Rating of the best antiviruses for android. What is the best antivirus for android. Free antiviruses for Android

  • 02.03.2022

Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, people no longer use their phones just to communicate. Instead, they store most of their sensitive information on their phones. But, in this era of data breaches and constant threats to your privacy, is it safe to keep your personal data on your phone? Well, unless he is provided with proper protection.

So, we have selected a list of the best free antivirus apps for Android and will try to answer the question − What is the best antivirus for android smartphone? All of these antivirus apps except 360 Security have been tested and approved Institute AV-TEST, which is an independent IT security institute. You are advised to check out our list of the best antivirus software of 2018 if you are a desktop user (Windows or Mac).

Note. This list is not in order of preference and is a compilation only. You are advised to choose one according to your needs.

11 Best Antivirus Apps for Android in 2018

Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus for android

kaspersky for android is an amazing security app and one of the best antivirus apps for android. According to AV-Test, it is great for collecting malware with a detection rate of 99.9%. It has a free version with premium feature purchases and a paid version. The free version features manual app checking for malware and viruses, while its premium features include real-time protection, anti-theft, anti-phishing, and an app blocker to provide extra protection for your essential apps. However, you can access all premium features for a free trial for 30 days.

Avast Mobile Security for Android

Avast for android protects many users around the world on multiple platforms. This antivirus giant has a free app for Android users that has over 100 million downloads on the Play Store. With one tap, the antivirus program scans for any dangerous or infected applications and Trojans and provides complete protection against spyware and viruses. It has some in-app purchases through which you can remove ads and access the app lock device, and some other extra features like SIM card security, camera trap, etc.

However, the free version itself includes some additional features such as call blocker, Anti-theft, power saver, RAM booster, Junk Cleaner, rooted Android device firewall, web screen, Wi-Fi scanner and photo- vault that allows you to protect your private photos with a PIN. With all these fantastic features, Avast Mobile Security is a worthy contender for the best free antivirus for Android.

Bitdefender free antivirus software for android

Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Android is a powerful antivirus tool that provides protection against all major Android threats. It is one of the lightest antivirus applications that uses cloud scanning technology which provides super fast scanning capability. It does not slow down your device or drain your battery. The app also offers security and real-time scanning apps as you install them.

Bitdefender also has a paid version (Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus) that gives you a 14 day free trial. To access more advanced Bitdefender features such as malware scanner, account privacy, online security, intrusion protection and app blocking, you can try the paid version.

Norton Security & Antivirus for android

The latest version of Norton antivirus software offers impressive Android security features even in the free version. The app basically provides 100% detection rate and removes malware, spyware or Android viruses that can slow down your device. It can trigger an alarm to find your missing device, lock your device remotely to prevent data theft, or block unwanted calls or SMS.

It also has separate standalone apps such as an app locker and a password manager that are available for free on the Play Store. Advanced premium features are available for a 30-day trial period. Generally, Norton Security, without a doubt, is one of the most reliable and best antivirus for Android.

Sophos Mobile Security for android

sophos for android is the first winner of the AV-TEST awards. This is a great free protection app that does not display any ads and is fully displayed. In addition to proper anti-malware protection, you can access anti-theft and theft protection, web filtering that blocks illegal sites, app blocker, security advisor that gives you tips on how to improve device security, call blocker, authenticator etc. It can also scan for malicious URLs and set up a secure Wi-Fi connection to warn you about insecure encryption.

Security Master for android

Security Master for android is an updated version of the original CM Security. This is an all-in-one antivirus application that has a significant number of downloads and a good rating in the Play Store. It protects your phone from all kinds of malware and makes sure that viruses don't get into your phone. In the most free version, you will find many great security features such as locker app, scanner, message security, Wi-Fi security, junk cleaner, notification cleaner, phone booster, CPU cooler, battery, call blocker, etc.

Along with that, it also allows you to safely browse any of your favorite sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. within the app. Security Master is an excellent security app that can be included in the list of the best free antivirus apps for Android.

McAfee Mobile Security & Lock for Android

McAfee for android has won numerous outstanding awards since its release. Most of the free features like anti-theft features, security lock, Wi-Fi security, battery optimizer, memory cleaner, etc. are available in the free version of the app. It has an intuitive interface and the best thing is that it provides tutorials for every feature. However, the pro version comes down to just a few extra features and is expensive compared to most antivirus apps.

According to AV-Test, McAfee delivers a 99.5% malware detection rate, and you can also schedule the scan to run every day at a specific time, weekly, or even run in the background. One of the downsides of the app is that it does a lot of setup after choosing the pro version. However, the application is a reliable antivirus application for Android.

