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Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is the most defensible all-around pick in the latest results reviewed: AV-TEST awarded version 10.3 a perfect 18/18 in June 2026, and AV-Comparatives recorded 99.0% detection for its tested Bitdefender Antivirus edition in May. That is not a universal win: Avast One, AVG and Kaspersky also scored strongly, and the labs tested different editions and methods. The comparisons below show what each result does—and does not—establish.
How the 2026 Mac antivirus ranking was decided
This ranking weighs recent Mac-specific lab results, usability and performance scores where available, the exact product edition tested, and the features described for that edition. It does not treat scores from different labs as interchangeable or claim hands-on testing. The latest primary Mac lab rounds reviewed here were AV-Comparatives’ May 2026 test and AV-TEST’s June 2026 test, both on macOS Tahoe.
There is no single product that wins every measure. AV-TEST awarded seven of its nine tested products a perfect 18/18, while AV-Comparatives found detection rates from 96.7% to 100% across its nine products. AV-Comparatives also cautions that 100% means no misses among the samples in that test—not guaranteed protection against every threat.
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Which Mac antivirus products stand out?
1. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac — best-balanced choice
Bitdefender has strong results in both rounds: AV-TEST gave version 10.3 6/6 for protection, performance and usability in June; AV-Comparatives measured 99.0% Mac malware detection for its tested Antivirus edition in May. These are different tests and editions, so they do not add up to a single score. The AV-Comparatives report describes the paid Mac product as including malware and ransomware protection, a data-limited VPN, browser security extensions, chat protection, multiple scan options and automatic scans of external storage. Check the exact edition before buying, since features are not necessarily shared across editions.
#1 Best Overall
- THREAT DETECTION – Stay one step ahead. Suspicious links, risky sites, viruses, and scams, caught automatically before they reach you.
- PERSONAL INFO PROTECTION – Keep your personal info safer. Identity monitoring watches for your exposed info and tells you what to do about it.
- SECURE CONNECTIONS – Just a few easy clicks, and we'll automatically protect your info on public Wi‑Fi, every time you connect.
- GUIDED ACTION – Know what matters and what to do next. Clear alerts and simple guidance make it easy to take action.
- MORE THAN ANTIVIRUS – Scam protection, identity monitoring, VPN, web protection, and antivirus work together to protect you, all in one place.
2. Avast One and AVG — strongest free-edition evidence
Both products have results from both labs. AV-TEST awarded Avast One 26.5.1 and AVG Antivirus 20.8 a perfect 18/18 in June. In May, AV-Comparatives measured 99.9% detection for Avast One Free and AVG AntiVirus Free. The product names and editions differ between tests; the free-edition result should not be taken as a feature claim about a paid tier. The AV-Comparatives report describes Avast One Free as including malware protection and a basic email guard, and AVG Free as including malware protection plus web and email protection.
3. Kaspersky Premium — strongest detection results in these rounds
Kaspersky Premium 27.0 earned 18/18 from AV-TEST, and AV-Comparatives recorded 100% Mac malware detection for Kaspersky Premium. Those are notably strong results on the tested products and samples. They remain bounded by the labs’ methods and do not predict detection of every future threat.
Rank #2
- THREAT DETECTION – Stay one step ahead. Suspicious links, risky sites, viruses, and scams, caught automatically before they reach you.
- PERSONAL INFO PROTECTION – Keep your personal info safer. Identity monitoring watches for your exposed info and tells you what to do about it.
- SECURE CONNECTIONS – Just a few easy clicks, and we'll automatically protect your info on public Wi‑Fi, every time you connect.
- GUIDED ACTION – Know what matters and what to do next. Clear alerts and simple guidance make it easy to take action.
- MORE THAN ANTIVIRUS – Scam protection, identity monitoring, VPN, web protection, and antivirus work together to protect you, all in one place.
4. Norton — high scores, but the tested editions differ
AV-TEST’s Norton 360 26.6 earned 18/18 in June. AV-Comparatives tested Norton AntiVirus Plus for Mac 26.3 and recorded 99.9% detection in May. The AV-Comparatives report describes that edition as offering malware protection, network threat prevention and scam protection. Do not assume that Norton 360 and Norton AntiVirus Plus have identical features.
