The short answer. MalwareBytes is the on-demand scanner and removal tool. BlockBlock and ClearanceKit work the other way round: they alert when something installs a persistent component, which is prevention rather than detection. ParetoSecurity is a menu bar audit for basic security hygiene. Antivirus One and Mac Clean are the free scanners. CleanMyMac is the maintenance suite that bundles a malware scan among its other jobs. The first question is whether you want to be told when something installs or to scan when you suspect something, because those are two different products and most people want the second one and buy the first.
This guide covers 7 malware scanners for macOS. Every fact below is drawn from the same verified records that back each app’s own page. The recommendations are our editorial judgment, not payment. Last verified 2026-10-04.
Quick comparison
| App | What it is | Pricing | Licence | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antivirus One | security utility | Free | not published | 3.10.9 |
| BlockBlock | security utility | Open source | GPL-3.0 | 2.5.2 |
| CleanMyMac | system maintenance utility | Subscription | not published | 5.6.0 |
| ClearanceKit | security utility | Open source | MIT | 5.0.11-c918059 |
| Mac Clean | Mac cleaner | Open source | BSD-3-Clause | 1.21.3 |
| MalwareBytes | security tool | Free | not published | 5.27.1.4191 |
| ParetoSecurity | security tool | Open source | GPL-3.0 | 1.36.0 |
What actually decides this
- Prevention or detection. A monitor that fires when a persistent component appears catches the installation. A scanner that runs when you ask catches what is already there. The two catch different malware and neither substitutes for the other.
- What it does when it finds something. Quarantine, removal and an explanation of what was removed are three different outcomes. A tool that deletes without telling you what it deleted leaves you unable to tell whether it found a real threat or a false positive.
- Whether it runs persistently. A resident scanner is a daemon with privileges, which is a real cost. A scanner that runs only when you invoke it has no standing access and nothing to keep running correctly between macOS updates.
- Adware and PUPs, not only malware. The common Mac problem is a bundled installer or a persistent browser extension rather than a trojan. Whether the tool treats those as findings is the difference between a useful scanner and one that reports nothing on a machine full of junk.
- How much of the system it wants. Full disk access and a system extension are significant grants. A tool that asks for them has to be maintained, and an unmaintained resident scanner is itself a risk.
Our picks
- MalwareBytes — Its record describes a malware scanner and removal tool, which is the on-demand case. Choose it when you want an on-demand scanner you run when you suspect something.
- BlockBlock — Its record describes alerting whenever anything is persistently installed, which is the prevention case. Choose it when what you want is to be told at the moment something installs persistently.
- ClearanceKit — Its record describes a policy-based file access control tool for protected paths, which is the control case. Choose it when you want policy-based control over protected paths rather than a scan.
- ParetoSecurity — Its record describes a menu bar app that automatically audits basic security hygiene, which is the audit case. Choose it when you want a menu bar audit of basic hygiene.
- Antivirus One — Its record describes a security scanner for malware, adware and web threats, which is the free-scanner case. Choose it when you want a free scanner for malware, adware and web threats.
The apps
Antivirus One
Antivirus One is a security utility for macOS. Security scanner for malware, adware, and web threats. It is free.
What it does. Antivirus One Free Download. Get protection against viruses, malware and spyware on your Mac. Easy-to-use virus scanner for macOS.
Antivirus One is listed with current version 3.10.9.
Full profile and verified facts for Antivirus One →
BlockBlock
BlockBlock is a security utility for macOS. Me: “Please alert me whenever anything is persistently installed.” BlockBlock: “You got it”. It is released under GPL-3.0.
What it does. Protection Against Persistent Mac Malware.
BlockBlock is listed with current version 2.5.2.
Full profile and verified facts for BlockBlock →
CleanMyMac
CleanMyMac is a system maintenance utility for macOS. A macOS maintenance suite from MacPaw that removes junk files, uninstalls apps with their leftovers, finds duplicates and scans for malware. It is subscription.
Strengths. According to the developer, combines junk cleanup, app uninstallation, duplicate detection and malware scanning in one app. Runs on macOS 11 and newer, with a 320 MB download and a 1200x800 minimum display. A free trial is available before subscribing.
Trade-offs. It is a subscription rather than a one-time purchase, starting at $3.33 per month. The Mac App Store build and the direct download are not on the same version: the store listed 5.6.0 on 21 August 2026 while macpaw.com listed 5.5.7 on 22 July 2026. The download is roughly 145 MB from the Mac App Store and 320 MB from macpaw.com, so the two distributions are not the same package. macOS 11 or newer and a display of at least 1200x800 are required. Apple Silicon support is not stated in the sources Nuanyue tracks.
Not for. Windows or Linux users — CleanMyMac is macOS only. Users who need the Mac App Store build and the direct download to match — the two are not always the same version.
