(Last updated on August 28th, 2019)

McAfee or Avast, which antivirus software is a better pick in 2019?

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Compare BestAntivirusPro.org reviews: Avast vs McAfee. Review Pricing, Features, Security, Services, Support and User Ratings in One Chart. Best free antivirus for Mac: Avast Free Mac Security Many antivirus suites provide a decent level of protection, but a few rise above all others by providing the very best in performance.

In this guide, we’ll go over McAfee and Avast and compare the two in a head-to-head competition to see which software is a better option.

In a rush? Look at the breakdown below. It’ll give you a quick summary of the winners in each category. You can scroll down to the individual categories for details.

A Quick Rundown of Winners in Each Category

1. Features
Winner: McAfee. McAfee offers all the advanced security-related features and utilities with its flagship premium product, while Avast reserves its important features and tools for its high-end products.

2. Malware Protection
Winner: McAfee. Overall, McAfee offers better anti-malware security than better than Avast, as evidenced by independent lab tests.

Mcafee Antivirus For Mac Reviews

3. System Performance
Winner: Tie. Independent tests confirm that both McAfee and Avast are excellent in terms of the impact on system performance; both software put a very minimal (almost negligible) strain on systems.

4. User-Friendliness
Winner: Tie. Both McAfee and Avast offer a simple, easy-to-use user interface.

5. Pricing
Winner: McAfee. McAfee gives you more bang for your buck; you can get more licenses for less money through McAfee.

6. Customer Satisfaction
Winner: McAfee. McAfee has slightly better customer satisfaction ratings than Avast.

Short Verdict

Both Avast and McAfee offer several feature-rich antivirus suites to meet your protection needs. Independent tests prove that both software provide top-notch protection against all sorts of malware threats, but McAfee is slightly better than Avast in terms of the impact on system performance.

Now, let’s delve into the details.

1. Features

These days, almost all cybersecurity companies offer a slew of advanced security-enhancing features and tools as part of their security packages.

First, let’s see what McAfee brings to the table in terms of features.

McAfee Total Protection (works on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS) is the company’s flagship and most popular security offering. It has a unique purchasing model in that it can be bought in bundles of 1, 5, or 10 devices depending on your preferences. No matter which bundle you select, you will get top-drawer malware protection along with a full set of advanced features and utilities.

The package has a smart two-way firewall that monitors all incoming and outgoing network connections and blocks all sorts of sophisticated attacks. The Vulnerability Scanner is also part of the software; it checks for security flaws and holes that hackers can potentially exploit and use, such as outdated software.

The TrueKey Identity Manager (lets you store all your passwords and sensitive details for in a secure vault) and a file shredder (allows you securely delete confidential files) are also jammed into the suite, along with the Network Manager tool that protects your WiFi against intruders and hackers.

The file encryption utility is also there as well; it lets you encrypt your sensitive files so no one can have access to them without authentication. There’s also a full suite performance optimization features; these features help your computer run faster and more efficiently, so you can focus on doing things that matter to you.

Finally, the suite comes with a full suite of parental controls. These features allow you to monitor the browsing habits of your children and control which websites they can (and cannot) visit. You can also set daily time limits on their computer use, to prevent them from spending all day in front of the computer.

Another suite that the company offers is McAfee LiveSafe. There’s no difference between LiveSafe and Total Protection in terms of features offered, but the former allows you to protect unlimited devices with a single license. But the major downside of LiveSafe is that it comes at a slightly higher price point. (You’ll see prices later in this guide.)

Now, let’s see what Avast offers in terms of features.

Unlike McAfee, Avast offers separate products for Windows and macOS. We’ll cover the Windows-only products first.

Avast Free Antivirus is the company’s first antivirus software. As the name suggests, you can use it for free for as long as you want, but there aren’t any advanced features and utilities jammed into this package. However, the product does protect against different types of digital threats, including viruses, ransomware, worms, spyware.

