Android is undoubtedly the most used mobile operating system. Neglecting the protection of our mobile devices is something that we should not do since it is important to have the smartphone protected.
A decent antivirus can keep your software and data safe and protect you from malicious downloads. Here is a list of the best free antivirus apps for Android.
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Best AntiVirus Apps for Android
1. McAfee Security and Power Booster
Another popular name in the security community, McAfee Mobile Security offers plenty of cool features besides the antivirus protection.
You can track a lost/stolen device, lock or wipe it remotely, and have it take selfies of thieves who steal your device.
There is an app scanner, checking if your apps are leaking personal information, malicious website blocker, and the ability to keep a blacklist of texters and callers you don’t want to hear from.
McAfee has two versions – free with ads & paid.
2. Avast Mobile Security
A full antivirus solution, Avast comes in two flavours – free and paid. The free version includes call blocking, anti-theft, allowing you to wipe or lock your device if it gets stolen remotely and a firewall.
It is ad-supported, but you can upgrade to remove these or get a more robust security system with a VPN, password management, and a system cleanup tool.
3. Bitdefender Antivirus
Bitdefender is one of the best-known names in security, and it offers a decent free software for Android users. It is lightweight, taking up little in the way of resources, but you do need to schedule scans manually.
There is a paid version, Bitdefender Mobile Security, and you can get a free 14-day trial. To try out features such as a Privacy Advisor tool and WearOn technology for your smartwatch.
4. Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus
Kaspersky is one of the big names in security and offers a free and paid version of its mobile security app.
It has a 99.9% malware detection rate, a malicious website/link blocker, and support for Android Wear.
The premium version also offers automatic scanning, call/text filtering, anti-phishing support, and a confidentiality feature.
5. AVG
One of the most feature-rich solutions is AVG, offering antivirus features, a Wi-Fi security scanner, photo vault, and an app lock.
It includes anti-theft protection, performance enhancement features, remote lockdown or wiping of your device and SD card, a call blocker, and even a setting for taking selfies of anyone who steals your device and tries to unlock it.
6. Norton Antivirus
Norton offers both a free and a paid version. It offers app scanning, detecting malware and viruses in apps, files, and folders, remote locking if your device is tampered with or stolen, or set it to lock after ten incorrect attempts at entering the passcode, and scheduled scanning.
If you upgrade to the premium version, you also get SafeWeb filtering, a malicious website blocker.
7. Sophos Antivirus and Security
Completely free to use, Sophos offers one of the most comprehensive solutions. It includes a malicious website blocker, an app scanner for malware, automatic scanning, and a malware database that is updated every day.
It is not ad-supported, and you also get a QR code scanner to set up secure wireless connections, and an authenticator for generating OTP (one-time passwords) for 2-factor authentication.
8. Trend Micro
Trend Micro also offers free and paid versions. You get app scanning for malware, and the ability to stop new app installs accessing other apps and programs, and a privacy scanner for Facebook.
Upgrade, and you get even ore – a malware blocker, safe surfing utilities, and call/text filtering.
9. AhnLab V3 Mobile Security
AhnLab is so well-known, but testing shows it offers an excellent level of malware detection. It runs very well on older Android devices, with a built-in booster to help speed up your device performance.
You get a 10-day free trial of the anti-malware features, with the option to subscribe after.
Privacy features include a hidden gallery for photos, privacy cleaner for browsing history, a phishing URL blocker, and a call blocker.
10. G Data Mobile Security
G Data Mobile Security app has a wide variety of features that other antivirus apps do not have. Features such as remote blocking, mobile location and deletion, call blocking, message filtering, parental control, safe browsing or support for encryption.
In addition, its malware detection rate is very effective, specifically 100%, an excellent score that makes this antivirus one of the best free antivirus app for android.
11. Avira Antivirus
Our final choice offers plenty of security features in both the free and paid versions. You get a scanner that scans files, device memory, and external storage, as well as a privacy scale rating for apps.
Identity Safeguard is integrated, checking contact email addresses to see if they are safe.
With the premium version, you get more support, malicious website blocking, and it gets updated more frequently than the free version.
Conclusion:
Above mentioned are the best antivirus apps, all are working for Android devices. Most offer a free and paid version; just be aware that free ones are usually ad-supported and don’t offer so much protection as the premium versions.
Some of them will even offer a free trial of their premium version, so give them a go. You don’t have anything to lose, and one of them might just be the antivirus solution you’ve been looking for.
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