Should You Get Avast For Mac

Plus, there’s more than just malware attacks on Macs that you should be concerned with -- cybercriminals are always turning up with fake websites, phishing emails, and more trying to get you to slip up. Avast offers two separate security solutions for Mac: Avast Security and Avast Security Pro. Much like Avast Free Antivirus, Avast Security is freeware for MacOS that boasts great anti-malware capabilities, warns you of unsafe websites, and blocks dangerous email attachments.

(Last updated on July 9th, 2019)

Norton (also called Symantec) or Avast, which antivirus software is a better choice in 2019?

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In this ultimate guide, we’ll compare Norton and Avast in a head-to-head and show you which of the two is a better pick.

In a rush? Take a look at the rundown below to find out which software wins in each category.

A Quick Rundown of Winners in Each Category

1. Features
Winner: Norton. Both Avast and Norton offer impressive feature-sets as part of their security suites, but Norton has an edge in this category.

2. Malware Protection
Winner: Winner. Norton performed slightly better than Avast in recent independent anti-malware tests.

3. System Performance
Winner: Tie. Both companies performed equally well when it came to the impact they put on computer performance; both software received perfect scores in two different performance evaluations.

4. User-Friendliness
Winner: Tie. Both software’s interfaces are user-friendly and intuitive.

5. Pricing
Winner: Norton. You can get more licenses for less money through Norton.

6. Customer Satisfaction
Winner: Tie. Both software have comparable customer satisfaction ratings.

Short Verdict

Norton is a better choice as it offers more security-related features and extra utilities in its security suites than Avast. Independent tests prove that both software are excellent in terms of the impact on system performance, but Norton offers better anti-malware security than Avast.

1. Features

The best antivirus suites come with all advanced features and utilities that not only bolster your digital security but also promote extra value.

First, let’s see what features Norton offer in its security suites.

Norton AntiVirus Plus is the entry-level suite offered by the company. This software provides excellent protection against all sorts of malware, plus there’s a smart firewall that protects your computer against unauthorized access and monitors your network against intrusions.

A full-blown password manager is also jammed into the suite; this allows you to store and organize your passwords, credit card details, and securely store other confidential information.

This suite allows you to protect 1 device (either a PC or a Mac), but you can add more devices.

Next up is Norton 360 Standard. It’s the company’s flagship product and offers one universal license that can be used to protect 1 PC and 1 Mac or mobile or tablet.

The 360 Standard suite offers everything that comes with the previous suite, along with 10 gigabytes of cloud data storage and the SecureVPN tool that protects your sensitive information when you are on public or shared WiFi networks. The SafeCam utility is also jammed into the suite; this utility blocks unauthorized webcam access and prevents hackers from spying on you.

Dark web monitoring features are included in the suite as well; these module monitors your personal information and alerts you if it is being used by someone else.

Next up is Norton 360 Deluxe. This suite has everything that comes with the previous suites, plus you get 50 gigabytes of cloud storage and protection for up to 5 PCs, Mac, and smartphones with a single license. There’s also a parental control module that could be very useful if you have children. It’s a good product if you want to get protection for all your family devices.

Finally, there’s Norton 360 Deluxe with LifeLock Select – the company’s top-tier antivirus suite. This package includes all the advanced features and utilities we discussed above, plus you get a full suite of identity & theft protection tools. These include dark web monitoring features, a finance protection scanner, a credit monitoring suite, and the LifeLock Identity Alert System.

These features will tell you if your personal information is being used in ways or patterns that don’t match up with your previous actions; this is a great way to know if you’re information is potentially being stolen by an identity thief. The credit monitoring tool keeps track of your credit score and lets you know if it suddenly drops, as this is a common sign of identity theft.

As part of this suite, you also get the Million Dollar Protection Package from Norton; if you become a victim of identity theft, you will be covered for the expenses you incur and money stolen as a result of the crime, but only up to a specific limit.

If you’re interested in Norton’s business-specific security products, click here for more details.

Now, let’s see how Avast compares to Norton in terms of features.

Unlike Norton, Avast offers separate products for Windows and macOS. First, we’ll cover the Windows-only products.

Avast Free Antivirus is the first security software that you can get from the company. You don’t have to pay anything to use it, of course, but it doesn’t offer much value in terms of advanced features and utilities; all advanced features and options are locked in the software. But the freeware does offer protection against different types of digital threats.

Avast secure me for mac. Avast Security is a free antivirus that stops malware & finds Wi-Fi security weaknesses. Free Download! In order to view this page correctly, you must have a JavaScript-enabled browser and have JavaScript turned on. Avast Security Pro for Mac review: Everything a modern antivirus app needs and a little bit more An all-around champion has strong malware-fighting abilities packaged with worthwhile extras.