DFNDR security for android

DFNDR for android is one such free antivirus for Android that allows you to optimize the performance of your smartphone. The AV-TEST Institute named it the most popular antivirus application. It's an all-in-one phone protection app with anti-hacking and anti-phishing features. It can also speed up your internet connection by closing background apps that are competing for bandwidth. However, the downside is that it displays ads which can be annoying, but you can go ad-free with a small amount of annual subscription.

Avira Antivirus Security for Android

Avira Antivirus for android is a lesser known Android security app that is just as reliable as its other competitors on the list. It is fully featured and most of its features are available in the free version. In the case of antivirus and privacy protection, it can even scan external storage units and show you how each app's rate ranks against the privacy scale. With "cell phone tracker", it can track your phone's location when needed. Also, if you ever lose your phone, it can invite the person who has the phone to contact you. With the premium version, you can get additional protection such as camera protection, additional browser protection, etc. These features can be easily bought from in-app purchases.

AVG AntiVirus for android

AVG AntiVirus for android is a reliable antivirus software developed by AVG Technologies, which is a subsidiary of Avast. It includes most of the standard features needed for modern antivirus and internet security programs such as periodic scan, Wi-Fi security, junk cleaner, bin booster, call blocker, power saver, etc.

Some useful features are only available for a 14-day trial period. AVG also has several additional apps such as AVG Cleaner, AVG secure VPN, Alarm Xtreme, and the Gallery app available for free on the Play Store.

360 Security for android

360 Security for android is another best antivirus for android. It is highly trusted by many users and has a huge number of downloads. This app gives you many reasons why it should be a must have app on your phone. Main features: antivirus protection, junk cleaner, speed booster, screen lock that has multiple functions, CPU cooler, anti-theft, etc.

In addition to real-time protection, it integrates the Intruder Selfie feature, which instantly captures a photo of anyone trying to break into your device, and also has a fingerprint lock system. The app is free with in-app purchases and displays ads.

We hope you liked our review article and you were able to find the answer to the question - which antivirus is better for an android smartphone?

is a platform that has become the most popular in the mobile segment in a short time. Now it is not possible to find a person who has not heard about the Android operating system. Recently, users are facing problems: their mobile phones or tablets are infected with viruses that were created just for the Android platform. What to do in these cases? Of course, find the best antivirus for the Android system on your phone or tablet, download and protect your device from intruders. This is very important in our time, since mobile devices store very confidential data, credit cards, photos, SMS correspondence and others. Of course, you would not want a virus to delete all important information from your device, or your personal data to be stolen.

Therefore, we first need to answer the question: What is the best antivirus for Android system? To answer this question, it is enough to list the top 5 free Antiviruses for Android systems.

Top 5 best antiviruses for Android

In the first place is Dr.Web v.9 Antivirus Light, what are its features? This is a free antivirus for Android that has enough tools to ensure the protection of your phone or tablet. Of course, the full paid version will provide you with great opportunities in work and protection, but we consider the best FREE antiviruses for Android phones.

  • Fast scanning and detection of vulnerabilities;
  • Origins Tracing - a new technology that allows you to instantly detect viral activity;
  • Real-time protection of SD cards and external media;
  • Minimum consumption of system resources of your gadget;
  • Saving traffic consumption, which is especially important for users with limited traffic;
  • Detailed statistics on the operation of the antivirus;
  • Convenient control and program interface;
  • Ability to add infected files to a safe quarantine.


The second place in the top 5 antiviruses is occupied by Kaspersky Internet Security - an optimized antivirus for phones and tablets of any level. The antivirus works very well, without taking up a lot of system resources and without slowing down your device.

The main advantages and principle of operation of Kaspersky Internet Security:

  • The antivirus works in stealth mode;
  • It is possible to search for a device after theft or loss;
  • Manage unwanted SMS and calls on your phone;
  • A useful function to protect the device from fraud;
  • Protection from dangerous applications and sites when surfing the Internet;


The third line is occupied by Mobile Security & Antivirus (ESET) - its brother NOD32 is a very popular antivirus for computer systems. As the developers of the ESET NOD32 Mobile Security antivirus say, this is a mandatory product that must be installed on your Android phone or tablet.

The main functionality of the basic version of NOD32 antivirus:

  • Scanning the device for viruses on a given request;
  • Ability to quarantine suspicious files;
  • Scanning files in real mode (when downloading, copying, moving);
  • Protection of your SIM card;
  • Adapted work with tablet devices.


AntiVirus FREE: antivirus for Android systems which is a highly reliable protection for your Android device. AVG AntiVirus FREE for Android is a free antivirus that will protect and keep viruses out of your tablet and phone. Already more than a million people have chosen this antivirus, and you can also enjoy the following benefits of AVG for free:

  • Antivirus checks all applications installed in the phone, settings, in real time;
  • You can block, delete privacy protection data;
  • Traffic, storage and battery monitoring system;
  • AntiVirus powerful and fast protection for your phone
  • The ability to determine the location of the phone when it is lost using Google maps.

