If you’re looking for how you can remove viruses, malware, and spyware from your Android device, we have written the best antivirus apps for Android phones to help you do that.
Your mobile device is your personal space, and it is where your sensitive information and financial data are stored, and you won’t want anyone to gain access to your device and steal it.
To keep away malware and spyware from your phone, you’ll need to protect your device with the best Android antivirus app. They are apps that can allow you to protect your Android phone from malware.
Malware, virus, bloatware, and spyware have come a long way in the Android ecosystem. As everything develops, so do this malware and viruses.
And the best way to stop them from invading your phone is by using an antivirus protection app. Android is the most used operating system in the world, so it is a very high target for hackers.
Antivirus apps don’t just clean malware or unwanted files, but also have other features to help keep track of your smartphone. They can help you prevent malicious websites and files, and stop corrupt files from being downloaded. Most antivirus apps can also scan your Wi-Fi network for a threat.
Most of the Android antivirus apps on these lists offer both free and premium services. So if you want to get the most out of it, you will need to pay a monthly or yearly fee. The best free Android antivirus apps may unnecessarily contain all the features you need in an antivirus app but will do well for some.
What is the best antivirus app for Android phones?
There are different antivirus apps for Android that allow you to block malware from getting access to your phone or delete already infected files. Each of the best antivirus apps for Android comes with its own security features that make it unique.
Bitdefender: When the free version does a better job in removing malware from your Android device, the paid version of the app will do a much better job than just removing malware from your device. It is the best antivirus app for Android and it comes with lots of features.
McAfee: With a free and premium version for the McAfee Mobile Security app. You can choose to get the premium antivirus app for your Android mobile or use their free version. Their free tier of the app comes with a lot of features, which include a privacy tool, an anti-theft tool, and more.
Avast: Avast Mobile Security offers one of the best free antivirus apps for Android. The app comes with a lot of features for both free and premium versions. The antivirus app offers both real-time and on-demand scanning and also scans your Wi-Fi connection for threats.
Norton: The only antivirus app for Android on this list that doesn’t come with a free version. If you intend to use Norton Mobile Security, you’ll need to pay to use any of its features. Apart from that, there aren’t any anti-theft features that let you track the lost phone. Away from that, Norton can detect 100% of all Android malware.
Kaspersky: The Kaspersky antivirus app offers both free and premium versions and doesn’t use ads on the free plan. It also boasts some of the best features on both plans with a malware detection rate of 99.9%. Kaspersky offers features like automatic scan, anti-phishing, call, and text filtering, and app lock.
Sophos: With a full score on the AV-Test and the best free antivirus app for Android, Sophos can detect 99% of malware on your Android device. The free antivirus apps don’t contain any ads, and the app can tell you apps that are accessing your personal data with its Privacy Advisor.
The best antivirus and anti-malware apps for Android in 2022
- Bitdefender Mobile Security
- McAfee Mobile Security
- Avast Mobile Security
- Norton Mobile Security
- Kaspersky Antivirus Security
- Trend Micro Mobile Security
- AVG AntiVirus Free
- Sophos Intercept X
- AhnLab V3 Mobile Security
1. Bitdefender Mobile Security
The best-paid android antivirus
Bitdefender mobile security has a malware scanner with a 100% detection rate. Any new apps downloaded to your device are automatically scanned to protect your device.
The free version of Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android only allows you to scan for malware, which isn’t enough if you want something more.
The Bitdefender features go with the premium plan, which costs $14.99 per year, per device.
This includes the basic antivirus as well as real-time protection for web browsers, and anti-theft features. You can sign up for a free 14-day trial on the Bitdefender Mobile Security app.
Bitdefender also offers other privacy protection features like app lock, which allows you to prevent access to specific apps with a password.
You also get an alert if they found your email address in data breaches.
It comes with a free VPN option if you’re subscribed to premium but are still limited to 200MB of browsing while using it.
A Wi-Fi network scanner, and a feature that flags malicious links in SMS.
And should your Android phone ever go missing, Bitdefender allows you to track, lock, and wipe your Android phone.
The premium version of the Bitdefender app also comes with a camera trap feature, it captures anyone who is trying to get inside your phone.
