Does a Mac need antivirus
macOS blocks known malware on its own. The gaps are phishing, bundled adware, and passwords sitting in old breaches.
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.