Next up is Avast Internet Security, the company’s first premium antivirus offering. It offers top-notch protection against all sorts of malware threats, plus several useful advanced features and functions. There’s a smart firewall that protects your computer against unauthorized access and hacking attempts, an email filter that can keep junk mail from clogging up your inbox, and the WiFi Inspector tool that protects your network against hackers and intruders.

The Sandbox utility is also part of the suite; it lets you run suspicious files and software in a secured portion of your computer, so you don’t risk the rest of your computer when installing new software or opening new files. The Real Site utility is also incorporated into the suite; it protects your network and prevents fake DNS routing from taking place, which is a common tactic that hackers use these days to steal financial details and other sensitive information.

Another level up is Avast Premier. This suite includes everything that is found in the previous suites, plus a webcam protector that stops people from secretly spying on you through your webcam and an automatic software updater. The Data Shredder utility is also included; it allows you to securely erase your sensitive files so no one can recover them.

Finally, there’s Avast Ultimate – the company’s top-tier security package. This package has everything that comes with the Premier suite, plus there’s a VPN that you can use to anonymously browse the internet and access content that is restricted in your geographic location.

The Avast Cleanup utility is also jammed into the Ultimate suite; it cleans junk files and improves the performance of your computer.

For Mac users, there’s Avast Security for Mac. This suite comes in two versions, Free and Premium. The freeware is very barebones in terms of advanced features and utilities but does offer “essential malware protection.” The Premium offering comes with advanced ransomware protection and the WiFi Intruder Alert feature.

If you’re interested in Avast’s business-specific solutions, click here for more information.

Winner: McAfee. Overall, McAfee is the winner in this category as it offers all the advanced features and tools with its flagship product. Avast’s best features are only found in its high-end suites.

2. Malware Protection

Malware defense is one of the most important aspects you should consider when purchasing antivirus software.

But how to tell which software boasts better anti-malware defense? We can examine how both McAfee and Avast fared in the recent lab evaluations conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives – two highly regarded independent organizations in the antivirus space.

In AV-Test’s April 2019 evaluations, all antivirus products were evaluated in three different areas: Protection, Performance, and Usability.

In the Protection test, McAfee received a perfect 6 out of 6, showing exceptional anti-malware capabilities.

Avast’s performance was slightly less appealing; it got a 5.5 out of 6, which is a good score but not a perfect one.

AV-Comparatives, another reputable independent organization, also conducts several thorough tests to evaluate the performance of various security software brands.

In their recent Real-World tests, both McAfee and Avast fared exceptionally well; both software received the highest ADVANCED+ award because of their impressive protection rates and low false positives’ count.

Winner: McAfee. It’s a close call, but McAfee is the winner in this category as it fared better than Avast in the AV-Test evaluations.

3. System Performance

There’s no doubt that malware defense is important, but if a security software becomes a burden on your system and slows down your routine tasks and activities, it’s not worth your money.

Let’s examine how much impact both McAfee and Avast on system performance.

In the Performance category of AV-Test evaluations, McAfee came up with another 6-star rating, an excellent system performance score.

Mcafee Antivirus Free Download

Avast also got a full score in these evaluations, matching McAfee.

In the AV-Comparatives April 2019 performance test, both software secured the highest ADVANCED+ award because of their exceptional impact scores.

Winner: Tie. Both McAfee and Avira are neck and neck in terms of system performance.

4. User-Friendliness

All the factors we have discussed so far are important, but if a software has a clunky, outdated user interface, it’s likely that you won’t enjoy using it.

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

McAfee’s interface is simple, bright, and sleek – in colors of blue, gray, and white. There’s a horizontal menu at the top that allows you to access all the features and functions with just a few clicks. Links to Notifications, News, Help, Settings are also there on the right side of the menu.

On the main screen, you’ll find a large green checkmark in the top left corner if everything is okay. The checkmark will change into a red warning sign when there’s an issue.

At the bottom, there are blocks for running a scan, updating apps, removing browser cookies/trackers.

Now, let’s examine Avast’s interface.

Avast uses a dark, modern-styled interface that is both simple and intuitive.