Pros
- Excellent malware protection
- Lots of useful extra features
Cons
- VPN limited to 200MB/day
- The free version includes antivirus only
2. McAfee Mobile Security
Offer lots of free features
McAfee Mobile Security is a malware detection app for Android. The app comes with a lot of free features, which include tracking a lost device, locking, and wiping it remotely if it gets stolen or missing.
It also supports the camera trap feature photo snap when someone is trying to snoop in.
McAfee security comes with both free and premium plans and offers much more features than Bitdefender on the free plan.
The free plan offers a privacy tool to see how many of your apps have access to your personal information and provides an anti-theft tool that let you locate, wipe or lock your stolen device. And let you scan for viruses and malware on your device.
The antivirus app scans your phone to check for malware and other sensitive files, and it supports both call and text blocking.
McAfee blocks any malicious sites or links that you’re trying to access in your web browser and it also allows you to track each app’s data usage and a Wi-Fi network scanner.
The paid version of the app allows you to remove ads and receive phone support, with extra features that give you a free VPN and more.
With this antivirus app, you can get malware and virus out from your device, and limit access to sensitive information for unauthorized apps.
Pros
- Good identity protection
- Great malware protection
Cons
- No free version
- Some expected features missing
3. Avast Mobile Security
A great antivirus for Android with ads
One of the best anti-malware apps for Android. Avast has been installed over 100 million times in the Google Play Store.
The antivirus app comes with a lot of features for both free and paid, with the guarantee that your Android will stay secure.
Avast offers both real-time and on-demand scanning and easily checks the security of whatever Wi-Fi connection you’ve logged onto.
You can block access to the Wi-Fi network, which is handy for security and might save battery life.
Avast supports app lock for app protection and also provides an anti-theft tool that let you lock or erase your device if it’s missing.
It also comes with a call blocker, photo vault, junk cleaner, Wi-Fi speed test, and many other features.
Since Avast come with a free version, ads support it, so when using the free version of the Avast Mobile security app you’ll see ads and banner that shows you to subscribe to the premium plan.
If you want to support them and also get more features, you can choose one of their premium plans.
It will cost from $2 per month to $20 a year or more if you’re looking for more advanced features like a password management tool and a VPN.
Pros
- Comes with a lot of features
- Free version
Cons
- Too many banners for upgrade
- Too many ads
- VPN and password manager for premium tier plan
4. Norton Mobile Security
Strong antivirus for device protection
Norton Mobile Security is a malware detection app. AV-Test recorded it could detect 100% of all Android malware inside apps and files. The app comprises malware protection, a call blocking feature, text blocking, and contacts backup. Norton Mobile Security also provides password protection for your apps and a password manager to keep your passwords safe.
The Norton Mobile Security doesn’t offer a free version and has removed the anti-theft features that let you track your Android device, but it’s still one of the best antivirus apps for Android. Norton pricing starts at $15 per year, which gives you access to features like a Wi-Fi network scanner and a VPN service that helps keep your location and hide your IP address.
Most applications are good at deleting malware from your device, but only a few do a great job of stopping malware files from being downloaded to your devices. The malware app also offers a unique feature called Advisor. It scans your device and checks for errors and unusual behavior, then gives you tips on how to solve the problem to help you protect your device.
Just like Google Play Protect, Norton also checks for apps in the Play Store for malware and security flaws. If you want to get an unlimited VPN on the Norton Mobile Security app, you will need to upgrade to Norton 360 for mobile, $50 a year, which also includes monitoring of your personal information.
Pros
- Stop malware from being downloaded
- Support both VPN and password manager
- An Advisor to guide you
Cons
- No free version
5. Kaspersky Antivirus Security
A great malware protection app
Kaspersky Mobile Security is a good Android antivirus app for malware detection and removal with up to 99.9%, according to the AV-Test. The antivirus app is the best malware protection app for Android, which also offers lots of features for both free and paid versions. Their premium version comes with more advanced features, and the free plan comes with most features that are available on the premium on other antivirus apps.
With a malware detection rate of 99.9% on the free plan, the Kaspersky antivirus app also comes with impressive anti-theft features that allow you to track, lock, and wipe your Android phone if it’s missing. On the free version, Kaspersky doesn’t use ads, and it won’t disturb you by upgrading to one of their premium plans.
