Top Antivirus for PC and MAC

 

 Best Antivirus Software for Laptops (Windows + Mac) in 2023

1. Norton 360 — Best Antivirus for Laptops in 2023

Norton 360 is my favorite laptop antivirus in 2023 — it performed exceptionally well in my tests, blocking 100% of the malware samples on both my PC and my MacBook. Norton’s antivirus engine is excellent. It uses advanced heuristics, known malware databases, and machine learning to detect all kinds of new and emerging threats.

Norton’s antivirus scanner runs extremely smoothly. During testing, I could do a lot of CPU-intensive tasks while running the full disk virus scan. This was really great — other antiviruses like McAfee can somewhat slow down your computer while the full scan is running.

Norton 360 also includes:

• Wi-Fi scanner.
• Firewall.
• VPN (with unlimited data).
• Parental controls.
• Webcam protection.
• Secure browser.
• Dark web monitoring.
• Identity theft protection (US only).
• And more…

I really like Norton’s Wi-Fi scanner — it analyzes Wi-Fi networks for security issues, so you can avoid the Wi-Fi networks that hackers are using to steal information. I tested this with several public (unsecured) Wi-Fi hotspots, and Norton instantly flagged all the potentially unsafe ones, asking me if I was sure I wanted to connect to them.

The Smart Firewall did a great job of detecting every network intrusion I threw at it — including ones that the built-in firewalls on my Windows laptop and MacBook failed to block. There are heaps of customization options for advanced users too, but it’s fine to just let the firewall run on its default settings.

Norton’s Secure Browser adds some extra online safety compared to mainstream browsers like Chrome. What sets it apart is the integration of all its security extensions directly within the browser, eliminating the need for users to add these features separately. While Chrome provides a good level of security, Norton’s Secure Browser brings the convenience of having these security features built-in, making it a straightforward choice for those who prefer an all-in-one solution.

Norton’s VPN is also good. It has servers in over 30 countries, a no-logs policy, good speeds, and an easy-to-use interface. During my tests, Norton’s VPN could work with Netflix and Amazon Prime without major slowdown, but I wasn’t able to watch Disney+. Overall, Norton’s VPN is a good choice for web browsing, streaming, and gaming, but it doesn’t allow torrenting on all servers. I also really like how the VPN comes with unlimited data on all plans — Avira and Bitdefender both have strict data limits on their lower-tier plans.

I’m a huge fan of Norton’s dark web monitoring — it scans the dark web for all kinds of personal information, including stolen bank details, phone numbers, insurance documentation, gamer tags, home addresses, and more. Once it finds any stolen information linked to you, Norton alerts you and advises you on the next steps. It’s great to know that there are real human agents actively searching for your data on the dark web, rather than simply using the Have I Been Pwned database like many competitors do.

2. Bitdefender — Best for Advanced Malware Protection With a VPN & Anti-Theft Features

Bitdefender Total Security has an advanced anti-malware engine that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify threats. In my tests, it scored a perfect 100% for malware detection, blocking trojans, rootkits, spyware, and more. Because the scanner is cloud-based, it didn’t slow down my system, and I could use my laptops as normal while the full scans were running.

Bitdefender’s extra features are pretty great too. They include:

• Safepay (online transaction protection).
• VPN (200 MB/day limit).
• Anti-theft features (Windows & Android only).
• System tune-up.
• Time Machine backup protection (for Mac users).
• Password manager.
• Parental controls.
• And more…

I really like Safepay, the secure encrypted browser window Bitdefender offers. It provides a secure way to access your finances online, and loads faster than Kaspersky’s Safe Money. Safepay stops hackers from accessing your personal data by blocking screenshots and giving you a virtual keyboard to prevent keylogging. It also automatically turns on Bitdefender’s VPN to further protect your privacy. I do most of my shopping on my laptop, so having Safepay is a great layer of additional protection.

Bitdefender’s VPN is one of the fastest antivirus VPNs I’ve tested. However, I don’t like how it’s limited to only 200 MB per day with most plans — this is barely enough for browsing. That said, I like that the VPN has good streaming support. You can purchase the premium VPN with unlimited data separately at checkout, and it’s pretty cheap, or you can get it as part of Bitdefender’s excellent Premium Security plan ($69.99 / year) that also includes a full-featured password manager with unlimited password storage and coverage for up to 10 devices.

Bitdefender’s anti-theft feature is also very good. I was impressed with how accurately it managed to pinpoint my Windows HP laptop’s location, and how I could remotely lock and wipe my laptop’s hard drive from Bitdefender’s online dashboard to avoid having my data stolen. It’s a shame that the anti-theft tools only work for Windows and Android, meaning I couldn’t use them on my MacBook. However, Mac’s in-built anti-theft features are fairly good, so that’s not a huge issue.

3. TotalAV Internet Security — Best for Easy-to-Use Device Optimization Tools

TotalAV is really good at virus detection — its scanner operates in the cloud, meaning even its full disk scans take up very little CPU (which makes it a great choice for laptop users). While TotalAV is excellent at virus protection, it’s missing some of the advanced web-based malware technology that Norton offers.

