While Windows PCs are frequently in the news for attracting the most nasty malware, Mac computers aren’t immune to digital nastiness. We’ve looked over and tested the most effective antivirus protection available for mac comparison of bitdefender and avast to help keep your Apple computer safe.

Our top picks offer near-perfect malware detection rates, packed with security essentials like ransomware protection, phishing defenses, and camera plus microphone guards. They also use less system resources, and deliver superior performance. Some, such as McAfee or Trend Micro were rated top of the line in independent lab tests.

Apple’s own security tool, Gatekeeper, is pretty effective in thwarting the majority of malware, but it could be manipulated by shrewd attacks that aim to exploit weaknesses not within the Mac OS itself but in third-party software that runs on the top of it. Standalone virus scanners can help.

Comodo is an antivirus program for free with a simple interface. It can scan any file that your system has accessed. Fast scans can be completed in minutes, while running a complete scan of the system may take up to two hours. You can program the scans to run at a set times so that your Mac isn’t slowed down.

Since 2006, Malwarebytes has eliminated all Windows threats. It’s not a surprise that the Mac version is equally effective. It’s installation is the size of three music files. This makes it a lightweight add-on to any system. There’s no real-time protection, so it doesn’t stop attacks in the event of them however a complete system scan takes only a few hours and its minimalist design ensures that it will not interfere with other programs.