The premium version of Kaspersky supports automatic scan, anti-phishing, call, and text filtering, with no option for a Wi-Fi network scanner. With other features that let you block malicious sites and links, and allow you to lock your apps, messages, and photos with a password. They are a few good malware protection apps, and the Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus is one of them. The malware protection feature is available for free on their free plan.
Pros
- Good malware protection app
- Free version available
- Include lots of features
Cons
- Password Protection and VPN are available only on premium plan
6. Trend Micro Mobile Security
For parents concerned about their kids
Trend Micro Mobile Security is a malware detection app that has gotten a rate of 100% over the last two years in a recent report by AV-Test, with a real-time detection for malware. This anti-malware app comes with useful features that allow you to use Trend Micro to the fullest. With the mobile antivirus app, there is protection against phishing sites, provide privacy scanners for Facebook, and a lot more.
The Trend Micro Mobile Security app doesn’t come with a completely free version, but you are given a seven-day freemium plan that gives you several features to use while removing malware. This allows you to use the antivirus app for free with all the features for seven days, making no payment. If you intend to use the mobile antivirus app, you will need to subscribe to a paid plan.
Even if you don’t get the free version for long, you can get to see all the incredible features available on the app. The Android antivirus app protects your device from phishing sites and viruses and also scans apps before they are downloaded to your device. And help identify apps accessing your data.
It also includes an anti-theft feature that lets you search for your lost mobile phone, if not found, you can lock or erase the device. A Wi-Fi network scanner, parental control features to manage what your child is doing with their smartphone, and a Pay Guard that secures transactions online.
Pros
- Parental control feature
- Real-time detection
- Facebook scanner
Cons
- No free version
- You get two weeks to check it out
7. AVG Antivirus Free
Another free Android malware protection app with limited features
AVG antivirus app has a malware detection rate of 99.9%, and a real-time rate of 100%. The AVG antivirus app remains one of the best Android anti-malware apps for mobile. Just like every other antivirus app for Android, it comes with both free and paid versions. The free version has limited features, and ads support it, while the paid version gives you a lot of features in addition to malware removal.
The antivirus app doesn’t come with just a malware removal but also supports a lot of features such as a phone tracker, app lock protection, Wi-Fi network scanner, call blocker, and vault for hiding photos and videos. Besides the camera trap feature, which captures anyone who is trying to get inside your phone.
With more features available on the paid version, that’s a lot. AVG might just be the all-in-one app. On the free version, you can only track, lock, and erase your device, but with a paid version, the anti-theft features will help you lock your device if they changed the SIM card. You can also use a VPN to level up your privacy when browsing or doing something on the web.
If you’re finding it hard to know what apps and processes kill your phone battery, a feature from AVG antivirus, known as performance enhancement can help you kill off unnecessary processes and apps that are taking too many of your mobile resources and also delete junk files.
Pros
- Real-time detection
- Free version available
- Advanced anti-theft feature
Cons
- Limited features on the free version
8. Sophos Intercept X
Free antivirus app with no ads
Sophos Intercept X has scored a full mark on the AV-Test antivirus protection in 2021, and it’s the best free antivirus app for Android right now. On the other side of things, unlike most free antivirus apps Sophos Intercept X doesn’t contain any ads, the antivirus app is totally free to use on your device.
Sophos free antivirus app comes with a lot of features, and lets you locate, lock or wipe your data remotely in case someone steals your phone or it’s missing. The antivirus app is also scanned for malware and other harmful content, and it can be scheduled to scan your apps, files, media, and folders for malware and viruses. And it also supports call blocking and app lock with password protection.
Intercept X can scan apps for malware if they were previously installed or during the installation process. It also has a feature that is called the Privacy Advisor, and it shows you applications that are accessing your personal data.
The app also has a QR scanner that checks URL for malware, block website that is malicious and checks your Wi-Fi network for any threat. And you can also use Sophos Intercept X as an authenticator to create a one-time password for two-factor authentication accounts.
