Avast For Mac And Kaspersky
Avast detects Kaspersky and won't install. Started by Moyners. Avast Products » Avast Mac Security (Moderators: Vlk, tumic, hasik, Radek Brich) Normal Topic. Avast Pro Antivirus 2018 is a popular and one of the cheaper options. It's in the top 3 bestselling antivirus programs and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as ESET SMART Security 2016 or McAfee 2018 Total Protection.
(Last updated on April 20th, 2019)
- Kaspersky and Avast are two names we cannot ignore as long as we are in the digital security industry. Both the companies have established an unparalleled track-record of protection for a variety of devices, including Windows PC, Mac and Smartphone platforms like Android and iOS.
- Compare Kaspersky Lab vs. Avast If you need to have a convenient way to find out which IT Management Software product is better, our proprietary method gives Avast a score of 8.8 and Kaspersky Lab a score of 9.9 for total quality and performance.
Bitdefender or Kaspersky, which antivirus software is a better choice in 2019?
Read this in-depth, value='{'show_for_logged_in':'1','hide_on_device':'}'>
Overall, Bitdefender is our #1 antivirus software for 2019 (and beyond), because of its excellent, flawless performance in all independent lab evaluations, particularly those conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.
Right now, we think that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus package available in the market. Apart from providing excellent anti-malware protection, it offers all the advanced premium features and utilities that must be there in a high-end package -- and best of all, it offers excellent value for money. You can protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, or smartphones) with just one license.
If you need protection for more than five devices, we highly recommend Bitdefender Family Pack 2019. It will cover all the internet-capable devices in your household with the Total Security suite, so your family is protected no matter what goes wrong.
First, let’s see the security suites both companies offer.
| Bitdefender Antivirus Suites |
| Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition (Windows only) |
| Bitdefender Antivirus Plus (Windows only) |
| Bitdefender Internet Security (Windows only) |
| Bitdefender Total Security (Windows & Mac) |
| Bitdefender Family Pack (Windows & Mac) |
| Virus Scanner (Mac only) |
| Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac (Mac only) |
| Kaspersky Antivirus Suites |
| Kaspersky Free (Windows only) |
| Kaspersky Anti-Virus (Windows only) |
| Kaspersky Internet Security (Mac & Windows) |
| Kaspersky Total Security (Mac & Windows) |
| Virus Scanner (Mac only) |
| Virus Scanner Pro (Mac only) |
If you’re in a rush and want the answer right away, take a look at the graphic below and also read our short verdict to make your mind.
Short Verdict
Bitdefender offers more security-related features and utilities in its security products than Kaspersky. Independent tests prove that both software provide excellent protection against all sorts of malware threats, but Bitdefender is better than Kaspersky in terms of the impact on system performance.
We have reviewed and rated most (if not all) antivirus software packages out there, and we think that Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (currently at 50% off) is the best antivirus package you can buy right now. You can protect up to five devices (PCs, Macs, or smartphones) with a single license of this suite.
If you have more than five devices, Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 is the best option for you.
If you're just looking for Mac-specific protection, we recommend Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac 2019 for complete peace of mind.
Now, let’s begin with the detailed comparison…
What is Included in Bitdefender’s Antivirus Suites?
First, let’s review the Bitdefender’s suites that are compatible with the Windows platform.
The company’s entry-level product is Bitdefender Antivirus Free. Unlike other antivirus companies, Bitdefender doesn’t include a lot of features and utilities right in its freeware; it only offers essential anti-malware security and also guards against phishing/fraudulent websites.
A Home Scanner, which is available as a free separate download, checks your Wi-Fi network for vulnerabilities and also protects against hackers and intruders.
For secure browsing experience, Bitdefender offers a Traffic light browser extension; it has an advanced malware filter, a link scanner, a trackers’ identifier, and also protects against phishing attacks and online fraud. It supports Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
Next in the line is Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019. Along with everything included in the freeware, it offers multi-layered ransomware protection, a WiFi Security Advisor (monitors your router and improves network security), a hardened browser for safer banking/shopping activities, a Search Advisor (finds out whether search results are safe or not), and a password vault.