In fifth place we have Antivirus & Mobile Security from the company trustgo. What is the beauty of this antivirus? And why did it break into the top 5 best antiviruses for Android? Antivirus & Mobile Security is a universal complex to protect your gadget from intruders and virus attacks. Developers constantly release new updates to anti-virus databases, so you don't have to worry about their current status.

Features and Benefits of Antivirus & Mobile Security:

  • The antivirus has a security and file scanner;
  • Easily and effortlessly detects viruses and threats;
  • Files are checked before installing them on your Android;
  • Antivirus does not require additional and special settings, which is very useful for beginners.

These are the best antiviruses for Android devices that you can download for free. The main thing is not to forget that it is better to protect your phone than to restore the system or lost information from your device in a panic later. You can also find out the ratings of the submitted applications directly on the Google Play website, because millions of users go there and leave their comments and reviews about antiviruses. Therefore, it is impossible to unequivocally download which antivirus is the best for the Android system. Each person has their own tastes and needs, and only you can answer this question for yourself.

In September 2016, AV-Test, an independent laboratory, tested 27 antivirus applications against mobile threats on the Android (5.1.1) platform. Antiviruses were used with default settings.

general information

In testing, we used the latest versions of mobile antiviruses available at the time of the test. Applications could update at any time and make requests to their "cloud" services. Testing was focused on malware detection and usability assessment, taking into account application performance and false positives. The functionality of each application was also evaluated. Antivirus for Android had to demonstrate its capabilities, using all the components and levels of protection.

Tested antiviruses

  • AhnLab V3 Mobile Security 3.1
  • Alibaba Mobile Security 5.0
  • Baidu Mobile Security 8.2
  • DU Antivirus - App Lock Free 2.2
  • NSHC Droid-X 3.0
  • PSafe Total 3.6
  • Qihoo 360 AntiVirus 2.1
  • Secucloud Endpoint Protection 0.5.7
  • Tencent WeSecure 1.4

Mobile Threat Protection

To assess the level of protection (Protection), the level of detection is checked on real-time mobile threats and a representative set of malicious applications detected in the last 4 weeks, which is collected by the AV-Test laboratory. In September 2016, 3,787 and 3,757 malicious samples were used, respectively.

False positives and performance

The Usability parameter - ease of use - takes into account the performance of the mobile antivirus and false positives. The impact on battery life, device slowdown during normal use, and the amount of traffic generated are evaluated. In September 2016, false positives were tested against safe apps from Google Play (2,052) and other third-party app stores (993).

Test results. September 2016

The results of testing antiviruses for Android in September 2016:


Click on the image to view the full version on the AV-Test website

  • Protection - antivirus protection level.
  • Usability - performance and false positives.
  • Features - application functionality.
  • Overall Points - the total number of points.

Mobile Threat Detection Rate

Designation of columns in the table:

  • Detection Rate Real-World-Testing - detection rate for real-time mobile threats.
  • Detection Rate Reference Set - detection rate on a representative set of malicious applications detected in the last 4 weeks.

The Android OS is very vulnerable to viruses compared to its competitors. The biggest threat comes from Trojans, viruses that are designed to steal personal user information, such as passwords. Fortunately, Google and some third-party companies have developed a huge amount of software to prevent viruses from infecting your device. Next, we will figure out what are the best antiviruses for Android.

From the article you will learn

Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus: Web Security & AppLock

This is a mobile version of the most popular antivirus for personal computers. It can not only scan the memory of a mobile device for viruses, but also can filter spam in messages, block applications from prying eyes.

Has an anti-theft feature. This is a handy anti-theft system. When it is turned on, the owner of the device, through the functionality of the official Kaspersky website, can block the smartphone, delete all data from it, and even try to take a picture of the thief. But this is only possible if the attacker has not turned off the phone, or the location via GPS, or has not switched to Airplane mode.

Another good antivirus for Android, bearing the loud name of the well-known version for PCs running Windows.

This is not just an antivirus, but a complete set for working with files, which includes:

  • Antivirus;
  • system cleaning;
  • Acceleration of system performance;
  • Application blocking;
  • Black list of numbers;
  • Anti-theft;
  • Network speed test.

Antivirus is available from the main screen by clicking on the "Scan" button. Scanning is very fast compared to other programs. In our case, 10 GB of information was processed in 3 minutes. In this case, the antivirus affects all system components, including .apk files.

Antivirus without any frills. The main screen is made modestly, but conveniently. There is a large scan button in the center. In case of problems found, they will be highlighted and by tapping on them, you can easily correct the situation.