Next up is Avast Internet Security, another Windows-only suite. This suite offers excellent protection against all sorts of malware, along with a bunch of advanced features and tools that make it worthwhile. These include a smart firewall, the Anti-Spam utility, and the WiFi Inspector utility (protects your network against hackers and intruders).

The Sandbox mode feature allows you to run potentially dangerous files in a secure environment, without having to risk the rest of your computer to a malware infection.

The Real Site utility that guards against DNS hijacking and rerouting is also part of the software, along with a password manager and an email filter.

Another level up is Avast Premier. This suite offers all the features and utilities that come with the previous suites, plus some extra perks. These perks include a webcam shield that prevents hackers from spying on you, the Data Shredder utility that permanently shreds any sensitive files that you don’t want to be recovered after deletion, and the Software Updater tool (automatically updates all the software and makes you less vulnerable to attacks).

Finally, there’s Avast Ultimate — the top-tier package offered by Avast. It comes with everything that comes with the Premier suite, plus you get the useful SecureLine VPN tool that lets you surf the internet anonymously and access restricted content. Avast Cleanup utility, which is a great tool that will significantly improve the performance of your PC, is also part of the Ultimate suite.

For Macs, there’s Avast Security for Mac. It comes in two versions, Free and Premium. The freeware only offers essential malware protection, while the Premium version has several advanced features and utilities that make it a worthwhile option, such as the WiFi Inspector and multi-layered ransomware protection.

Winner: Norton. Both Norton and Avast offer a comprehensive lineup of features as part of their security suites, but Norton’s offerings are more useful in today’s day and age.

2. Malware Protection

Let’s take a look at how Norton and Avast compare when it comes to protecting your computer against malware infections. To determine which is superior in this regard, let’s look at the recent unbiased lab tests from AV-Test and AV-Comparatives — two highly regarded independent organizations that regularly test and rank different antivirus software.

AV-Test’s recent evaluations were conducted in April 2019. All participating security software were tested on three different levels: Protection, Performance, and Usability.

During the Protection test, Norton scored a perfect 6 out of 6, showcasing its excellent malware detection capabilities.

Avast scored a slightly lower 5.5 out of 6 rating, which is a good score but not a perfect one.

AV-Comparatives is another well-known independent security software testing organization from Austria. They regularly conduct several exhaustive tests to evaluate the performance of various antivirus brands, but their main examination is the Real-World Protection test. In their recent report, both Symantec and Avast received the second-best ADVANCED award, which represents good defenses against all sorts of malware.

Winner: Norton. It’s a close call, but Norton takes this round due to better overall performance in recent independent anti-malware tests.

3. System Performance

There’s no doubt that anti-malware capabilities are important, but we can’t neglect system performance. Most top-tier antivirus programs out there put a negligible impact on system performance.

Sophos For Mac

Let’s examine both software’s performance in this category.

In the Performance category of AV-Test evaluations, Norton scored a perfect 6 out of 6, which is an excellent score.

Avast also got a 6 out of 6 in this test, matching Norton.

AV-Comparatives’ performance test was conducted in April 2019. Both Norton and Avast took home the highest ADVANCED+ award in this evaluation.

Winner: Tie. Both companies performed equally well in two recent independent performance evaluations; neither software will slow down your system operations.

4. User-Friendliness

The user interface of an antivirus program should be intuitive and easy-to-use for everyone, including people who aren’t proficient in computer use.

First, let’s examine Norton’s user interface.

Norton’s user interface is sleek and simplistic; it’s also universal in nature, so there isn’t much difference between the desktop and mobile views. On the main view, there’s a big green check mark that lets you know if everything is okay. The checkmark will turn into a warning sign if there’s an issue and your attention is required.

The Quick Scan button on the main window allows you to initiate a scan with just one click. The time and date of your last scan is also there on the screen, as well as information regarding licenses and software updates.

At the bottom, there’re five rectangular tiles that can be used to access all the advanced features and options of the software. The links to Settings and Help pages are placed in the top bar.

Avast For Mac 10.7.5

Now, let’s see what Avast’s interface looks like in comparison.

Avast’s dark, modern-styled interface is intuitive and straightforward. If everything is okay, there will be a green checkmark in the center of the main. The checkmark will change to warning sign if there’s something wrong with your security. There’s also a button that lets you run a smart scan.

On the left side, there are four main categories that contain all the features and tools of the software. You can access all the major features and functions with just a few clicks.

Winner: Tie. Both user interfaces are intuitive and user-friendly.

5. Pricing

Another important consideration is pricing. After all, if something is not affordable, it’s likely that you won’t buy it.

Norton Antivirus Plus, the company’s entry-level premium suite, costs $39.99 per year for 1 device.