Additionally, a vulnerability scanner (checks for security flaws and other related vulnerabilities), an autopilot feature (makes optimal decisions without annoying you), a file shredder, and a battery saver are also included in this suite. And, as you might have guessed, you’ll also get free online 24/7 support as a paying customer.
Another level up is Bitdefender Internet Security 2019. It adds a two-way firewall, a file encryption utility, a Safe Files feature (shields your important files from ransomware), and a limited VPN. Webcam protection and parental control features are also part of the “Internet Security” suite.
Bitdefender Total Security 2019 is the company’s top-of-the-line suite, boasting several performance optimization tools (including OneClick Optimizer, Disk Cleanup, and Startup Optimizer), along with everything included in the “Internet Security” plan. A useful anti-theft module (helps you find lost or stolen devices) and an autopilot feature (makes optimal decisions without annoying you) are also included in this suite.
If you’ve got a lot of devices to protect in your household, go with Bitdefender Family Pack 2019. It protects unlimited family devices and includes all the features jammed into the “Total Security” suite.
Now, let’s see what Bitdefender offers for Mac users.
Much like its Windows-only freeware, Bitdefender offers a limited Virus Scanner for Mac. It comes with essential anti-malware security (protects against viruses, spyware, and other online threats) and also allows you to run different types of scans; you can scan running apps, any specific file/folder, or the entire system.
For advanced protection-related features and extra utilities, you’ll have to upgrade to Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac. It offers comprehensive protection against all kinds of malware (including ransomware), blocks annoying adware, protects your backups, and also secures your browsing experience.
Note: Bitdefender Total Security 2019 and Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 both are compatible with Macs, too.
What is Included in Kaspersky’s Antivirus Suites?
Kaspersky Free — which released in July last year — is the company’s entry-level product. Along with providing basic-level protection against malware, it checks for dangerous email attachments, steers clear of dangerous websites, and also protects against phishing attacks.
A useful on-screen keyboard is also there in the freeware to prevent keyloggers from stealing your sensitive data.
If your computer is so infested with malware that it just won’t start up, you can make use of Kaspersky’s free rescue disk to remove deep-rooted malware infections.
However, you should consider upgrading to a premium plan (perhaps Kaspersky Total Security) as the best paid suites outperform the free ones.
Next up is Kaspersky Anti-Virus. It adds a game mode feature (minimizes notifications for uninterrupted experience), a vulnerability scanner (scans for outdated software and vulnerabilities in your operating system), and also adds protection against ransomware (a type of malware that steals or blocks access to your important data unless you pay a ransom amount).
Another level up is Kaspersky Internet Security. It adds a two-way firewall (monitors network traffic and blocks attacks), a hardened browser for safe banking/shopping, and also includes webcam and microphone protection.
A basic-level parental control filter is also part of the ‘Internet Security’ plan. It prevents your kids from seeing inappropriate content and also helps you manage their social media usage.
Kaspersky Total Security is the company’s top-tier suite, adding a file shredder (enables you to securely delete your sensitive files so no one can recover them), an unlimited password manager, and an automatic backup tool (with 2GB of online space).
A more advanced parental control filter and a file encryption utility is also included in the ‘Total Security’ suite.
Note: You can protect all your devices (PC, Mac, and mobile) with a single subscription of both Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security.
Now, let’s see what Kaspersky offers for macOS users…
The bare-bones Virus Scanner for Mac is the company’s free offering for Mac users. It includes an on-demand scanner (checks for various types of malware threats) and also offers detailed reporting on different threats.
The Virus Scanner Pro adds a download scanner (automatically scans your ‘downloads’ folder for malware) and also gives you step-by-step instructions on how to remove various types of malware threats.
To get proactive protection and other advanced tools and utilities, you’ll have to go with either Kaspersky Internet Security or Kaspersky Total Security – both of which are compatible with Mac platform.
Bitdefender vs Kaspersky: Which Offers Better Malware Protection?
There are two kinds of malware threats: known malware (or widespread malware) and unknown malware (also called zero-day malware). The former refers to the type of malware that is already out in the wild (i.e. its digital signatures are already available), while the latter type of malware exploits a previously unknown vulnerability and doesn’t have an exact signature match, which means antivirus programs have a difficult time catching it.
