as flash drives
- Nice user interface
Cons
- Occasional freezes
- Limited VPN
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offers a handy, customizable user interface and good features.
Bitdefender Total Security is currently £29.99 for a year in the U.K. for three devices, and $39.99 in the U.S. for a one-year subscription for three devices, get the U.S. deal here / get the U.K. deal here.
Read our full
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac review
6. Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac
Pros
- Good malware detection
- Low system load
Cons
- Fewer extra features than less-expensive options
Trend Micro Antivirus is a good program with well-rated antivirus protection and a simple, straightforward interface that users will appreciate.
Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac is currently $29.99 for first year for one Mac, usually $39.95: Get the U.S. deal here / Currently £19.95 for first year for one Mac, usually £49.99: Get the U.K. deal here.
Read our full
Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac review
How to find a good antivirus deal
It can be tricky to know where to start with antivirus. Protecting your tech from malware, ransomware and other cyber attacks is such an important thing to do, but most of the services available appear to be very similar to one another, so it’s hard to understand which are the most secure, and which are the best value.
You can rest assured that we will only share deals here if we think they’re good enough to be worth buying. Everything we share here will be a great saving on a service we trust.
We recommend taking a look at our article all about the
best Mac antivirus to help you get a better understanding of which services we like most.
You’ll find that antivirus discounts can be huge, often at more than half price for your Mac or mobile devices. Do note that these are typically first-year deals, and at renewal you’ll pay the regular price.