With a free antivirus app for Android, you can’t choose anything less than this. If you’re looking for a free Android antivirus app that gives you all the features and the option to remove malware from your device, Sophos can help you achieve that.
Pros
- Best free antivirus protection
- No Ads and a lot of features
Cons
- Not very friendly
9. AhnLab V3 Mobile Security
The best Android antivirus for older devices
AhnLab Mobile Security app has a malware detection rate of 99%; resulting in an AV-Test and it is said to run well in the older version of Android. The antivirus app is one of the best free anti-malware apps for Android, which also includes other antivirus protection features. The app can defend against 100% of threats.
It also provides a gallery vault to allow you to hide your personal photos and videos and supports app lock that passwords protect your apps. The antivirus app doesn’t come with anti-theft features that allow you to track lost Android devices, and it has a built-in booster that speeds up your phone’s performance.
V3 Mobile Security comes with features that help prevent phishing websites from opening on your web browser, and also provide real-time monitoring and scanning of apps. With features like Privacy Cleaner, you can clear your browsing history and be able to check if any installed apps on your device are leaking your sensitive information.
Pros
- Work on older Android version
- Have Privacy secure features
- Speed up phone performance
Cons
- No anti-theft features
How to choose the best antivirus app for Android
Choosing the best Android antivirus app for your mobile phone isn’t that hard, you just have to find what you need to get rid of and the type off-plan you’re going to stay with. You’ll also need to consider the pricing, features, and how well the apps have done in the past. To choose an antivirus app for Android, here are things you need to know.
Pricing
Android antivirus comes with different pricing that isn’t available on other antivirus apps, but some offer a free antivirus app for Android. But these won’t cover all the protection you need on the device, and some important features may be missing.
Android antivirus apps offer different pricing from a free version with ads or not, to freemium with limited days to use, and a paid version with a number of good features. These would allow anyone to choose from the number of apps on the market.
The free version of an antivirus app gives you a feature for free that lets you scan your Android phone for malware. And most of which are free and don’t come with ads. Other comes with ads that allow you to use the app for free.
If you’re going for a paid version, you’ll get a good number of features on the app that will let you scan your phone for malware and other threat. Most antivirus comes with a VPN that let you hide your IP address. You can get a premium plan from $15 to $50 per year.
Features
To choose the best antivirus app, you will have to consider the features it comes with. Compared the features and find the ones you actually need to use on your Android phone, or if you’re skeptical about what you will need in the future or the type of antivirus that will enable you to avoid malware on your phone. We list out some features you should consider before choosing one.
Android antivirus apps include lots of features that allow their apps to be worth more than just deleting corrupted files and malware. They include a Wi-Fi network security scanner, a VPN, anti-theft protection, an app privacy advisor and cleaner, an app locker, and other security features like anti-phishing protection, etc.
READ ALSO: Security measures: 12 steps on how to secure Android phone
Why you should use the Android antivirus app
Android is a major target for hackers, which means keeping your phone secure is your priority. There are different malware, spyware, bloatware, ransomware, and viruses around the Android ecosystem waiting to take over your device once you make the wrong move. But keeping the viruses out of your phone’s reach is what you should do, and you won’t even bother about an antivirus app.
Most people don’t need an antivirus app on their mobile devices, because they keep their phones clean and have nothing to worry about. First, don’t download files and apps from an unsecured website or site that doesn’t seem fit. In other to avoid getting corrupt files on your phone, always look at the URL of any link if you’re filling out a piece of information or downloading a file.
The Android updates and security patches may already be enough for you if you’re doing nothing serious. Every Android update comes with a security fix, and each monthly security patch fixes security flaws and prevents malware on your device. Google Play Protect also scan for corrupted apps on your device.
The only problem with these Android updates and security patch is that if you are using anything other than Google’s own Pixel Android device, you won’t get it instantly after they release, because each manufacturer needs to make sure it doesn’t break their own Android custom software.
So why should I use an Android antivirus app?
If you have an Android device that doesn’t get the monthly security patch updates or an Android update version, you definitely need to install an antivirus app on your device.
The Android phone contains sensitive data like personal information, banking information, social media, personal pictures, and files, so getting an antivirus app on your Android device is essential if you want to keep your data secure.