At the top there are sub-items: antivirus, security, other. It is easy to switch between them with swipes from the edge of the screen.

In the "Antivirus" tab is a scan. It is fast and can run in the background.

The program is very economical on the resources of the smartphone.

The lightest and simplest antivirus for the Android system. There are paid and free versions.

Light is a free version. The full version costs about $25 (the price may vary depending on the country and exchange rate) and is essentially not worth the money.

On the main screen, we are greeted by the main workspace, there are 2 in total. By clicking on the “Scanner” button, a choice of scanning method opens. According to the classics, there are 3 ways: full scan, quick scan and custom scan.

A full scan touches all nodes of the system and calculates Trojans in it. Works well but takes a long time.

Every day, users of smartphones running the Android operating system are being attacked by viruses, which are becoming more and more.

In today's world, the number of Android users is increasing every day. However, their safety is at risk.

To prevent your tablet or smartphone from getting infected, you must not only install apps from trusted sources, but also use antivirus software.

Why viruses attack Android

Now the viruses that infect Android devices have spread to a truly alarming scale. Since January 2013 alone, about 4.5 million gadgets have been infected.

There are several reasons why viruses attack this platform:

  1. The range of Android users is quite wide. For attackers, this is a source of a lot of valuable information. This can be passwords from credit cards, passwords from social networks and other confidential data;
  2. users often forget about the elementary rules for protecting their data.

Important! Remember, installing an antivirus will still not give a 100% guarantee of protecting your information.

Video: antivirus on Android

Application overview

Now more and more users have begun to think about the security of their gadgets. In this regard, the question arises of which antivirus is better.

Below is a brief overview of the applications that will provide the best protection for the device.:

  1. Kaspersky Mobile Security Lite. Free antivirus "Kaspersky Lab" for devices based on Android. Mobile Security is equipped with special tools for checking applications. Mobile Security can also determine its location or block access to the device if the phone is lost, destroying personal data if necessary.
  2. Dr. Web Light. Anti-virus from the Russian company "Doctor Web", designed for Android devices. Equipped with tools for checking downloaded applications and individual files on a memory card.
  3. ESET NOD32 Mobile Security. Antivirus software developed by the Slovak company ESET. It includes antivirus, antispyware, antitheft, antiphishing and antispam.
  4. TrustGo Antivirus. A promising project distributed under a free license on GooglePlay. TrustGo has a highly effective virus protection mechanism. In addition to anti-virus and spam protection, a device manager and other things, the program is equipped with a lost phone search module.
  5. Avast. Antivirus for Android developed by AVAST Software. The program is distributed under a free license in the Play Store. It has several modules: antivirus, internet protection, antispam, firewall, filtering phone calls and SMS messages, as well as remote control using SMS commands.
  6. IKARUS mobile security. Distributed under a free license and provides basic protection for gadgets.
  7. F-Secure Mobile Security. Comprehensive protection for Android devices developed by the Finnish company F-Secure. F-Secure has standard tools: antivirus, firewall, application scanner and SafeBrowser function.
  8. Bitdefender Mobile Security. Antivirus software that has the advantage of having minimal impact on the battery of a tablet or smartphone. The following modules are integrated into it: antivirus, application and SD card scanner, anti-theft and web protection.
  9. 360 Mobile Security. A free antivirus that provides basic protection for smartphones and tablets against virus threats. It has an integrated module that allows you to close programs running in the background.
  10. Trend Micro Mobile Security. Antivirus software with which you can block unwanted phone calls and SMS messages.

What is the best free antivirus for Android?

The virus problem for Android owners has become very serious. Every day there are more viruses, and scammers are trying by any means to obtain confidential information about the owners of smartphones and tablets. Let's analyze which antivirus for Android is better in 2014?

ESET NOD32

Antivirus solution for Android. Provides protection for smartphones and tablets against virus threats.

Key features:


Kaspersky Mobile Security Lite

Antivirus software developed by Kaspersky Lab.

Key features:


Dr. Web Light

Dr.Web Light provides basic protection for devices based on the Android OS.

Important! The Light version of the program is not sufficient to fully protect the device from malicious software, as it has limited functionality. In order to provide maximum protection, it is necessary to use the comprehensive Dr.Web for Android solution.

Key features:


Important! Technical support for users using Dr.Web Light is not provided.

TrustGo Antivirus

Comprehensive anti-virus protection for the Android OS, distributed free of charge.

Key features:


Avast!

A complete solution for a smartphone or tablet on the Android platform.

Key features:


Ikarus

Free antivirus software for Android OS. Can provide basic protection against all types of malware.

Key features:


F-Secure

Antivirus complex solution for a smartphone or tablet on the Android platform.

Key features:


Bitdefender

Antivirus comprehensive solution for Android security.