All the options included in this roundup achieve some of the best threat detection scores on Mac. Effectiveness: Be sure to choose an antivirus package that you can rely on.With so many to choose from, it can be overwhelming at first, but you can easily separate the solutions that will work for you from those that won’t by deciding what it is you really need. Then, you'll run that installer and have AVG AntiVirus for Mac up after around 8 minutes.What to look for in the best antivirus softwareĬhoosing the right antivirus software for your Mac doesn’t have to be difficult. Installation and SupportĬlicking Download on AVG's site sends you to a page on (aka, ) where you'll procure the disk-image file containing AVG's installer. The final option in this window allows you to tell AVG AntiVirus not to scan certain folders and files. Here, you'll also find the option to scan for potentially unwanted applications, otherwise known as PUAs - the annoying but legal programs that sneak into your computer alongside other downloads. MORE: The Best (and Worst) Identity Theft Protection (Scanning of the latter two types is disabled by default.) ZIP's), external files and shared folders. In the Preferences window, you'll find options to disable the menu-bar icon and the scanning of archived files (which includes. There's a Details button that you can click for more information this will move you from the home screen, but you likely won't need to click it.ĪVG Antivirus for Mac offers one of the simplest interfaces out there. Instead, that section of the screen changes to a progress wheel. That's everything most users will need to do, and it's all easy to understand.Ĭlicking Scan doesn't send you away from this home screen, either. While this program doesn't present a giant 'you're protected' message as its competitors do, it does give enough smaller cues to let you know that nothing's wrong.įrom AVG's main screen, you need to click only once to scan your Mac, open a custom scan of a specific file, disable or enable protection, and open the quarantine folder. InterfaceĪVG Antivirus for Mac offers one of the simplest interfaces out there. The average for all eight Mac antivirus products tested was 36:30. The longest time we saw was 72:45 (for Kaspersky) and the shortest was 1:25 (for Bitdefender). Avira Free Antivirus for Mac's 12.8 percent was the highest we recorded, and Kaspersky's 4.5 percent was the lowest.ĪV-Comparatives lab tested AVG AntiVirus for Mac's malware-detection skills and found that it provides practically perfect protection.ĪVG's full scans completed in an average of 40 minutes and 51 seconds, which fell in the middle of the times we recorded. You might notice that kind of slowdown if you're rendering video or playing games.

During a full-system scan, the OpenOffice test finished in 2 minutes and 40 seconds, signifying a performance dip of 12.1 percent, the second highest full-scan hit we found.

Avast free mac security review