Does a Mac need antivirus

macOS ships with real protection. XProtect blocks known malware signatures, Gatekeeper refuses unsigned applications, and notarisation checks software before it runs. For classic viruses, that covers a lot.

What it does not cover

None of those three look at a web page. A convincing copy of a bank sign in loads exactly like the real thing, and macOS has no opinion about it.

Adware bundled with a free download is usually signed and notarised, because the developer paid for a certificate. It passes every check and then injects adverts into your browser.

And no part of macOS tells you when a password of yours turns up in a leak, which is the single most common way an account is lost.

So, do you need it

If you only install from the App Store and never click a link in an email, macOS alone is close to sufficient. If anyone else uses the machine, or you download software from the web, the gaps above are the three things a first scan usually finds.