Usually, antivirus software employ signature-based scanning (checking suspected files against a huge library of known malware) and heuristic monitoring (checking for behavioral attributes of suspected files) to detect unknown malware.
Let’s see how Bitdefender and Kaspersky fared in the recent lab tests conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives – two independent security institutes that regularly assess various antivirus products on different levels.
In the AV-Test’s most recent Windows 7 evaluations, both Bitdefender and Kaspersky registered perfect scores against widespread malware as well as zero-day malware. (See this and this if interested in detailed reports.)
Both software received a perfect 6 out of 6 star rating in the ‘protection’ category. (These tests were conducted in January and February 2018.)
Similar tests were conducted on Windows 10 platform in November and December last year. Bitdefender once again came up with perfect scores; it thrashed 100% of both types of malware samples in both months, earning another 6/6 star rating.
Kaspersky’s results in Windows 10 evaluations weren’t as great as its Bitdefender’s but it still managed a perfect 6/6 rating; it blocked 100% of widespread malware in both months, but only picked up 98.9% of zero-day malware in November and 100% in December.
To thoroughly examine the defenses of various antivirus products, AV-Comparatives conducts two major tests: malware protection test and real-world protection test. The latter — as the name suggests — tests a product against a large number of real-world malware samples with their default settings in place, while the former assesses a security program’s on-demand scanning, on-access scanning, as well as behavioral detection capabilities.
AV-Comparatives most recent real-world protection test report included average results of the tests conducted in five consecutive months, from July to November 2018. Both Bitdefender and Kaspersky were awarded the highest accolade, which is the “ADVANCED +” award, courtesy their near-perfect 99.9% and 99.7% protection rates, respectively.
Bitdefender registered 3 false positives (i.e. misidentifying legitimate files or domains as malware-infected) over the five-month period, while Kaspersky returned only 2.
AV-Comparatives’ malware protection test was most recently held in September last year. Both Bitdefender and Kaspersky once again received the “ADVANCED +” award because of their near-perfect protection rates of 99.95% and 99.96%, respectively.
Kaspersky returned 10 false positives in this test, while Bitdefender came up with only 5.
Overall, it can be said that Bitdefender and Kaspersky both offer excellent protection against all types of malware.
Winner: It’s a tie
Bitdefender vs Kaspersky: Which Software Puts Less Impact on System?
Antivirus program – like any other software – needs some percentage of system resources to do their job. A security software that provides excellent malware protection but consumes too much of resources is not necessarily a good option.
To find out how much impact Bitdefender and Kaspersky put on system performance, I will once again look at the independent lab test.
AV-Test’s protection test involves determining the impact a product puts on computer performance; they execute few common computer operations, such as downloading/installing software, browsing websites, copying files, and measure the slowdown caused by a security product on a standard and a high-end PC.
Here’re the results of the test with Bitdefender installed.
Here’s how Kaspersky fared in the test.
As you can see, both software received a perfect 6/6 star rating.
Note: These tests were conducted on Windows 10 platform in November and December 2018. The results were exactly the same when AV-Test conducted the same study on Windows 7 platform a little more recently, in January and February 2018.
The experts at AV-Comparatives do a similar study; they also execute few common computer tasks and check the impact a security software exerts system in terms of impact score (the lower the better). In their recent study — which was held in September 2017 – both software were awarded the highest “ADVANCED +” award, but Bitdefender received a better impact score of 4.1, as opposed to Kaspersky’s slightly heavier 8.1.
So, it’s clear that both software are extremely light on system resources and none of them will significantly degrade your system performance. But it must be said that Bitdefender is slightly better than Kaspersky in terms of system performance.
Winner: Bitdefender
Bitdefender vs Kaspersky: Which Software Offers a Better Interface?
First, let’s explore the Kaspersky’s interface…
Kaspersky’s interface is bright, clean, and simple. The default page – despite having a lot of features and useful links – doesn’t look crowded or clunky. At the top, you’d find a green banner and a reassuring “Your Computer is Protected” message next to a checkmark provided your computer’s health is okay. The banner quickly turns to red when there’s an issue that needs your immediate attention.