What it does. Junk file scanning and removal. Full application uninstaller that clears leftover files. Duplicate and similar-photo detection. Malware scanner.
CleanMyMac is listed with current version 5.6.0.
Full profile and verified facts for CleanMyMac →
ClearanceKit
ClearanceKit is a security utility for macOS. Policy-based file access control tool for protected paths. It is released under MIT.
What it does. ClearanceKit — macOS kernel-level file access control bound to code-signing identity. Limits each process.
ClearanceKit is listed with current version 5.0.11-c918059.
Full profile and verified facts for ClearanceKit →
Mac Clean
Mac Clean is a Mac cleaner for macOS. Free, open-source cleaner, optimizer, and malware scanner. It is released under BSD-3-Clause.
Mac Clean is listed with current version 1.21.3.
Full profile and verified facts for Mac Clean →
MalwareBytes
MalwareBytes is a security tool for macOS. Malware scanner and removal tool. It is free.
What it does. Sorry, it looks like you’ve hit a Download or Purchase restriction This restriction is based on your current location. Check out…
MalwareBytes is listed with current version 5.27.1.4191.
Full profile and verified facts for MalwareBytes →
ParetoSecurity
ParetoSecurity is a security tool for macOS. A MenuBar app to automatically audit your Mac for basic security hygiene. It is released under GPL-3.0.
What it does. Prove every remote, personal, and contractor laptop is encrypted, patched, and locked for SOC 2 and ISO 27001, with a read-only app that respects privacy.
ParetoSecurity is listed with current version 1.36.0.
Full profile and verified facts for ParetoSecurity →
How to choose
- Free of charge. Antivirus One and MalwareBytes — no payment is required.
- No licence fee, source available. BlockBlock, ClearanceKit, Mac Clean and ParetoSecurity — the source can be read and, under the terms of each licence, reused.
- Subscription. CleanMyMac — billed on a recurring basis.
Open source: BlockBlock, ClearanceKit, Mac Clean and ParetoSecurity (4 of 7).
Common mistakes
- Running two resident scanners at once. They conflict, and the failure looks like the second one is broken rather than that both are.
- Treating a clean scan as proof of anything. A scan is a moment in time, and a tool that only runs on demand has no opinion about what happened yesterday.
- Granting full disk access to a security tool you have not opened in a year. The grant remains and so does the attack surface.
- Ignoring the installer prompt. The most common Mac infection route is a dialogue nobody read, and no scanner catches it afterwards.
How this guide was put together
Each app’s facts come from its own record: the developer’s own pages and repository, the App Store listing where one exists, and the documentation, each with a source grade and an access date. Where a fact rests on the developer’s own statement rather than on something we verified independently, the sentence says so. Where our data has no value for something, the guide says “not published” instead of guessing.
A price appears here only where the record carries one from a stated source; the guide never estimates one, and it records the pricing model alongside so the two can be read together. Prices change and vary by region, so each app links to its own page for the current detail.
The facts and the recommendations are kept apart on purpose. Everything in the app entries, the comparison table and the answers above is composed from the records. The short answer, the criteria and the picks are our editorial judgment: they reflect what we would choose and why, and they are not paid for. Where we make a recommendation we name the condition it applies under, because we do not call anything “the best” without explaining the criteria.
Verified 2026-10-04.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose between these malware scanners?
There is no single answer — it depends on what you need. This guide covers 7 malware scanners: Antivirus One, BlockBlock, CleanMyMac, ClearanceKit, Mac Clean, MalwareBytes and ParetoSecurity. They differ mainly in pricing model, licence and the trade-offs each one carries. Pick by the trade-off you care about rather than by rank.
Are these malware scanners free?
Pricing across this group: free (Antivirus One and MalwareBytes), open source (BlockBlock, ClearanceKit, Mac Clean and ParetoSecurity) and subscription (CleanMyMac). We quote a price only where the record carries one from a stated source, and we never estimate one. Prices change and vary by region and by store, so always check the developer’s own page for the current figure.
Which of these malware scanners are open source?
BlockBlock (GPL-3.0), ClearanceKit (MIT), Mac Clean (BSD-3-Clause) and ParetoSecurity (GPL-3.0) are open source.
Do these malware scanners support Apple Silicon?
Our data does not carry an explicit Apple Silicon statement for any app in this group, so we do not claim one. The absence of a statement is not the same as the absence of support.
How do I choose between them?
Start with how you pay: the guide groups these apps by pricing model, because the budget is the constraint most people actually have. Then check the trade-offs listed for each app: the limitations are the part that decides most people’s choice, because they describe what the app will not do for you.
Who should not use these apps?
CleanMyMac each list an audience they are explicitly not aimed at. Those notes come from the same verified records as the rest of this guide, and they are worth reading before you install anything.
When was this data last verified?
The facts in this guide were last confirmed on 2026-10-04. Every app page carries its own verification dates and source list, so you can check any individual claim.
