This article reviews the top Antivirus for Android with comparison. Check the details to choose the best android antivirus app for you:
An antivirus software (also known as AV software), is used to detect, block and remove all types of threats to a device. The threats may include viruses, malware, spyware, bloatware, etc, that could enter your device, through malicious websites, links, or applications.
As we are living in an era where almost all our important tasks are being performed through our smartphones, it is very important to have software that can protect our personal information (including passwords, financial details, etc) from being mishandled by ill-minded people.
Besides giving security to your device from viruses, antivirus software also gives you a tool to find your device in case of theft, lock or format it remotely, browse securely through their VPN, and much more.
Table of Contents:
- Android Antivirus Review
- List of Top Free Antivirus For Android Smartphones
- Comparing the Best Android Antivirus Apps
- #1) TotalAV Antivirus
- #2) Norton Mobile Security
- #3) McAfee Mobile Security
- #4) AVG Antivirus Free
- #5) Malwarebytes Security
- #6) Avira
- #7) Bitdefender Mobile Security
- #8) Avast Mobile Security
- #9) Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus
- #10) Trend Micro Mobile Security
- #11) Google Play Protect
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Android Antivirus Review
In this article, we will give you a list of the top best antiviruses for Android. Go through this article to know their top features and comparison of them.
List of Top Free Antivirus For Android Smartphones
Here is the list of popular and best free android antivirus:
- TotalAV Antivirus
- Norton Mobile Security
- McAfee Mobile Security
- AVG Antivirus Free
- Malwarebytes Security
- Avira
- Bitdefender Mobile Security
- Avast Mobile Security
- Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus
- Trend Micro Mobile Security
- Google Play Protect
Comparing the Best Android Antivirus Apps
| Tool Name | Best for | Price | Free version |
|---|---|---|---|
| TotalAV Antivirus | Cross-platform real-time anti-virus protection. | Pro plan: $19 for 3 devices, Internet Security: $39 for 5 devices, Total Security: $49 for 8 devices. | Free plan for basic scanning only. |
| Norton Mobile Security | Personal use | $14.99 for a year | Not available (free trial is available for 7 days). |
| McAfee Mobile Security | Safeguarding your personal information. | Start at $24.99 for a year (for 10 devices) | Available |
| AVG Antivirus Free | Camera trap | Free to download, Paid plan starts at $3.89 for 1 device | Available |
| Malwarebytes Security | Automatic threat detection and removal. | Basic: $3.33 per month (for one device), Essential (for one device): $5 per month, Essential (for five devices): $6.67 per month. | Not Available |
| Avira | Free privacy protection | Starts at $11.99 per year | Available |
| Bitdefender Mobile Security | Absolute protection at affordable prices. | $14.99 for a year (for one account) | Available |
| Avast Mobile Security | Family or office use | $44.99 per year (supports 10 devices) | Available |
| Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus | 24/7 protection | $11.99 for a year | Available |
Reviews about the top Antivirus for Android:
#1) TotalAV Antivirus
Best for Cross-platform real-time anti-virus protection.
TotalAV Antivirus is a phenomenal anti-virus protection tool for a wide range of devices running on diverse operating systems. The software facilitates real-time protection by constantly monitoring your downloads, executables, and files for threats that could potentially damage your system.
It updates itself automatically and regularly to make sure it can eliminate all kinds of malware and virus threats. The software allows users to automate their system’s protection by setting up scheduled scans. Apart from this, TotalAV Antivirus is also good at blocking ads.
Features:
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Real-time anti-virus protection
- Malware elimination
- Online threat detection
Verdict: TotalAV Antivirus is a feature-rich anti-virus tool that can not only protect Android devices but systems operating on other OS’s as well. If you wish to use the tool for free, then it will allow you to perform a basic scan of your system. For advanced features, I highly recommend subscribing to one of its premium plans.
Further Reading => TotalAV Antivirus – A Complete Hands-On Review
Price: Free plan for basic scanning only,
- Pro plan: $19 for 3 devices
- Internet Security: $39 for 5 devices
- Total Security: $49 for 8 devices
#2) Norton Mobile Security
Best for personal use.
Norton Mobile Security is the best antivirus for Android smartphones. It protects your device from threats, gives security from cyber crimes and dangerous Wi-Fi networks, and safeguards you while you browse the Internet.
Top Features:
- Their patent-protected app scanning technology saves your mobile phone from any sort of threat.
- Helps to save your device from cyber-crimes.
- Notifies you if you connect to a non-trustworthy Wi-Fi network.
- Detects malicious websites.
- You can keep a check on the privacy risks before downloading an app from Google Play.
Verdict: Norton Mobile Security is an affordable and reliable solution for the security of your Android mobile devices. This award-winning Android antivirus is highly recommended for personal use.
Price: $14.99 for a year.
#3) McAfee Mobile Security
Best for safeguarding your personal information.
McAfee Mobile Security provides identity protection services. With McAfee, you can get the tools that can safeguard your device from viruses, protect your identity and provide you a secure VPN.
