MacKeeper Review 2026: Mac’s Best Friend

MacKeeper is an effective Mac-only security suite that we believe is worth the price. While many antivirus programs prioritize Windows and offer scaled-down macOS versions, MacKeeper is built specifically for Mac users; that focus alone makes it stand out in a crowded cybersecurity market.

In this comprehensive MacKeeper review, we break down our hands-on experience testing the software, evaluating its independent lab results, and going over its extensive extras. We also highlight where it falls short, including a frustrating activation process and the lack of a firewall and protection against phishing links.

Whether you want stronger malware defense, built-in performance tools, or an all-in-one Mac security solution, this review can help you decide if MacKeeper is the right fit for your macOS device.

At a glance

Star rating summary

4.6

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Mac Antivirus

Antivirus Software

MacKeeper

• Mac-only antivirus with an 18/18 score in AV-TEST independent lab testing
• Find & Fix scan checks for malware, junk files, and performance issues in one pass
• Includes a VPN, ad blocker, and data breach monitoring at no extra cost

Learn More

See Price

Our experience

We had a good experience testing MacKeeper on our MacBook. It's rare to find a product that delivers on all the features and is designed specifically for macOS rather than a secondary version adapted from Windows software.

Our biggest frustration was the activation process. After we purchased a subscription, MacKeeper prompted us to activate our account by either contacting the chat or calling support. At the same time, the "tech expert" chat kept sending us messages urging us to call to activate our account and get a system checkup.

Eventually, the chat support let us know our account was activated, but the messages kept coming. We're not sure why we couldn't activate the subscription ourselves by entering the activation code. 

Once the software was set up, we explored the dashboard to find the different scan types. We started with the Find & Fix scan, which checked our device for cyberthreats, performance issues, and junk files. We could also enter an email address for data breach monitoring. 

There's also a tab labeled Antivirus, where you need to set up real-time protection. We had to allow MacKeeper some permissions on our device to enable real-time protection and run an Antivirus Scan. 

We tested every feature and security tool listed in the dashboard. Everything worked seamlessly and didn’t make our Mac buggy or slow. Even with the VPN and the ad blocker running simultaneously, there was no lag time on our browser.

Reviewed by Mary James

“The security, VPN, patch management, and cleaner features all work great. I have this installed on my personal and work MacBooks.”

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MacKeeper prices and plans

MacKeeper has a limited free version plus paid subscriptions that range from $71.40-$89.40/yr. The only difference in MacKeeper's paid tiers is how long your subscription term is and how many devices you wish to cover.

MacKeeper can be expensive compared to other top providers. However, you'll receive all the features listed on its site versus other antivirus providers that focus on Windows. 

Here's how MacKeeper compares to other antivirus plans that include a VPN:

• Norton: $39.99/first yr
• TotalAV: $39.00/first yr

Because MacKeeper includes a VPN, it may be worth the cost when compared to purchasing both an antivirus (around $50 per year) and a VPN (around $35 per year) separately.

MacKeeper security features

MacKeeper provides real-time antivirus protection plus features like ID Theft Guard, a Duplicates Finder, and an Update Tracker to help you get the most out of your Mac. The Update Tracker lets you update Mac apps that don't update automatically.

Malware and antivirus scan

When you install MacKeeper, it automatically prompts you to run a scan. Once finished, you can continue to manually run scans with MacKeeper’s antivirus whenever you like. 

MacKeeper runs automatic scans once a day, but there’s an option to customize the auto scans. The antivirus software is straightforward, and the security features on the dashboard are user-friendly.

Firewall

According to MacKeeper’s support team, there's no firewall feature for MacKeeper, but it does encourage you to enable its VPN, Private Connect. 

A firewall is an important antivirus feature. It monitors incoming and outgoing traffic to protect your network from unauthorized users and cyberthreats like viruses, phishing attacks, and remote hijackings. 

We hope MacKeeper adds a firewall to its software for more comprehensive protection. 

Real-time protection

As long as you have MacKeeper running in the background on your Mac, real-time protection is enabled. 

Some customers running older versions of macOS have reported issues with real-time protection, but MacKeeper's support team can help fix them. The real-time protection runs both antivirus and anti-malware scans. 

Ransomware protection

Ransomware is another type of malware. Because MacKeeper is running real-time protection to keep you safe from viruses, it’s also scanning for potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) that may contain ransomware. 

This feature comes standard and is on by default.

Anti-fraud protection

The ID Theft Guard feature not only scans emails for spam, scams, and phishing attempts, but it also monitors your data in real time. This means that while MacKeeper is running, it monitors your personal information for suspicious activity.

While ID Theft Guard can identify phishing-related emails, MacKeeper doesn't include dedicated phishing protection for malicious websites.

Bonus features

MacKeeper’s bonus features help make it a bundled tool. With a VPN, ad blocker, and patch management feature all built in, you could eliminate some of the products you’re already using. Here’s a list of some of the built-in bonus features:

• Private Connect: Built-in VPN
• StopAd: Browser extension that blocks ads such as pop-ups, as well as browser notifications and site trackers
• Update Tracker: Updates the apps on your Mac from a convenient location
• Smart Uninstaller: Helps you uninstall apps and deletes unneeded browser extensions, plug-ins, and widgets
• Duplicates Finder: Finds duplicate files to help you free up storage
• Login Items: Lets you choose what apps launch on startup
• Safe Cleanup: Removes clutter, such as logs and caches, from your Mac
• Adware Cleaner: Gets rid of adware on your Mac

MacKeeper test results

With every antivirus program we review, we go through two categories of tests:

• EICAR tests: Use cyberthreat test files to safely test the antivirus ourselves
• Third-party test results: Review antivirus test results from independent research organizations 

MacKeeper performed well across most categories. It passed both malware-related EICAR tests, but failed the phishing detection test. Plus, it earned top marks from AV-TEST.

