With multiple platforms for desktop and mobile devices available, hackers and malware coders have a wide choice of targets. (Maybe not so many iOS devices, as they’re locked up tight, but attacks on Macs are increasing.) Android is both widespread and relatively insecure. Best yet, for a malware coder, many Android users don’t realize they need security. No antivirus on your Android phone? It’s time to take care of that.
Do Android Phones Need Antivirus?
Security software for your Android handset protects against malware and may also offer aid if your phone is lost or stolen. We can help you choose the security service that’s right for you and your Android. Android protection doesn't exist in a vacuum, though. The products listed here are all cross-platform solutions, with protection available at least for Windows, macOS, and Android. Most of them also offer some form of iOS protection, though with a feature set that is limited by the closed nature of Apple's operating system.
Note that the ratings here apply to the product as a whole, on all platforms. They don't necessarily reflect the quality of the Android product. Bad test scores on Windows might drag a product's overall score down even if its Android edition tested fine.
Read on for our top picks, followed by what to look for when choosing the right Android antivirus for your devices.
Why Isn't Kaspersky Listed?
Kaspersky Plus includes a comprehensive Android security suite. It scans for malware on demand and in real time and keeps you from visiting dangerous websites. Unlike some competitors, it still lets you locate, lock, or wipe a lost phone, and it includes an integrated VPN. Kaspersky Premium incorporates that suite and adds more features. So why is the list above Kaspersky-free?
For years, Kaspersky has faced accusations and censure based on its Russian origins, though none of the accusations have come backed by hard evidence of malicious behavior. We at PCMag focused on the capabilities of the products, not on the brouhaha around the company. However, the current war in Ukraine has raised the stakes. Governments and third parties are cutting ties with Kaspersky. The FCC labeled Kaspersky a national security risk.
After consideration, we can no longer recommend that you purchase Kaspersky security products. We've left the reviews in place, with a warning since they provide useful information. You'll find Kaspersky's features mentioned in several places below, for comparison purposes. But at least for now, we're removing Kaspersky products from our "Best of" lists.
Android Antivirus Testing Results From the Labs
Do these Android antivirus utilities work? We look to three independent testing labs to find out. Almost all the listed products appear in results from at least one lab; three show up in all of them.
Researchers at AV-Comparatives challenged each Android antivirus product to defend against over 3,000 prevalent Android malware samples found in the wild. In the latest round of testing, Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, G Data, Kaspersky, and Trend Micro scored a perfect 100%.
The latest test from AV-Test Institute hit 17 Android antivirus solutions with thousands of malware samples. Researchers also installed thousands more non-malicious programs, to make sure that the antivirus didn't wrongly identify them as malware. They assigned each product up to six protection points for blocking malware, six points for minimal impact on performance and battery life, and six usability points for refraining from mistakenly blocking valid programs. All of the products we follow scored a perfect six points for protection and performance. Avast, AVG, and ESET lost usability points due to a few false positives. The real loser in this test was Google's own protection, which earned just four points in the all-important protection category.
London-based MRG-Effitas tested nine products, most of which overlapped with our selection. The testers evaluated each product's ability to detect and eliminate threats before launch, and the ability to detect and neutralize threats during install. They checked more than 160 samples, ranging from Trojans to adware, with some known valid programs thrown in to check for false positives. And they noted whether a product caught samples early or waited until they were about to install. Most of the products we've reviewed earned a perfect 100% score, though ESET, Malwarebytes, and ZoneAlarm missed perfection by less than 1%.
The Best Android Malware Protection (and More)
All the Android products mentioned here include an antivirus component that scans new apps and offers an on-demand scan as well. All but a couple of them can also run scans on a schedule, a feature perhaps more useful on Windows than Android. All of them also offer some form of safe browsing, to keep you from surfing to URLs that might try to plant malware, or fraudulent sites that might trick you into giving away your username and password for the login page they imitate.
It's Surprisingly Easy to Be More Secure OnlineAll these security tools also check your installed apps for potential privacy problems. Typically, they flag programs that have permission to do things like view your contacts, scan your call logs, learn your location, or send texts. If a communication app needs access to contacts, that makes sense. If a goofy game wants to paw through your private info, however, consider deleting it.
Antitheft protection for a lost or stolen device has long been a mainstay of Android security products, but with the growing strength of Android's built-in protection, some companies are dropping this feature. Norton purged antitheft in 2019, and McAfee's updated Android app now omits it as well. More recently, both Avast and AVG now defer to Android's built-in antitheft.
For those that still offer antitheft, you can find your device's location on a map. If you've just mislaid it around the house, you can trigger a noisy alarm to help you find it. You can lock the phone to keep a thief out of your apps and data. And if you determine that you'll never get the device back, you can remotely wipe it. All the apps let you manage antitheft features using an online console. Most of them offer the option of triggering antitheft events using coded text messages, and many of them also surreptitiously snap a photo of whoever is using your device.
One of the first things a typical smartphone thief does is claim the device by swapping out the SIM card. Most of our recommended apps include some form of SIM card protection. Some of them lock the device on SIM card change. Others notify you of the new phone number, so you can still send those coded text messages to invoke antitheft features.
Blocking unwanted calls and texts used to be a common feature, but ongoing changes to the Android operating system have made it more difficult. More than half of our picks don't offer this feature at present.
Antivirus and antitheft are typical components for any Android security app, but some go way beyond the basics. Common bonus features include backup for your contacts and photos, a battery monitor to show which apps are draining your battery life, and a task killer to send those battery hogs packing. Several of the apps warn when you connect to an insecure Wi-Fi network.
As noted, almost all these security tools scan your installed apps and report on those that might be privacy risks. Avast, Norton, and Trend Micro take that skill to the next level, reporting on apps as you view them in the Play Store, so you can avoid downloading any that might be problematic.
VPN protection is more important on mobile devices than desktops, because mobile devices connect to a wide variety of networks. Bitdefender includes a bandwidth-limited VPN Android VPN app. That's nice, but Avast, Avira, and Norton include VPN protection with no bandwidth limit.
A few of these products feature less-common bonus features. ESET lets you time-schedule your call blocking, for example, to allow only family members to call you at night. Trend Micro offers to scan your Facebook settings and warn about any security problems.
Which Is the Number One Antivirus for Android?
So, which one should you choose? It depends on just what you need to protect, but we assume you want a suite that at least installs on your Windows and Android devices. McAfee Antivirus Plus is an Editors' Choice winning antivirus, with protection for unlimited devices. Norton 360 Deluxe is an Editors' Choice pick for cross-platform security suites, and both get excellent lab scores on Windows and Android. Bitdefender Total Security likewise pulls in top lab scores and offers a cornucopia of features on Windows; it's our Editors' Choice winner for security mega-suite. You won't go wrong with one of these three, but the others have their own merits. Click through the links, read the full reviews, and make your choice.
