Android is so popular that it’s a huge target for cybercriminals that want your money. They’ll get it any way they can, whether it’s using ‘keyloggers’ to steal your passwords, or some other malicious software that spies on your activity and sends the hackers personal details.
There are lots of other ways, too, from phishing messages and other scams that try and trick you into handing over that information, including tapping on links to dangerous webistes.
To protect yourself, you should install and use a security app. Without one, you really are leaving the door open to these threats because Android itself doesn’t offer much in the way of protection.
The good news is that security apps don’t cost much and you might even find a free one does everything you need.
What you tend to have to pay for are extra features such as identity protection, a VPN and maybe a password manager.
Our top pick is Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus. It offers excellent protection from viruses but also has useful anti-theft features, a built-in VPN, the ability to protect specific apps with a PIN and much more.
Best Android antivirus apps 2024
1. Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus
![Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus](https://images.techadvisor.com/cmsdata/slideshow/3646925/best-antivirus-for--android-bitdefender.jpg)
Pros
- Excellent malware protection
- Lots of useful extra features
Cons
- VPN limited to 200MB/day
- Free version includes antivirus only
Price When Reviewed:
$14.99
There are two versions of Bitdefender for Android. One is the completely free Bitdefender Antivirus app and the other is called Mobile Security for Android, which isn’t free.
The former does one job only: protects your Android phone or tablet from viruses. And it does a fantastic job: in AV-Test’s most recent report, Bitdefender caught 100% of viruses thrown at it, all without affecting the phone’s performance or battery life.
That might sound great, but you get a lot more protection in the Mobile Security & Antivirus app. One of the most useful is warnings of potentially dangerous links in SMS and other messages and notifications to help you avoid being scammed.
App lock is great, too. Not only does it let you prevent access to specific apps using a PIN, but you can configure it so apps remain unlocked for 30 seconds after you close them or switch to another, or stay unlocked when your phone is on a trusted Wi-Fi network (such as your home’s).
There’s also Web Protection which warns you of websites that could be dodgy, whether you’re using Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge or one of a few other web browsers.
Add to that the identity protection, which alerts you if any of your email addresses are found in breaches, and some useful anti-theft features and it’s a great all-round security app.
Yes, you also get a VPN, but it’s a limited, cut-down version of Bitdefender’s full VPN service. It’s just about ok for a bit of web browsing, but you’re better off with a separate VPN app. There are a few other limitations: it doesn’t to block calls, back up data or have any parental controls, but for everything else it’s an excellent package.
If you want security for just your Android device, Bitdefender Mobile Security for Android costs a very reasonable $14.99 / £14.99 for the first year. The alternative is to buy Bitdefender Total Security which lets you install the app on up to five devices, including PCs, laptops, Macs, iPhones, iPads and Android smartphones and tablets.
2. Norton Mobile Security
![Norton Mobile Security](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Best-Android-Antivirus-Norton.jpg?quality=50&strip=all)
Pros
- Top-notch protection
- App advisor warns of dangerous apps before installation
Price When Reviewed:
$14.99 per year
Norton used to offer free Android antivirus, but no longer does. This means you’ll have to pay, but there are various options from the single-device subscription (Norton Mobile Security) that costs $14.99/£9.99 for the first year, a Norton 360 for Mobile single-device subscription for $39.99/£24.99 and Norton 360 Deluxe which protects five devices for £89.99/$119.99 per year, but discounted to £29.99/$49.99 for the first year.
Everything is integrated into a single app: there’s no need to run separate apps for antivirus, VPN and ID protection.
Like Bitdefender Mobile Security, it scored full marks in AV-Test’s latest report, blocking 100% of threats and having no impact on performance or battery life.
As well as malware protection you get warnings of potentially dangerous text messages, websites and Wi-Fi networks. But it’s the App Advisor which really shines, alerting you to possibly dodgy apps in the Play store before you even install them, as well as installed apps using too much data or exhibiting suspicious behaviour.
Beyond this, so long as you’re subscribed to a version of 360 and not the basic Mobile Security, you also get to use Norton’s no-limits VPN and its dark web monitoring service. All versions come with call blocking and lost or stolen device recovery.