There’s a vertical menu on the left with four different tabs: Status, Protection, Privacy, and Performance. The Status window is what you see when you open the interface. You will find your protection status in the center, as well as a button to run a quick scan. The other tabs have relevant features and options.

The link to Settings is available in the bottom-left corner.

Winner: Tie. Overall, it’s a tie in this category as both software offer a simple, easy-to-use interface.

5. Pricing

Now, let’s look at the prices of the security suites offered by both companies.

McAfee Total Protection, the flagship product from McAfee, comes at different price points; $24.99 per year for 1 device, $39.99 per year for 5 devices, and $44.99 per year for 10 devices.

McAfee LiveSafe protects unlimited devices for $99.99 per year.

Avast Free doesn’t cost anything, but it doesn’t offer much value. Avast Internet Security, the first worthwhile software from the company, costs $59.99 per year for 1 PC. Avast Premier comes at $69.99 per year for 1 PC.

Avast Ultimate, the full-blown antivirus solution, costs $119.95 per year for 1 PC.

Avast Security for Mac, the company’s only offering for macOS users, costs $59.99 per year for a single Mac.

Winner: McAfee. McAfee offers better value for money; you can get more licenses for less money through McAfee than through Avast.

6. Customer Satisfaction

One last aspect we will consider is customer satisfaction. Let’s see what the actual customers of both McAfee and Avast think of their products.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a well-known site that collects customer reviews for all companies and averages them out into an A to F letter grade rating. Both McAfee and Avast have an excellent A+ rating from the BBB, which indicates exceptional customer service and high levels of user satisfaction.

Winner: Tie. Both software have comparable customer satisfaction ratings.

Final Thoughts

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Macs may be a far less tempting target for malware and viruses, but they’re not immune from attack. Even if you don’t care about adware or being used as a means to infect users on other platforms, it’s still possible to fall victim to ransomware, password theft, or stolen iPhone backups.

Accordingly, good antivirus software will protect your Mac on all of these fronts. It’ll catch malware that’s still spreading or in circulation; block ransomware; protect older systems with out-of-date software from security vulnerabilities; prevent your Mac from acting as a carrier for malware aimed at other operating systems; and keep infected files off of any virtual machines you’re running.

Antivirus for Mac cheat sheet

Compare Avast To Mcafee

Our quick-hit recommendations:

• Best paid antivirus for Mac:Sophos Home Premium for Mac[sophos.com]
• Best free antivirus for Mac:Avast Free Mac Security[avast.com]

Many antivirus suites provide a decent level of protection, but a few rise above all others by providing the very best in performance. Our top contenders dominate by posting perfect (or virtually near perfect) scores from security research labs, passing our own malware detection tests with flying colors, offering well-designed interfaces, and even throwing in extra features like a firewall or password manager.

Updated 08/15/19: Added our review of Avira Free Antivirus, a worthy free option that’s easy to use and effective.

Looking for Windows antivirus recommendations? You can read about the best antivirus suites for PC on our sister site, PCWorld.

Best overall antivirus software

Sophos Home Premium has the most extensive and up-to-date approach to fighting malware at an unbeatable price.

Sophos Home Premium has it all: Effective malware protection, ransomware monitoring, protection against potentially-unwanted-apps, and additional features that often require separately licensed software. Its cloud-based configuration and generous licensing (up to 10 Macs and PCs) also make it easy to shield friends and family from threats, no matter where they live. (Full details available in our review.)

Best free antivirus software

Though Sophos does offer a good free version of its software, Avast Free Mac Security edges it out as the best free antivirus software for macOS. In security lab tests, Avast detected 99.9 percent of macOS malware, and 100 percent of Windows malware. However, if you want more advanced protection (like ransomware detection), you’ll need to upgrade to paid software.

What to look for in antivirus software

By our reckoning, antivirus software should be able to neutralize a threat before it can begin wreaking havoc. That means preventing the download, installation, or execution of malicious software.