I was really impressed with TotalAV’s easy-to-use device optimization tools. I was able to quickly and easily delete over 10 GB of junk and duplicate files, remove useless and unwanted apps, clear browser cookies, and a lot more — significantly improving the overall speed of both my Windows and Mac laptops.

TotalAV also comes with:

• Anti-phishing.
• Ad blocker.
• VPN (with unlimited data).
• Password manager.
• Data breach monitoring.

TotalAV’s VPN performed exceptionally well in my tests. It obscured my IP, encrypted my data, and I could easily watch all popular streaming services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime. Avira’s VPN, on the other hand, was unable to work with Netflix in my tests. TotalAV’s VPN is also very fast, very easy to use, and it allows torrenting — which is why it’s ranked as the best antivirus with a VPN in 2023.

I’m also a fan of TotalAV’s anti-phishing protection (Web Shield). The Web Shield was able to block several malicious sites that Chrome and Firefox failed to alert me to. It’s also available as a free download, which is pretty cool. However, I think Norton’s anti-phishing protection is even better, as it managed to block every single phishing link in my tests.

The data breach monitoring tool is also pretty good. It monitors your email address and alerts you if it’s found in any data breaches. While it’s easy to use, this feature is a bit basic compared to Norton’s dark web monitoring tool, which scans the dark web for stolen credit card info, online banking details, passport details, and more.

TotalAV’s password manager, Total Password, is also pretty decent. It can generate and store complex passwords, and its auto-fill is pretty good. Plus it offers 2FA, password auditing, and a cool feature called Secure Me that lets you remotely log out from your account across all devices.

4. McAfee Total Protection — Best for Web Protection

McAfee Total Protection has one of the fastest and most comprehensive antivirus scanners around — it detected all of my malware samples during a single full system scan. Its real-time anti-malware engine is also very effective, blocking all of the malware files and malicious scripts that I tried to launch — including spyware, ransomware, rootkits, and trojans. However, the scan slowed my system down slightly, but I could still browse the internet and watch videos without any issues.

I think McAfee has the best web protection around. Its anti-phishing protection caught more malicious websites than Chrome and Safari’s built-in phishing protection tools did. I also like the Secure Search feature, which uses color coding to inform you if a URL is safe or dangerous before you click on it (suspicious URLs are marked with a red exclamation mark, and safe URLs are marked with a green tick).

McAfee’s VPN is also surprisingly fast, barely slowing down my internet connection while encrypting my web traffic and hiding my IP address. It’s great that the VPN includes unlimited data with all plans (so long as you enroll in auto-renew), unlike Bitdefender where you have to pay extra for the VPN with no limitations.

McAfee Total Protection offers additional features like:

• Firewall.
• Web performance optimization.
• System cleanup tools.
• Wi-Fi network scanner.
• Drive encryption.

The system cleanup tools were also very useful and easy to use. McAfee deleted over 6 GB of junk files left on my hard drive, removing duplicate video files, temporary files, and more. My laptop doesn’t have a lot of storage space, so it was great to reclaim much-needed hard drive space (instead of buying another removable flash drive).

I also like how McAfee includes an optional extension called Web Boost. When I downloaded it to Chrome, it increased my web browser’s speed by stopping videos on the web from auto-playing. Users on a good ISP won’t necessarily need this feature, but it’s great for those with slower internet connections. However, Web Boost is only available for Chrome, and I’d like to see support extended to Firefox and Safari.

5. Intego Mac Premium Bundle X9 — Best for MacBook Users

Intego is my favorite antivirus for MacBooks in 2023. During my tests, Intego detected and removed all of the malware samples from my device, including Mac-specific spyware and ransomware.

Intego also comes with data backup options that are a lot better than Apple’s built-in backup features. It can sync data backup between multiple devices, back up custom folders, and also make a bootable backup that includes your device’s latest Mac OS X version. This means you can easily reboot your files and operating system onto any Mac device.

Intego also includes:

• Firewall.
• Wi-Fi network security.
• System cleanup.
• Parental controls.

Intego’s firewall blocked all network-based attacks in my testing, while also giving me the option to stop third-party apps (including spyware) from potentially sending my sensitive data across the internet. It also analyzed my Wi-Fi network for all possible security issues. I like that I could customize both the firewall’s controls and how they changed automatically depending on my location (home, work office, or public) — something I haven’t seen any other Mac-based antiviruses provide.

I was also very impressed with Intego’s system cleanup and organization tools. I was able to run scans for junk files and duplicate files and even quickly organize files into smart folders — perfect for me, as my MacBook is usually very unorganized with hundreds of screenshot files on my desktop screen. I also really like how Intego gives detailed explanations of its cleanup scan results, so there’s very little chance of you accidentally deleting something you need.

Intego has great parental controls as well, which let users create lists of allowed websites and block access to entire categories, like gambling or adult sites. The parental controls also include chat monitoring, which sends you an alert if your kids engage in risky chats. Some competitors like Avira don’t offer any parental controls at all, so Intego is a better choice for keeping your kids safe online.