Read our full
Norton Mobile Security review
3. Avast One Essential
![Avast One Essential](https://images.techadvisor.com/cmsdata/slideshow/3646925/best-antivirus-for--android-avast-one.jpg)
Pros
- Good free version
- 5GB per week VPN
Cons
- Constant nagging to upgrade
Price When Reviewed:
Free
One Essential is the latest security suite from Avast and it’s available for Windows, Mac and iOS as well as Android.
You can use it for free and get a lot of features without paying. But you’ll see lots of messages to ‘Go Premium’, including when ‘Advanced issues’ are found during the initial scan. In fact, these are simply features you’re not getting as a free customer, which is a bit cheeky.
The good news is that although a lot of permissions are required for everything that Avast can do, these are only requested when you try to use that feature, such as cleaning out junk files and ‘Web Shield’ which warns you of dangerous sites before you visit them.
As well as top-tier malware protection, there’s a built-in VPN that gives you a generous allowance of 5GB per week. You can’t choose a location unless you’re a paying customer, but for privacy when browsing the web or using public Wi-Fi, it’s a genuine bonus.
There’s also the option to check for any data breaches, and you can enter an email address to check even if you’re using the app without having created an Avast account.
Paying customers get notifications when their email is spotted in a data breach, but free users have to check manually.
There’s no call-blocking, no warnings about dodgy links in text messages and no anti-theft features, but if you’re just after free antivirus, One Essential is a great choice for Android users.
If you did want to upgrade, it costs $50 / £39.99 for the first year and $99.99 / £79.99 thereafter, but this covers any five devices. You can get Avast One here.
4. Eset Mobile Security for Android
![Eset Mobile Security for Android](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Best-Android-Antivirus-Eset.jpg?quality=50&strip=all)
Pros
- Free version with excellent antivirus
- Lots of useful features in Premium version
Cons
- No VPN or ID protection
- No password manager
Price When Reviewed:
From free (Premium $14.99 per year)
Eset Mobile Security is available in two versions. You can download it from Google Play and use it completely free of charge.
For no money whatsoever, it offers real-time monitoring and does an excellent job of keeping Android phones free from malware. In fact, when renowned independent test lab AV-Comparatives put Mobile Security through its paces recently, it achieved an unbeatable 100% Protection rating and gave zero false positives (in other words, it never flagged legitimate apps as dangerous).
Better still, there are loads of other features, although for virtually all of them you’d need to subscribe to Mobile Security Premium. That’s fair enough, and it’s great value at only $14.99/£8.99 per year. You can also take advantage of the 30-day free trial to see if you like the features first.
The main dashboard breaks things down into three sections, Security, Privacy, and Device.
Within Security you’ll find both brief and detailed reports, with an overview of your device, as well as shortcuts to Anti-Phishing tools, Payment Protection and Network Inspector.
They’re all equivalents of their Windows counterparts, which means you’ll get warnings if you’re about to go to a potentially dangerous website, the ability to scan your home Wi-Fi for threats and Payment Protection, which scans any finance-related apps for threats each time you use them.
Anti-theft features allow to you set your phone to lock automatically if someone removes the SIM or enters the wrong PIN three times in a row. It can also take a photo with the front-facing camera after the device is locked so you can see who is using it.
It’s possible to track a lost or stolen phone via the Eset Home portal in a web browser, which will show its rough location on a map. You can add contact details which will be shown on the lock screen, enabling a lost phone to be returned to you.
App Lock lets you protect sensitive apps with a PIN code and a call filter can be used to block spam callers. Many Android phones have this feature already, though.
There’s also a feature that does a phone-wide security audit, providing insight into which apps on your phone have which permissions, if you’ve enabled developer mode or other settings that aren’t great for security.
What’s missing is a VPN, password manager and identity protection. You get these only if you sign up to Eset’s pricey Home Security Ultimate package which covers Windows, macOS and iOS as well as Android.
5. Avira Free Security
![Avira Free Security](https://images.techadvisor.com/cmsdata/slideshow/3646925/best-antivirus-for--android-avira-security.jpg)
Pros
- Packed with features
- Good malware protection
Cons
- Lots of upselling for free users
- Didn’t block 100% of malware
Price When Reviewed:
Free, Pro costs $11.99
Avira is well known for offering free antivirus and Android users can still benefit from this. In fact, although you’ll have to put up with constant reminders that you’re not paying and therefore missing out on some protections, you do get a lot for free.
When you first install the app you get the option to try out the dark mode and, although it takes you straight to the Profile tap with a large Log In button, you don’t need to create an account to use Avira Security for free.