Since you can encounter threats by visiting compromised or malicious websites, receiving virus-laden attachments, or accessing USB drives with malware, good AV software should scan on a continuous basis unless you configure it otherwise. And ideally, files identified as malicious should be quarantined into a special storage area managed by the AV software, with the option to automatically delete files known to be malware or repair normal documents that also carry devious payloads.

Great AV suites also will monitor the filesystem for certain kinds of changes. Ransomware—which is malware that will rapidly encrypt user files like documents and mailboxes and then delete the originals—has become a huge moneymaker on other platforms. As a prime opportunity for attackers, it’s the greatest danger Mac users likely face as a category.

Detecting this pattern and halting it before any files are unavailable should be possible without an anti-malware system knowing the specific innards of a ransomware virus. Sophos, our top pick, includes this feature in the Home Premium version of its 2018 update. Other vendors, like Avast and Trend Micro Antivirus, offer an alternative feature that allows you to whitelist programs allowed to manipulate files in specific directories. So if this particular type of attack becomes rapidly popular, you’ll be protected.

Good antivirus software should also use minimal computational resources. That’s especially the case these days—AV monitoring hasn’t become much more complicated than when it first became available, and faster, multi-core CPUs can easily handle the demands of running AV software in the background without disturbing your active work.

Beyond these primary features, an easy-to-navigate interface and extra features are worth factoring into your decision. Some AV software are full-fledged suites that offer additional options like backup service for essential files, a password manager, parental controls, anti-tracking and privacy modes or options, a more advanced firewall, and the blocking of Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs).

How we test

Each software package is evaluated creating a clean installation of macOS Mojave, cloning it for each AV product, and then booting separately into each one to install a different package. This was to ensure that previous app installations didn’t interfere with new ones—sometimes AV software treats other AV software as an infection.

In addition to visiting malicious websites, downloading known malicious software, and even running said malware, we also reference the most recent reports from two labs that regularly cover macOS malware: AV Comparatives and AV-TEST. These laboratories test AV software against sets of known malware as well as products that are grouped as potentially unwanted applications (like adware).

The latter doesn’t damage or expose your computer or its files but may consume power and CPU cycles. Because the testing effectively looks at a combination of virus databases and behavior, they remain good gauges even after many months. When an antivirus software package lacks a rating from a known security research lab, we do more extensive testing with real malware.

Finally, while we gave props for a lot of different features and behaviors, we marked products down if they lacked any or all of the following:

• A nearly perfect score on macOS malware detection
• Ransomware monitoring
• Native browser plug-in or system-level Web proxy
• A high score on Windows malware detection

Privacy concerns

Using an anti-virus product, especially any that includes tools to also improve your online privacy, may lull you into believing you’re safe from personal and private information leaking out. That’s not quite the case. While there’s no reason to panic, you should consider a few reasonable issues.

Mcafee Antivirus Vs Avast 2018

First, an antivirus product may upload the complete text of files flagged to the cloud, where it can be analyzed by separate tools hosted there. This practice is normal and sensible: Some malware can detect when a running process may examine it, and will then engage in subterfuge. Antivirus software makers also can access their massive databases to examine files with characteristics that trigger their algorithms—certain elements that match known malware. As a result, security researchers discover new viruses, worms, Trojans horses, and the like.

However, helping the greater good means you’ll have to be comfortable with trusting a third-party with your file contents. Where appropriate, we noted privacy policy issues in individual reviews.

Second, this software may also rely partly or entirely on cloud-based checks of URLs, malware, and the like. Accordingly, an AV package might upload every URL you visit, metadata about files, signatures of files, information about your computer’s hardware, a list of running or installed applications, and more. Companies vary on their disclosure of such policies, and may not let you opt out of this kind of sharing. We note issues in each review as available.

Third, anti-virus software makers also get a sense of what behavior is happening on your computer that’s being monitored or blocked, and may use that information for their own purposes. In some cases, you can opt out of this information gathering.

All of our antivirus for Mac reviews

If you have specific requirements or just wish to see other options, below is a list of all the antivirus software we’ve reviewed. We’ll keep evaluating new and refreshed software on a regular basis, so be sure to come back to see what else we’ve put through the ringer.