You can adjust those schedules, or schedule additional scans, quick or full, on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.Ĭlicking Protection Options in the left-rail menu brings up a very simple page with two options: Real-time Protection and USB Protection. Out of the box, Avira schedules a weekly quick scan and a bi-weekly Smart Scan.

On the MacBook Air I use for testing, a quick scan finished in less than a half-minute, and the full scan took 52 minutes, slightly longer than the current average of 41 minutes. However, Avira also offers Avira Free Security to Windows users, with significantly more features, so there’s really no reason to use the free plain antivirus on Windows. Note that this program is also available for free on Windows. Like AVG AntiVirus for Mac and Avast, it's totally free. As for Avira, you don’t have to pay one red cent. The most common pricing plan among products we've reviewed is $39.99 per year for one license and $59.99 for three. Norton goes way beyond the features offered by a simple antivirus utility. At the high end, Intego Mac Internet Security X9 lists at $99.99 per year to protect three Macs, and Norton 360 Deluxe for Mac asks $104.99 per year for five cross-platform licenses. There's a big range of prices for Mac-based antivirus support.

It's Surprisingly Easy to Be More Secure Online Just as in the Windows edition, the rest of the window features oversized icons representing Security, Privacy, and Performance, with a button to run what Avira calls a Smart scan. But where the Windows product just has Status, Security, Privacy, and Performance down the left side, the macOS edition adds two or three submenu items below each. The main window features a simple menu down the left, like Avira Free Security. Avira Free Antivirus for Mac doesn't cost a thing, and it earns excellent scores in tests by the independent labs.Ī redesign a few years ago brought the macOS product closer in appearance to the Windows version. It’s not so bad, though, as you can get effective protection for free. Much as you may not like to hear it, you need antivirus protection on your macOS devices.

Macs get hit by malware, even ransomware. It’s true that macOS is better secured and doesn’t have quite as many users, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune to attacks. Malware coders love Windows and Android because both have a big user base and imperfect security.

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