We installed and tested 6 leading antivirus apps on macOS Sequoia & Sonoma. Here are the top picks for protection, performance, and value.
| Product | Protection | Performance | Price / yr | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton 360 Deluxe | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | $49.99 | Best overall |
| Bitdefender | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | $39.98 | Lightest on resources |
| Intego | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | $39.99 | Mac-only specialists |
| Malwarebytes | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | $44.99 | Clean-up & removal |
| Sophos Home | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | $44.99 | Multi-device families |
| Kaspersky | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | $39.99 | Advanced users |
Norton 360 Deluxe consistently tops independent lab tests (AV-TEST, AV-Comparatives) with 100% detection rates on macOS. Beyond core antivirus, it bundles a full VPN (unlimited data), dark-web monitoring, cloud backup (50 GB), and parental controls — making it the most complete security suite available for Mac in 2026.
Pricing: $49.99/yr (first year) · covers 5 devices
Bitdefender is the lightest antivirus we tested — you genuinely forget it's running. It matches Norton in lab scores (100% detection in AV-TEST 2025) while using barely any CPU or RAM. The interface is clean and minimal, perfectly at home on macOS.
Pricing: $39.98/yr (first year) · covers 3 devices
Intego has been making Mac-only security software since 1997. Unlike cross-platform ports, every feature is designed specifically for macOS — from the NetBarrier firewall to Washing Machine system optimizer. If you want a product built exclusively for Mac, this is it.
Pricing: $39.99/yr · covers 1 Mac (multi-Mac bundles available)
Malwarebytes earned its reputation as the go-to malware removal tool. The premium version adds real-time protection, but its biggest strength remains detection and removal of threats that other antivirus apps miss — especially adware, PUPs, and browser hijackers that target Mac users.
Pricing: $44.99/yr · covers 1 device
Sophos Home Premium leverages the same enterprise-grade engine used in corporate endpoint protection. The standout feature is remote management — you can monitor and control security settings for up to 10 family devices from a single web dashboard.
Pricing: $44.99/yr · covers up to 10 devices
Kaspersky consistently earns top marks in independent testing — often edging out competitors in zero-day threat detection. The 2026 Standard tier offers strong core protection, a password manager, and a limited VPN, all at a competitive price.
Pricing: $39.99/yr · covers 1 device
Yes. While macOS has built-in security (XProtect, Gatekeeper), it primarily catches known threats. Independent labs consistently find that third-party antivirus catches 15–30% more threats than macOS alone, especially zero-day malware, adware, and phishing attacks that target Mac users specifically.
Modern antivirus apps are heavily optimized. In our testing, Bitdefender and Malwarebytes had near-zero performance impact. Full suites like Norton have slightly more overhead during active scans but remain unnoticeable during normal use on any Mac from 2020 or newer.
Generally no — two real-time engines will conflict. The exception is Malwarebytes Premium, which is specifically designed to coexist with other antivirus software. Many users run Malwarebytes alongside Norton or Bitdefender for layered protection.
Free options exist (Avast, AVG, Sophos Home Free) but they lack real-time protection, VPN, and other premium features. For active protection against ransomware and phishing, a paid tier is strongly recommended.
All six products in this list are fully native on Apple Silicon. Bitdefender is the lightest and best optimized for ARM-based Macs, making it our top pick for M-series performance.
We installed each antivirus on a 2024 MacBook Pro (M4 Pro, macOS Sequoia 15.4) and a 2022 MacBook Air (M2, macOS Sonoma 14.7). We evaluated: detection rate (using AV-TEST reference sets), system impact (CPU/RAM during idle and scan), scan speed, interface quality, and feature completeness. Testing period: March–May 2026.