Norton 360 Standard lets you protect 2 devices for $49.99 per year. Norton 360 Deluxe can be used to protect up to 5 devices for $59.99 per year. Finally, Norton 360 Deluxe with LifeLock Select costs $99.99 per year for up to 5 devices.

Now, let’s see how much Avast charges for its protection.

Avast Internet Security, the first paid option from the company, costs $59.99 per year for 1 PC. Avast Premium costs $69.99 per year for 1 PC.

Avast Ultimate, the highest offering from Avast, costs $119.99 per year and gives you a license for 1 PC.

Avast Security for Mac, the company’s flagship product for macOS platform, comes at $59.99 per year for 1 Mac device.

Avast For Mac Free Download

Winner: Norton. Norton has a better pricing structure and gives you more licenses for less money, providing great value for money.

6. Customer Satisfaction

One final aspect we will consider is customer satisfaction.

Consumeraffairs.org is a great resource to see what the actual customers of both companies think of their products and services. The site collects genuine user reviews and averages them out into a 1 to 5-star score. Norton has a 1-star rating from this resource, indicating low levels of user satisfaction and poor customer service. Avast has a 3-star rating, which is an average score.

Let’s also check out the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which is another well-known review collection site. Both Norton and Avast have an A+ rating on the BBB, which is an excellent score.

Winner: Tie. Both Avast and Norton have comparable scores in this category.

Final Thoughts

Avg For Mac

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Bitdefender Vs Avira

• Pros

  Certified by one independent testing lab. Speedy full scan. Excellent phishing protection for Chrome and Firefox. Useful bonus features. Ransomware protection. Wi-Fi intruder detection.

• Cons

  Doesn't add much to free edition's features. Expensive. Poor phishing protection for Safari. Password manager includes only basic features.

• Bottom Line

  Avast Security Pro (for Mac) adds ransomware protection and Wi-Fi intruder detection to the features found in Avast's free antivirus, but these additions don't merit its high price.

The myth that Macs can't suffer viruses, Trojans, or other types of malware attack is busted. Oh, the situation isn't nearly as bad as on Windows or Android, but Macs really do need antivirus protection. There are free options available, including Avast Security (for Mac), but commercial antivirus utilities offer more features and do better in testing. Looking at what this product adds beyond the features in the free edition, it's really hard to justify the price.

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This product's main window looks exactly like that of the free edition, except for the absence of the upgrade offer. Plenty of white space surrounds a simple security status indicator. The left-rail menu is also the same as in the free edition. The difference is that clicking Ransomware Shield or Wi-Fi Inspector brings up the component, rather than displaying an upgrade invitation. The look is very different from that of Avast Pro Antivirus, which uses a dark gray background with occasional elements in purple and green.

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, ProtectWorks, or ClamXav—all of which support versions of macOS from 10.6 (Snow Leopard) on. At the other end of the spectrum, Avira, Trend Micro, and Symantec Norton Security Deluxe (for Mac) require macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) or better.

The most common pricing plan for Mac antivirus runs $39.99 per year for one license or $59.99 for three. Bitdefender, ESET Cyber Security (for Mac), Kaspersky, and Malwarebytes all fit this profile. Price-wise, Avast is on the high end, at $59.99 per year or $69.99 for three licenses. That's expensive, considering that the free edition has all the same features except for Ransomware Shield and Wi-Fi Inspector, which I'll detail below.

Shared Features

This utility shares all the features of the free Avast Security (for Mac), and that's saying a lot. I'll briefly summarize those shared features here, and you can should read my review of the free product for more details.

AV-Comparatives certified Avast's Mac malware protection as effective. In testing, it protected against 99.9 percent of Mac malware and 100 percent of Windows malware. AV-Test Institute, the other major lab that tests Mac antivirus, did not include Avast in testing. Note, though, that Bitdefender and Kaspersky earned 100 percent in both tests, and received certification from both labs.

Avast Security For Mac Download

I don't have the same kind of resources for antivirus testing under macOS as I do for Windows. I did try scanning a folder containing my current collection of Windows malware. Avast detected and quarantined 85 percent of the samples, which is quite good. Only Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus (for Mac), with 86 percent, and Sophos, with 100 percent, have done better. At the low end, McAfee caught 25 percent and Intego just 18 percent.

Avast's full scan finished in 14.5 minutes, which is quite a bit faster than the current average of 24 minutes. The impressive Home Network Security Scanner took less than three minutes to take note of all devices on my network. It found 36 devices and flagged legitimate security problems on two of them.

Phishing websites masquerade as secure sites in the hopes of fooling you into giving away your login credentials. It doesn't matter which browser you use, or which operating system. Avast's scores in my hands-on phishing protection test were extremely poor. The phishing protection systems built into Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer all outperformed Avast, by a long shot.