Scan, Database Update, SafeMoney, Privacy Protection, Parental Control, and Protection for all devices are the six modules you’ll find on the main window. Each module is self-explanatory and contains relevant features and their settings.
At the bottom, there’s a horizontal menu that has links to settings, news, support, and more.
Also, it goes without saying that if you’re using the freeware, most of the advanced security-related features and extra utilities will not be available to you.
Now, let’s look at the Bitdefender’s interface…
Bitdefender offers two interfaces; one for the freeware and the other for its premium products.
The interface for the free version is very simple and minimalistic. Other than a “Scan Computer” button on the main window which you can use to run a full computer scan, there aren’t any features that you can access or settings that you can control.
Bitdefender’s premium products come with a more featured and robust interface. There’s a vertical menu on the left which consists of the following tabs: Protection, Privacy, Tools, Activity, Notifications, Account, Settings, and Support.
Protection window — which is also the default view — shows your protection status, contains a toggle switch to turn autopilot feature on/off, and also has buttons to run a quick scan or a vulnerability scan. Information about different types of threats Bitdefender has thwarted in the last 30 days is also available on this window.
Privacy and Tools pages contain relevant features and their settings. Does avast check for malware. The rest of the tabs are self-explanatory.
The name of the suite you’re subscribed to is displayed in the title bar. At the bottom, there’s a link which takes you Bitdefender’s online portal where you can manage all your devices at one place.
So, it’s clear that Kaspersky’s products come with a lot simpler and easy to use interface than Bitdefender’s (the one for the premium products).
Winner: Kaspersky
Bitdefender vs Kaspersky: Which Software is More Expensive?
| Bitdefender Security Products | Prices |
|---|---|
| Bitdefender Antivirus Plus | Check Price |
| Bitdefender Internet Security | Check Price |
| Bitdefender Total Security | Check Price |
| Bitdefender Family Pack | Check Price |
| Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac | Check Price |
| Bitdefender Small Office Security | Check Price |
| Bitdefender GravityZone Business Products | See Full Range |
| Kaspersky Security Products | Prices |
|---|---|
| Kaspersky Anti-Virus | Check Price |
| Kaspersky Internet Security | Check Price |
| Kaspersky Total Security | Check Price |
| Kaspersky Small Office Security | Check Price |
| Kaspersky Business Products | See Full Range |
As you can see, Bitdefender’s suites are a touch expensive that Kaspersky’s.
Winner: Kaspersky
Bitdefender vs Kaspersky: Which Software is More Popular?
Bitdefender and Kaspersky are among two of the most popular antivirus companies, but which one of them is ahead of the other in terms of popularity?
Bitdefender claims it is protecting “over 500 million people worldwide,” while Kaspersky says its user community is “over 400 million.”
I’ll look at independent antivirus market share statistics and social media influence of each software product to declare a winner in this category.
According to OPSWAT – a company that publishes monthly reports on the market share of leading antivirus companies – Avast is the most used antivirus product with a total market share of 19.64%. Bitdefender is fifth on the list, boasting a market share of 6.82%, while Kaspersky is last in the line with only 3.86% market share.
Speaking of social media influence, Bitdefender has 4.1 million Facebook fans and 82K Twitter followers, while Kaspersky’s Facebook tally is just over 3.3 million and Twitter’s nearly 300K.
Overall, both products are extremely popular among the antivirus user community but Bitdefender captures a bigger market share.
Winner: Bitdefender
Final Verdict
Both Bitdefender and Kaspersky offer several excellent premium suites to match your protection needs.
Plus, it comes with premium customer support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you have more than five devices, Bitdefender Family Pack 2019 is the best option for you.
Related Comparisons
Avast vs AVG
Bitdefender vs Avast
McAfee vs Norton
Avira vs Avast
Besides the World’s most popular antivirus for Windows, Avast is offering a comprehensive antivirus for Apple Mac OS X (Macintosh). The product is called Avast Free Mac Security 2018 (version 11) and same as the Windows version it’s completely for free. It doesn’t even require the registration, so you can just download, install and use it without any hassle.