5. ESET — strong detection with a small AV-TEST usability difference
AV-Comparatives measured 99.9% detection for ESET HOME Security Essential 9.0. AV-TEST’s separate ESET Security Ultimate 9.0 result was 17.5/18: protection and usability scored 6/6, while performance scored 5.5/6. The AV-Comparatives report describes the Essential edition as including web and email protection and a firewall. Compare the edition names and included features rather than treating the results as one product configuration.
Rank #3
![Norton 360 Deluxe 2027 Antivirus, 3 Devices, Auto-Renews [Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41qw3FS3qLL._SL160_.jpg)
- ONGOING PROTECTION Download instantly & install protection for 3 PCs, Macs, iOS or Android devices in minutes!
- TOP-PERFORMING VPN Faster speeds, more server locations, and greater connection control to protect your privacy across all your devices, including Smart TVs.
- ADVANCED SCAM PROTECTION Help spot hidden scams online. With the built-in Genie AI assistant, you’ll never wonder if a message or email is suspicious again.
- REAL-TIME PROTECTION Advanced security protects against existing and emerging malware threats, including ransomware and viruses, and it won’t slow down your device performance.
- DARK WEB MONITORING Identity thieves can buy or sell your information on websites and forums. We search the dark web and notify you should your information be found.
6. Intego ONE Complete — Mac-focused suite, lower detection in this sample
AV-Comparatives recorded 96.7% Mac malware detection for Intego ONE Complete, the lowest Mac malware result among the nine products in that test. The report describes it as combining malware protection, a firewall, system optimization and a VPN. Macworld’s guide updated July 3, 2026 named Intego ONE its top choice; that is Macworld’s editorial judgment, not a lab verdict or a test conducted for this article.
What AV-TEST measured in June 2026
AV-TEST evaluated nine home-user security products on macOS Tahoe, using the most current versions available during the test and allowing updates and cloud services. It assessed malware detection, false positives and performance. Protection, performance and usability are each scored out of six, for a maximum of 18 points. Seven products received 18/18; the remaining two received 17.5/18.
Rank #4
![Norton 360 Premium 2027 Antivirus, 10 Devices, Auto-Renews [Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41JNWru8mYL._SL160_.jpg)
- ONGOING PROTECTION Download instantly & install protection for 10 PCs, Macs, iOS or Android devices in minutes!
- TOP-PERFORMING VPN Faster speeds, more server locations, and greater connection control to protect your privacy across all your devices, including Smart TVs.
- ADVANCED SCAM PROTECTION Help spot hidden scams online. With the built-in Genie AI assistant, you’ll never wonder if a message or email is suspicious again.
- REAL-TIME PROTECTION Advanced security protects against existing and emerging malware threats, including ransomware and viruses, and it won’t slow down your device performance.
- DARK WEB MONITORING Identity thieves can buy or sell your information on websites and forums. We search the dark web and notify you should your information be found.
| Product tested | Version | Protection | Performance | Usability | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avast One | 26.5.1 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| AVG Antivirus | 20.8 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| Avira Security | 2.3 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac | 10.3 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| ESET Security Ultimate | 9.0 | 6/6 | 5.5/6 | 6/6 | 17.5/18 |
| F-Secure Total | 26.6 | 6/6 | 5.5/6 | 6/6 | 17.5/18 |
| Kaspersky Premium | 27.0 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| Norton 360 | 26.6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| Protected.net TotalAV | 5.12 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
What AV-Comparatives measured in May 2026
AV-Comparatives tested on a patched version of macOS Tahoe with an active internet connection. It used fresh machine images and definitions updated at the beginning of May. Consumer products ran at their default settings. The lab scanned a USB drive first, then copied any undetected samples onto the Mac and executed them, giving products a further detection opportunity.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The Mac malware test used 1,500 samples. A separate test used 1,500 potentially unwanted applications (PUAs); the clean Mac program set produced no false alarms. The Windows column below reflects a separate test of 100 Windows malware samples and a discretionary cross-platform capability, not Mac malware detection.