EICAR test results

• Result: 2/3

The European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research, or EICAR, develops test files for various types of cyberthreats. That way, anyone can test the efficiency of their antivirus from home without downloading real malware. 

We used three types of test files on MacKeeper: malware detection, drive-by malware downloads, and phishing page detection tests.

Every time we downloaded an EICAR malware file, MacKeeper quarantined the file. These results gave us confidence in its malware protection.

MacKeeper didn't pass the phishing test, but it doesn't have dedicated phishing protection, so we expected this result.

AV-TEST results

• Result: MacKeeper earned perfect scores in protection, performance, and usability.

AV-TEST is an independent research organization dedicated to testing security software. It runs three types of tests on antivirus programs: malware detection and protection, impact on device performance, and accuracy and usability when it comes to detecting cyberthreats.

MacKeeper annually completed AV-TESTs beginning in March 2021, but it hasn't updated its results since March 2025. 

During this test period, MacKeeper received perfect results in protection, performance, and usability. It had a 100% protection score, beat the industry average on several performance tests, and detected no false positives. 

In March 2024, AV-TEST docked MacKeeper's performance score due to having slower installation of frequently used applications, so we’re glad MacKeeper has made improvements since then.

MacKeeper compatibility

When you’re looking at the standard product, you can see that MacKeeper is compatible with just Macs. It’s nice to have a Mac-focused product because many products that offer a Mac version typically have limited functionality.

Operating system:

• MacKeeper 5 for macOS 10.11-10.12
• MacKeeper 6 for macOS 10.13+

CPU:

• 64-bit Intel-based processor, Apple M1, or newer

RAM:

• 2 gigabytes (GB)

Disk space:

• 113 megabytes (MB)

MacKeeper customer support

MacKeeper offers phone, email, and live chat support, plus a help center with detailed tutorials The live chat window opens from any part of the dashboard and slides out on the right, so you can ask a question without leaving the app.

The live chat can help when you need quick answers, but it was also the most irritating part of our setup. After we bought a subscription, MacKeeper required us to activate our account through chat or a phone call. The chat sent repeated messages asking us to call for activation and a system checkup, and those messages kept coming after support confirmed our account was active.

MacKeeper user reviews

• MacKeeper Trustpilot rating: 4.2/5

MacKeeper doesn't offer any mobile apps, so we focused on its Trustpilot page to determine user sentiment toward the service. Trustpilot labeled MacKeeper as great because 83% of reviewers gave the service five stars. 

Reviewers praise MacKeeper for its efficient and easy-to-use program and its exceptional customer support. 

Top alternatives

MacKeeper is one of our favorite antivirus programs for Apple, but what if your household is divided on operating systems? We've compiled recommendations of antivirus programs that excel for all platforms: 

Antivirus	TotalAV	Bitdefender	Norton 360
Star rating	4.7 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Price	$19.00–$49.00/first yr	$34.99–$64.99/first yr	$29.99–$59.99/first yr
# of devices protected	4-8	Up to 5 or 25 on Bitdefender Family plans	Up to 10 or Unlimited on Norton 360 with LifeLock plans
Real-time protection
Malware scans	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled	Manual and scheduled
Firewall
EICAR test results	3/3	3/3	3/3
Phishing protection
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Opera	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Extras	Password manager, ad blocker, VPN	VPN, cryptomining protection, parental controls, webcam protection, scam protection, password manager	Password manager, VPN, dark web monitoring, parental controls, privacy monitor, identity theft protection, cloud backup
Learn more	Get TotalAV	Get Bitdefender	Get Norton 360

Bottom line: Is MacKeeper good?

Yes, MacKeeper is a good antivirus program if you want strong macOS protection. It passed our malware tests, and its built-in VPN, ad blocker, and Update Tracker add real value to the subscription.

Because it's one of the few cybersecurity products built only for macOS, it delivers on the features it advertises without the gaps you often see in Mac versions of Windows software.

But MacKeeper has its drawbacks. We had to go through support to activate our subscription, and the chat kept pushing us to call even after our account was active. We'd also like to see a firewall and browser-based phishing protection. Otherwise, MacKeeper is worth installing on your MacBook.

If you're still seeking an antivirus program, you can refer to our top alternatives or review our list of the best antivirus software.

FAQs

4.6

AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Editorial Rating

See Price

On MacKeeper's website

2026 Editors’ Choice

Best Mac Antivirus

Antivirus Software

MacKeeper

• Mac-only antivirus with an 18/18 score in AV-TEST independent lab testing
• Find & Fix scan checks for malware, junk files, and performance issues in one pass
• Includes a VPN, ad blocker, and data breach monitoring at no extra cost

Author Details

Mary James

About the Author

Mary James is a cybersecurity writer and hands-on product tester at All About Cookies, specializing in VPNs, antivirus software, password managers, and ad blockers. She has written over 340 articles and has personally tested more than 75 products. Before writing about consumer security, she worked at PC Matic, a U.S. antivirus company, giving her firsthand insight into how security software is built, marketed, and tested. Her work has been featured in MSN and CNBC.