I learned from my company contacts that phishing protection is fully functional in Chrome and Firefox, but only partly in Safari. The developers are working up a browser-independent version. In a new test using Chrome, Avast scored better than any Mac product except Bitdefender. It tied with Norton and beat out all three browsers. If you're relying on Avast for phishing protection, make sure you use Chrome or Firefox.

The Online Security browser extension marks up search results to flag dangerous links. It also displays a list of all ad trackers and other trackers on the current page, with an option to actively block these. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac includes a similar active Do Not Track feature.

Avast comes with a basic password manager that installs as a separate application. It handles basic functions like password capture and replay, saving secure notes, and generating strong passwords. The app stores passwords locally, but you can set up syncing between all your macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android devices. However, you won't find any advanced features like secure password sharing, two-factor authentication, or password inheritance.

Ransomware Shield

How To Get Avast For Mac

Everything I've described to this point is also available in the free edition. The premium-only Ransomware Shield component simply prevents unauthorized access to files in sensitive folders. By default, it protects the Documents and Pictures folders for the current user. Naturally, you can add other folders if needed. A similar feature in Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac also protects your Time Machine backups.

To test this kind of access control on Windows, I use a small text editor that I wrote myself, something that would never show up on a list of trusted applications. I don't have such a program for macOS, so I had to disable the feature that automatically trusts Apple and App Store applications.

Operation is very simple. When an untrusted program tries to modify a protected app, Avast pops up a warning. If you've just installed and launched a new photo editor, click Allow. If you don't recognize the program, click Block. Note that clicking Allow only makes the program trusted temporarily. To ensure that new photo editor doesn't get blocked, you must manually add it to the list of Allowed Apps.

This type of access control is an effective tool for ransomware protection, one used by many security tools both on Windows and macOS. However, it does require vigilance on your part. When you see the Ransomware Shield popup, examine it carefully, and only click Allow if you're absolutely sure the program is legitimate.

Wi-Fi Inspector

As noted, you get the Home Network Security Scan even in the free edition. The premium edition adds a component called Wi-Fi Inspector. Despite the name, the main function of this component is to alert you when new devices join the network. It maintains its own simple list of devices. If you click Deep Scan, it launches the Home Network Security Scan.

Wi-Fi Inspector's device list doesn't identify security issues the way the security scan does. On the plus side, it lists the MAC address and IP address for each device, along with the name. For many devices, the name is a clear identification, like neils-ipad or all-in-one-pc, but some come out with names like unknown6542990b6483. If you have basic network skills, you can use those addresses to figure out which device corresponds to a weird name. Bitdefender Home Scanner (a Windows utility) lets you edit such entries to give them a friendly name, and even remembers the name on subsequent scans. With Avast, you'll just have to keep a list of which device matches which weird name.

I did encounter a serious problem with the device list. It found 36 devices on my network, but I couldn't scroll down to see more than the first bunch of devices. My Avast contact confirmed this as a bug. It's not such a big problem, as you can see all your connected devices in network scanner.

The real point of Wi-Fi Inspector is to alert you when a new device connects. Just after installation, you'll probably see quite a few of these, as devices that were turned off during the initial scan wake up. Once you get past that shakeout period, you should pay close attention to the new-device notifications. If you don't recognize the device, it could be a neighbor mooching your Wi-Fi, or even a hack attempt.

If you determine that the new connection isn't legitimate, there's not a lot you can do about it. Wi-Fi Inspector offers notification, but no direct way to act on that information. Your best bet is to snap a screenshot of the notification and then find a friend who's a network whiz. Your buddy can use the info from the screenshot to log into your router's settings and ban the device from the network.

Doesn't Add Enough

Avast Security Pro offers certified Mac malware protection, a network security scanner, and a password manager, but those features also come with the free Avast Security. The Pro edition adds ransomware protection that works by banning untrusted applications from modifying your files. It also adds real-time notification of new connections to your network, but offers no way to do anything if you determine the new connection is perfidious. That's not much for $59.99 per year. The only reason to buy this product is if you want to protect your Macs in a business setting, but in that case, you can get better protection for less.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac has certification from two labs, excellent phishing protection, an anti-ransomware feature much like Avast's, and more. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac also has two certifications, and it comes with a full parental control system, excellent anti-phishing, protection against webcam peepers, and more. These are our Editors' Choice products for macOS antivirus, and they both costs $20 less than Avast.

Malwarebytes For Mac

Bottom Line: Avast Security Pro (for Mac) adds ransomware protection and Wi-Fi intruder detection to the features found in Avast's free antivirus, but these additions don't merit its high price.

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Should You Get Avast For Macbook Pro