Best Value
![Norton 360 Deluxe 2027 Antivirus, 5 Devices, Auto-Renews [Download]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41IYV5zGyCL._SL160_.jpg)
- ONGOING PROTECTION Download instantly & install protection for 5 PCs, Macs, iOS or Android devices in minutes!
- TOP-PERFORMING VPN Faster speeds, more server locations, and greater connection control to protect your privacy across all your devices, including Smart TVs.
- ADVANCED SCAM PROTECTION Help spot hidden scams online. With the built-in Genie AI assistant, you’ll never wonder if a message or email is suspicious again.
- REAL-TIME PROTECTION Advanced security protects against existing and emerging malware threats, including ransomware and viruses, and it won’t slow down your device performance.
- DARK WEB MONITORING Identity thieves can buy or sell your information on websites and forums. We search the dark web and notify you should your information be found.
| Product tested | Mac malware detection | Mac PUA detection | Windows malware detection on Mac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avast One Free | 99.9% | 95% | 100% |
| AVG AntiVirus Free | 99.9% | 95% | 100% |
| Bitdefender Antivirus | 99.0% | 94% | 100% |
| CrowdStrike Falcon Enterprise | 100% | 99% | 0% |
| ESET HOME Security Essential | 99.9% | 94% | 100% |
| Intego ONE Complete | 96.7% | 94% | 100% |
| Kaspersky Premium | 100% | 99% | 100% |
| Norton AntiVirus Plus | 99.9% | 95% | 100% |
| Trellix Endpoint Security (HX) | 99.0% | 94% | 100% |
All nine products earned the AV-Comparatives Approved Mac Security award. Its report stresses that a 100% result means every sample in this particular test was detected; it is not a promise of complete protection in general. The Windows detection column should not be used to rank Mac malware protection: it tests a separate capability, and some products omit it or face technical limits.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do Macs need third-party antivirus?
macOS already has built-in defenses. Apple’s Platform Security guide, “Protecting against malware in macOS,” published December 19, 2024, describes three layers: the App Store or Gatekeeper together with notarization to prevent launch or execution; Gatekeeper, notarization and XProtect to block malware; and XProtect to remediate malware that has run. Apple says XProtect uses regularly updated YARA signatures and behavioral analysis, checks known malicious content when an app is first launched or changed and when signatures update, and checks for XProtect updates daily by default. Apple summarizes it this way: “macOS includes built-in antivirus technology called XProtect for the signature-based detection and removal of malware.”
A third-party product adds another layer rather than replacing macOS security. AV-Comparatives notes that heuristic and behavioral engines can address some gaps in Apple’s built-in approach, while web and phishing protections can block malicious URLs. It identifies non-expert users, children and people who frequently install new software as groups who may benefit more from that extra coverage. Its 2026 report found no meaningful performance impact among the reviewed products, although AV-TEST’s performance scores still provide a useful product-specific measure.
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- Start with the exact edition. A free product, a paid Mac edition and a broader multi-device suite may not share the same protections or features. Match the edition you plan to use to the one named in the relevant test.
- Use lab scores as evidence, not guarantees. Detection rates describe a defined sample and procedure. AV-TEST also reports performance and usability, while AV-Comparatives reports Mac PUA detection and cross-platform detection separately.
- Decide which extra protections matter. Compare the specific edition’s web or phishing protection, firewall, ransomware protection, external-drive scanning and other included tools. The reports describe different feature sets; do not assume every feature listed for a suite is included in its entry-level or free edition.
- Check current plan terms before paying. Prices, device coverage, product names and features can change. Current prices and plan terms are not established by the lab results summarized here, so verify them with the vendor for your region and the edition you intend to buy.
How to read these rankings
Macworld’s guide, updated July 3, 2026, used its own rating system and reported its own testing claims alongside lab results. It rated Bitdefender 4.8/5, Intego 4.7/5, Norton 4.7/5, Avast One 4.5/5, AVG Internet Security 4.5/5 and ESET 4/5. Those are Macworld ratings, not AV-TEST or AV-Comparatives scores, and they should not be merged with the lab tables above. The evidence supports several good options, not one universal winner: Bitdefender is the balanced pick here, while the best fit depends on your preferred edition and the protections you want.
Quick Recap
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