Free Mac Antivirus Test: Avast Security 2n5t1

Published on 31/07/2019

Famous for its free antivirus for Windows, Avast also offers products for Mac even if the company communicates less about it. And if the presence of an antivirus on Windows is not in doubt, it is more delicate when it comes to Apple systems. Indeed, many people think that macOS does not need an antivirus. However, this system is also targeted by cyber-criminal attacks. So if you’re considering ing an antivirus for your Mac, let’s see if Avast Security for Mac can do the trick.

Installing Avast Security for Mac 3b4x1w

Installing the software is not particularly difficult, but we quickly understand that Avast Security does not come alone on our test Mac. Indeed, Avast quickly requests us to offer us the additional installation of Avast SecureLine VPN and Avast s. We accept in order to be able to check later if these two modules are usable for free.

After a few moments of waiting, all the software is installed on our Mac and we can finally open Avast Security for Mac… which immediately offers us to install Avast Cleanup.

Avast Security Interface for Mac n4069

Used to the Free Avast Antivirus interface on PC, we are quite surprised by the look of Avast Security for Mac. The editor has chosen minimalism with a left side menu referring to the different menus and tools of the program. The rest of the window is dedicated to displaying information on a white background.

All the menus use the same interface and we find that it adapts relatively well to the refined universe proposed by macOS. We also launched Avast s, Avast SecureLine VPN and Avast Cleanup to compare interfaces. They seemed more modern and more in line with what the editor offers on other OSes. Next to Avast s, the Avast Security for Mac home window seems more dated.

Avast Security for Mac features 121s2j

Avast Security for Mac is available in two versions: a free version and a paid version. This is the free one we installed for this test and it is therefore reduced by some features.

Avast Security for Mac is responsible for detecting and eliminating viruses and malware. It is equipped with three shields: one for file analysis, one for email and one for the web. And that’s all! Other options for Wi-Fi network scanning are reserved for those who subscribe to Avast Security .

This is quite limited, especially when compared with the profusion of features found on the Windows side, but it is also the minimum that can be expected from a free antivirus.

Avast Security Performance for Mac 6665v

Our first test consists in comparing Avast Security for Mac with a file full of malware. At the beginning of the analysis, Avast indicates that it has detected threats. The operation is not very long and our Mac is far from being underwater during this step.

The detected malware was placed in the quarantine area immediately after to prevent it from causing problems. Avast, who is not losing its way, has still asked us to take out a subscription to benefit from more comprehensive protection.

On the shield side, we went to the software’s options to understand what they were protecting. In practical , they protect against potentially unwanted software, they analyze s and they can also protect you on the web. We wanted to check the effectiveness of the web shield by going to a dangerous page. If Chrome, our browser, immediately appeared, an Avast pop-up quickly followed to warn us that the website we wanted to visit was malicious: a good point for Avast Security for Mac.

On the “complementary tools” side, we tested Avast SecureLine VPN. It is not a free VPN but it is possible to test it for 7 days without having to provide credit card information. It offers servers in about fifty countries, some of which are dedicated to streaming or p2p.

Avast s is a free manager. After creating your master , you can add your personal information so that you can activate automatic filling when necessary.

Finally, Avast Cleaner is a system cleaner that will quickly ask you to take out your credit card. It can still be useful if you don’t have software to search for duplicates or sort your photos.

Conclusion 30312t

Avast Security for Mac is a solution that offers the minimum of unionization. It is true that in comparison with the equivalent product on Windows, one can be a little frustrated by the lack of features. And yet, Avast Security for Mac keeps its promises by keeping us safe from viruses and also on the web.

We still reproach it for its slightly too simple interface and the multiplication of the publisher’s products: we wanted to install a single software program and, in no time at all, we had 4 on our machine. And that’s not to mention the browser extensions we didn’t install. In other words, it is a pity that the editor accumulates so many programs when the whole is more coherent on Windows. But the constraints on Mac may be different…

In any case, for a free antivirus, we found Avast Security for Mac to be effective. This is a product that may be useful to you if you want to your very first antivirus on your Mac.

Avast Security for Mac

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