Top Features:
- Protects you from threats like malicious links, websites, etc.
- Get access to McAfee’s VPN to protect your credentials and financial information from those who want to steal your info.
- Regularly scan the apps on your device and blocks threats.
- Protects your personal information from non-trustworthy websites or links.
Verdict: McAfee is an award-winning antivirus services provider, which optimizes the performance of your device, gives you a safe browsing experience, protects your identity, and much more. All these features make McAfee a highly recommended antivirus for Android.
Price: There is a free trial for 30 days. Prices start at $24.99 for a year (for 10 devices).
#4) AVG Antivirus Free
Best for the camera trap feature.
AVG Antivirus Free is the best free antivirus for Android. They also offer some paid features, which can be availed for free, for 30 days. This software protects your Android device from viruses and theft. You also get tools for protecting your privacy by locking your apps with a password.
Top Features:
- Helps you find your phone in case of theft.
- You can lock the apps on your phone with a password.
- If someone tries an incorrect password on your mobile 3 times, the app will automatically take his photo and will mail it to you, with the time and location of the incident.
- Automatically locks your device when the sim is replaced.
- Protects your device from viruses, malware, spyware, unsafe apps and settings, unwanted callers, and other nasty threats.
Verdict: Having over 100 million downloads itself says a lot about this antivirus for Android. The free features are pleasant. The camera trap feature, which captures the image of the one who tries to unlock the device, is something exceptional.
Price: The app is available for free. There is a Pro (paid) plan too, which is free for 30 days.
#5) Malwarebytes Security
Best for automatic threat detection and removal.
Malwarebytes Security is the top antivirus app for Android. It brings about features for cyber protection, by giving you tools for the removal of threats to your device, detecting phishing URLs, and much more.
Top Features:
- Automatic detection and removal of threats.
- The privacy audit feature looks for apps that monitor your moves.
- Detects phishing URLs.
- Frees up your Android device from bloatware, so that it can run smoothly.
- Gives you VPN so that you can protect your privacy.
Verdict: Malwarebytes Security can be a good option for business purposes. They offer separate plans for personal as well as business use.
Price: Price plans for personal use are as follows:
- Basic: $3.33 per month (for one device)
- Essential (for one device): $5 per month
- Essential (for five devices): $6.67 per month.
#6) Avira
Best for free privacy protection.
Avira is the best free antivirus for Android. It protects your privacy, blocks malicious apps and websites, gives you a free VPN for 100 MB per day, and much more.
There are paid plans too that let you install premium mobile apps, give you VIP customer support, and much more.
Top Features:
- Get a free VPN for surfing 100 MB per day.
- Tools to help you get your phone back in case of a theft.
- Notifies you instantly, in case of data breaching.
- Lock the apps on your phone with a password.
- Blocks all websites that seem to be a threat to your device.
Verdict: Having experience of over 30 years in the industry, more than 20 million users worldwide, and having a 4.6/5 rating on the Google Play store, Avira is undoubtedly one of the most popular and recommended antivirus for Android devices.
Price: There is a free version and three paid plans. Price plans are as follows:
- Security Pro: $11.99 per year
- Prime Mobile: $31.99 per year
#7) Bitdefender Mobile Security
Best for absolute protection at affordable prices.
Bitdefender Mobile Security is the best antivirus app for Android smartphones. It gives protection to your Android device, against any malware or virus, while putting minimal impact on your device’s battery.
Top Features:
- Gives you a secure VPN for surfing the Internet.
- Lets you find, lock or format your device, in case it is lost or stolen.
- Puts zero to minimal impact on your battery life.
- Look after your account’s privacy and verify whether your email account has been breached.
- Works on Android 5.0 or later.
- An Internet connection is required for its functioning.
Verdict: With Bitdefender, you can get access to a secure VPN that lets you surf the Internet for 200 MB per day. Plus, you get anti-theft protection, protection against viruses, and much more.
The app is affordable and highly recommended. A free version is also available, but its alternatives are giving a better range of features with their free plans.
Price: Price plans are as follows:
- For 1 account: $14.99 (for the first year)
- For 5 accounts: $44.99 (for the first year)
#8) Avast Mobile Security
Best for families or offices.
Avast Mobile Security is a popular, light, and powerful antivirus software that gives free security for Android phones. This antivirus app aims at maintaining the utmost privacy, security, and performance of your Android device.
Top Features:
- Detects malicious apps.
- Protects you from links on the web that can cause a threat to your device.
- Checks how secure a Wi-Fi network is.
- Keep your browsing history private with the VPN provided by Avast.
- Lets you share the app with up to 10 devices.
Verdict: Having 4.7/5 ratings on the Google Play store, Avast Mobile Security is the best free antivirus for Android phones. This antivirus is recommended if you want one for multiple devices at your home/office.
Price: Prices are as follows:
- Avast Premium Security: Free for Android devices. ($44.99 per year for 10 devices).
- Avast Ultimate: $49.99 per year (for a single device), $59.99 per year for 10 devices.
#9) Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus
Best for 24/7 protection from threats at no cost.