While some Mac users are still questioning the need for the antivirus/security software on OS X, we definitely recommend have Avast installed as the number of hacker attacks on Mac users is rising rapidly.
Avast for Mac Key Features & Benefits
- Award-winning antivirus engine with 100% detection rate (according to the independent test by AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives)
- Real-time protection with 3 layers (File System Shield, Mail Shield, Web Shield)
- Automatic streaming updates of the virus definitions
- Excellent performance – very low on system resources
- Simple and intuitive user interface
- Completely for free – no registration required
Avast for Mac Free Download & Installation
Avast for Mac is unfortunately not available on iTunes or App Store. But you can simply download Avast Free Mac Security using the link below:
From the Official Avast Servers
After you finish the download you can proceed with the installation. Avast antivirus for mac 10.7.5. The installation process is really easy and doesn’t require any technical skills:
- Close the Safari browser, locate the setup file called ‘avast_free_mac_security.dmg‘ and run it
- Confirm the Avast License Agreement by clicking on ‘Agree‘
- You can customize the installation by clicking on ‘Customize’, click on ‘Install’ to start the installation
- If prompted enter the administrator name and password
- Once the installation is complete, you should get the confirmation screen
Please note it’s heavily recommended to uninstall any other antivirus/security software from your Mac before installing Avast.
Avast Security Pro for Mac – Is it worthy to pay extra?
Besides the free version of Mac antivirus, there is also a premium one called Avast Security Pro for Mac. The pro version offers two extra features
- Wi-Fi Alerts – This feature will immediately notify you if someone connects to your Wi-Fi network. This helps you to keep hackers/neighbors out of your network.
- Ransomware Shield – Ransomware shields keep your personal data from being encrypted without your permission.
For these, you need to pay for the premium version which costs $59.99 per year. Is it worthy? We would say yes as ransomware on Mac is on the rise and Avast offers solid protection against it.
Avast for Mac User & Experts Reviews – What others are saying?
Avast Free Mac Security is also really popular among the users and technical experts. It is by far the most downloaded Mac antivirus/security on Download.com with more than 4.5 million downloads! While other competitors don’t have even half a million (Sophos 247k, Avira 80k, Norton 30k, Kaspersky 12k, McAfee 11k, Eset 9k).
Avast Free Mac Security is the most downloaded antivirus for Mac with more than 4.5 million downloads
Also, the user reviews on Download.com are very positive. Avast Free Mac Security 2018 has 4.5 stars (out of 5) from 1,641users.
Avast For Mac Antivirus Free Download 2016
Avast for Mac is doing really well also in the independent tests. It has been certified with 100% detection rate by the German laboratory AV-TEST. Same results were measured also by the Austrian laboratory AV-Comparatives.
According to Tom’s Guide, Avast Free Mac Security was better in detecting viruses than the other paid solutions: ‘it was better at malware detection than all three of the paid antivirus solutions we reviewed‘.
Avast for Mac System Requirements – Will it run on your Mac?
Minimum system requirements are quite easy to comply and really nothing special. Avast Free Mac Security will run even on the older MacBooks (Air/Pro) and iMacs:
- OS X Version: Apple Mac running macOS 10.9 (Mavericks) or newer
- Processor: Intel-based Mac computer with 64-bit processor
- Memory: 128 MB RAM or above (1 GB RAM or higher preferred)
- Free space: 500 MB minimum hard disk free space
Avast for Mac Uninstall – How to remove it from your Mac?
If you decide to uninstall Avast Free Mac Security from your Mac, there is nothing special you would need to do compared to any other Mac application. To remove it simply follow the instructions below:
- Close Safari browser and open Avast by going to ‘Finder’ » ‘Applications’ and double-click on the Avast orange icon
- Open ‘Avast Mac Security‘ in the menu bar at the top-left, select ‘Uninstall Avast‘ and confirm (you may need to log in as an administrator)
- Wait and the uninstall process to finish and Avast Free Mac Security is completely removed
Avast For Mac
Unfortunately, there is no removal tool or uninstall utility for Mac. Avast Uninstall Utility (AvastClear) is available only for Windows.