The Dashboard tab is something of a misnomer as it simply presents a Smart Scan button along with an ever-present option to upgrade to Security Pro and get a week-long trial. It does not, as you might reasonably expect from a dashboard, give you an overview of the current state of protection.
In the Security tab, there’s no antivirus to be found: you’ll see the Anti-Theft options along with Web Protection, which is locked for free users. That’s a blow, as warnings of malicious websites are a valuable feature.
Privacy features are extensive, including call blocking, ID protection, a VPN, Permissions Manager and App Lock (which uses a pattern to prevent access). ID protection lets you check if an email address has been included in any breaches but you can only get continuous monitoring (and alerts) if you create an account – fair enough. Other features such as App Lock are only usable if you create an account, too.
The password manager and microphone protection are reserved for paying users, and the VPN limits you to 100MB per day and prevents you from choosing a location.
In AV-Test’s most recent report, Avira blocked 100% of threats, managing to stop 99.8% of the 3300+ samples used, but did detected 100% of widespread Android malware. When others such as Avast managed 100% in both tests, you’d be forgiven for thinking Avira is best avoided. But these are still great results and far better than running no antivirus at all.
To unlock most features, Security Pro costs $11.99 / £6.99 per year. That’s good value, but to get unlimited VPN use and the password manager requires an Avira Prime Mobile subscription which is $25.99 / £21.49 yearly.
FAQ
Is free Android antivirus any good?
Yes, it can be if you choose wisely. One drawback of certain free Android antivirus apps is a lack of real-time monitoring. This means they’re not constantly watching out for malware. Instead, they wait until you open the app and press the ‘scan’ button to check for any problems.
Free antivirus, in general, doesn’t include all the features you get when you pay, such as VPN, identity protection and more.
What’s the best free Android antivirus?
Bitdefender Mobile Security. It has real-time monitoring and has an excellent track record in independent tests.
What’s the best antivirus available for Android?
Bitdefender Mobile Security is the best overall. There is a free version, but if you want extra security including identity protection, a VPN and more, you should pay for the premium version.
Does Android need antivirus?
Unlike Apple devices, which only allow downloads from the iOS App Store to protect users from bogus apps, Android lets you install APK files (which are apps) from any source once you change a simple setting in your phone’s Settings app. Downloading apps from unknown sources isn’t generally a great idea as they could be infected with viruses and malware.
There is also a less-strict approval process for the Google Play Store than Apple’s App Store, and it’s no secret that apps infected with malware can appear on the Store from time to time.
If you’re looking for protection for all your devices including Windows laptops, PCs, Macs, iPhones and iPads see our recommendations for the best antivirus software.
Android antivirus buying guide: what to look for
Good antivirus software will warn you of phishing emails, potentially dangerous messages (and the links in them) and potentially dangerous websites.
In addition to virus protection, the best Android apps might have additional features such as anti-theft to allow you to lock and/or wipe data from a stolen handset, or even take photos or audio recordings of the thieves.
Another useful feature commonly found in security apps for Android is call blocking. If your phone is constantly plagued by nuisance calls or spam texts, you might be able to block the callers so that they don’t interrupt your day.
Some apps include schedulers in their call-blocking facilities, so you can divert all calls from the office to voicemail at evenings and weekends, for example.
The ability to password protect access to specific apps can be invaluable for parents who routinely hand their phone over to children to play games and worry that they might stumble onto something they shouldn’t, or run up horrendous bills by purchasing apps. But this also prevents anyone from picking up your phone (even if it’s not locked) and using any app they like.
It’s important to choose an app you trust, because tests carried out by AV-Comparatives found that less than a third of all Android antivirus apps actually work. The site tested 250 apps and found that only 80 of them managed to detect at least 30% of malicious apps without any false alarms. And antivirus software which doesn’t work properly is of no value.
For testing how effective antivirus apps are, which is a specialist and extremely time-consuming process, we use the results from well-know security software test labs AV-Test and AV-Comparatives. They constantly test these apps for protection, performance and usability. You can read these reports yourself to find out exactly how each app performed in each test.
While an app can provide a good level or protection from malicious software, hackers are often reliant on users to make mistakes or be fooled into installing the malware themselves without realising what they’re doing. With this in mind, here are tips on how to protect yourself online and 8 ways to protect yourself from cybercrime so that you don’t make it easy for those who would seek to do you harm.