Kaspersky provides mobile security for Android devices. It offers you antivirus and tools for protecting your privacy and identity. This software works on artificial intelligence to continuously detect and block potential threats to your device.
Top Features:
- Keeps an eye on threats 24/7.
- Anti-theft features, including locking, locating, and wiping a stolen device.
- Detects the apps that are spying on your calls or texts.
- Alerts you if you come across a URL that steals your information.
- Automatically scans your apps.
Verdict: Kaspersky is highly recommended and the best antivirus app for Android. With affordable pricing, you get tools for protection against theft, cybercrime, malicious websites, links or apps, and much more.
Price: A free plan is available. Paid plan costs $11.99 per year (for one device).
#10) Trend Micro Mobile Security
Best for home or business purposes.
Trend Micro is a 30-year-old Internet security solution. They provide solutions for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Chromebook. You can opt for a home or business solution. The antivirus is available for free. You can go for the paid plan for additional features.
Top Features:
- Optimization features improve the performance of your device.
- A smart cloud-based network prevents threats from reaching your device.
- Protects your identity from those who want to spy on you.
- Protection for kids.
- Works on Android 4.1 or later and iOS 11 or later.
Verdict: Trend Micro Mobile Security gives you free antivirus tools for detecting and fixing viruses and other threats to your device. We can recommend their plans for 5 or 10 devices for home or business use.
Price: Prices are as follows:
- Maximum Security: $39.95 per year, for 5 devices
- Premium Security Suite: $69.95 per year, for 10 devices
#11) Google Play Protect
Best for reliable and free protection.
Google Play Protect helps to keep your device and data safe by detecting and removing the Potentially Harmful Applications (PHAs), gives you anti-theft tools, notifies you if it finds anyone monitoring your location or other activities, and much more.
Top Features:
- Cloud-based app verification ensures that the apps are not Potentially Harmful Applications (PHAs).
- Automatically removes and blocks a PHA, if it finds that it is of no use to the user.
- Helps you find your device in case of a theft
- Lets you lock the device or erase data remotely
Verdict: Google Play Protect is an in-built system of the Google Play store. It keeps away the non-trustworthy apps, helps you find your device in case of theft, and has a lot more to offer.
But the experts are of the view that you can not rely solely on Google Play Protect, for security purposes.
Price: Free
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do Android phones need antivirus?
Since many of our important tasks, including financial transfers, are done through our phones, it is very important to keep our data secure. A virus can damage your important files and can even monitor your moves. Thus, getting antivirus for your android phone will always prove to be a wise idea.
2. Which is the best free antivirus for Android?
Bitdefender is the best antivirus for Android, because of its usability, but it gives fewer free features, as compared to its alternatives. Thus, the best free antivirus app for android includes Avira, Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus, and Avast Mobile Security.
3. Which is better: Avira or Bitdefender?
Bitdefender offers the cheapest prices for the range of features that it offers. If you want the highest number of useful features at comparatively lower prices, then go with Bitdefender.
But if you want an unlimited VPN, then you should choose Avira. The VPN offered by Bitdefender can be used for browsing 200 MB per day only.
4. Does Android have built-in virus protection?
Yes, Android phones give you free, in-built virus protection.
It is Google Play Protect, which keeps unwanted apps and malware away from your device. It keeps on screening the apps from time to time and even gives you anti-theft tools and much more.
5. How do I check for malware on my android?
If you want to check for malware on your Android device, follow these steps:
1. Open Google Play Store on your mobile.
2. Open Menu by clicking on the green icon having the first letter of the registered Google account.
3. Then select ‘Play Protect’.
4. Click on ‘scan’.
5. Then the Google Play Protect app scans the downloaded apps on your device and gives you the results.
6. Can Androids be hacked?
Yes, androids can be hacked and someone can even spy on you, through your camera or microphone, and can even steal your confidential information.
Following are the major signs that occur if a device gets hacked:
– The battery and data drain too fast.
– You find your device is rooted (it requires basic technical knowledge to root a device and get access to it).
– You hear some background sound or echoing noises.
– Your device behaves weirdly.
– You notice apps on your device that you did not install – This can be a major sign as a hacker would need to install an app on your device, for rooting it.
Conclusion
After doing a thorough study about the top antivirus apps for Android, we are now able to conclude the following points:
- In these times of increasing cyber crimes and password hacks, opting for an antivirus for your device will always be a wise decision.
- Most of the antivirus software for Android offer their basic features for free or at nominal charges. Thus, anyone can get an android antivirus easily.
- The best antivirus for android is Bitdefender Mobile Security. It offers the widest range of features at the most affordable prices.
- The Camera Trap feature offered by AVG Antivirus Free is something exceptional. Though this feature is available with the paid version, it can be extremely beneficial.
Suggested Reading =>> Free Antivirus Software For Windows And Mac
Research Process:
- Time taken to research this article: We spent 10 hours researching and writing this article so you can get a useful summarized list of tools with the comparison of each for your quick review.
- Total tools researched online: 16
- Top tools shortlisted for review: 10