Best Android antivirus apps in 2024
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The best Android antivirus app on your smartphone can protect your device and personal privacy. That includes securing your logins, encrypting online activity, and preventing identity theft.
Android devices are not the most secure – the built-in Google Play Protect scanner isn’t ideal against threats as it lacks many features. However, the best Android antivirus software has robust security features like real-time scans for viruses and firewalls, VPNs, password managers, anti-theft guards, and more. These premium features can help detect and remove malware, prevent cyberattacks, or monitor mobile banking transactions.
To help you choose the best antivirus software, I selected only the best Android antivirus providers, such as top-rated TotalAV or Bitdefender. The Cybernews research team and I tested and reviewed these apps based on Android app compatibility, malware lab scores, features suite, customer support, value for money, and more. Our evaluation system ensures each Android antivirus has all the necessary features to fit your needs. And if you want to test any of these apps before committing, all have free trials and money-back guarantees available.
5 antivirus apps for Android phone
- TotalAV Mobile Security – the best Android antivirus app overall
- Bitdefender Mobile Security – top Android antivirus for real-time protection
- Norton 360 Antivirus & Security – excellent Android antivirus for secure browsing
- Surfshark Antivirus – the best Android antivirus for a tight budget
- NordVPN Threat Protection – great Android antivirus with top-class VPN
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Our team of researchers thoroughly tests antivirus software following a well-established testing process. In unison, our experts combine in-house and independent testing lab findings with first-hand experience to help you make informed decisions about each product. Learn how we test antivirus software.
Do Android phones need antivirus?
Yes, Android devices should be protected by reliable antivirus tools. Although less prone to malware attacks than Windows devices, Android is still vulnerable. Failure to protect your device appropriately could lead to security breaches and personal data theft.
While you can prevent some cyber threats by taking appropriate security measures yourself – for example, avoid suspicious apps, use strong passwords, or install updates on time – only a reliable antivirus tool can offer comprehensive protection.
Google Play Protect is a built-in security tool that scans all Android apps before they are downloaded onto your device; however, it should not be mistaken for the best mobile security app. It simply doesn’t offer real-time protection against phishing and other cyberattacks, doesn’t provide webcam protection, and doesn’t offer such beneficial extras as VPNs or password managers.
Our top-ranked Android antivirus apps 2024
Discover the top Android antivirus apps that offer more than just malware protection. With the help of the research team, I tested more than two dozen of antivirus apps for Android and evaluated their usability, malware protection capabilities, features, and overall value. In the overviews below, you will find security software for your Android device, ranging from best to most cost-effective.
1. TotalAV Mobile Security – best antivirus for Android in 2024
| Android support: | Android 5.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 8 |
| Current deal: | Get TotalAV, now 80% OFF |
TotalAV is my top choice for the best Android antivirus with desktop-grade performance. In addition to 100% malware protection, it offers internet security features such as VPN and Wi-Fi protection and tools to clean up your device.
The TotalAV Android app is compatible with Android version 5 and above. I liked how easy it was to set up and that every feature was just a couple of clicks away. During my tests, TotalAV managed to pick up malware types that even some other providers didn’t detect.
TotalAV comes with a VPN that provides unlimited data. It encrypts your connection and hides your real IP address to prevent online tracking. While reviewing TotalAV, I especially liked that you can clear up junk files with the Optimisation feature. This can help you not only free up more space on Android but also save battery life. Other features include the App Lock and Wi-Fi security checker to ensure that public Wi-Fi hotspots are secure.
You can get a TotalAV subscription for $19.00/year (with a $119/year renewal price) that covers up to 8 devices. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee and a limited free version.
2. Bitdefender Mobile Security – top Android antivirus for real-time protection
| Android support: | Android 5.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 15 |
| Current deal: | Get Bitdefender for up to 78% OFF |
Bitdefender Mobile Security is an excellent antivirus app for Android devices. It offers an amazing Android app with features like anti-theft and a VPN, ensuring 100% real-time malware protection.
The Bitdefender Android app is easy to use and navigate and is available for Android Lollipop 5.0 and higher versions. During in-house testing, Bitdefender caught 100% of the malware we threw. Additionally, Bitdefender's scanner checks whether you have installed ransomware, adware, and other potentially unwanted apps.
While reviewing Bitdefender, I was especially impressed by the autopilot feature – it gives protection recommendations based on your Android device usage and needs. Additionally, a VPN is included – it gives you up to 200 MB per day for safe browsing on your Android phone. It’s pretty limited for a VPN, so I’d recommend checking VPN-focused providers like Surfshark or NordVPN with unlimited data.
Bitdefender Android app also includes features such as App Lock, scam alert, web protection, and anti-theft tools. However, unlike TotalAV for Android, Bitdefender doesn’t have any features for cleaning up your device from junk apps and duplicate files.
Bitdefender pricing for Android apps begins at $9.99/year (for the first year; renewal price may be higher). You can also use the 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out first without any risks.
3. Norton 360 Antivirus & Security – excellent Android antivirus for secure browsing
| Android support: | Android 8.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 10 |
| Current deal: | Get up to 58% OFF Norton Antivirus |
Norton Mobile Security is another top-class antivirus app for Android. Its standout feature is Safe Web, which flags all insecure or malicious websites and prevents them from loading.
The Norton Mobile Security is compatible with all Android versions above Android Oreo 8.0. Norton achieved top ratings from independent and in-house tests. This provider managed to catch 100% of the malware samples it was challenged with.
In our Norton review process, I was really impressed by the Safe Web feature, which prevents you from visiting malicious websites. Norton constantly updates the blacklist, and the marked pages won’t load. This ensures great online safety and reduces identity theft risks. I also liked that the mobile app has advisors that scan your Google Play installs and warn you about potentially dangerous apps.
Aside from these, Norton Mobile Security also allows scheduling scans and notifies you when you join insecure networks. There’s also VPN functionality included in the app if you’d like to secure your online connections conveniently.
Norton Mobile Security subscriptions start from $29.99/year for 1 Android device. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it for free.
4. Surfshark Antivirus – the best Android antivirus bundle
| Android support: | Android 5.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 5 |
| Current deal: | Get Surfshark Antivirus - 86% OFF + 4 months FREE |
Surfshark Antivirus is a great affordable Android security solution with numerous useful features to fight malware and protect your personal data online. This Android antivirus offers real-time protection – it continuously scans your phone for suspicious activity to detect threats in real time.
The Surfshark antivirus Android app is available for Android Lollipop 5.0 and higher. The antivirus protection capabilities are reliable; based on independent testing labs, Surfshark antivirus can block 100% of malware attacks. This high level of effectiveness contributed to Surfshark earning the Top Product award from AV-TEST. Our in-house Surfshark antivirus testing provides similar results.
One of the best features is the Surfshark VPN that you get with the Surfshark One bundle. It’s included and directly integrated into the same Android application as the Surfshark Antivirus. This VPN is one of the best ones on this list, easily surpassing the likes of Norton VPN or Bitdefender VPN. It’s also worth mentioning that you get a private search engine and ID data monitoring. It’s a great way to ensure that your email address, credit card details, and ID information are always safe.
Surfshark Antivirus costs $34.86/year for 5 devices. Its subscription options come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
5. NordVPN Threat Protection Lite – great Android antivirus with top-class VPN
| Android support: | Android 7.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 10 |
| Current deal: | Get NordVPN Antivirus with 74% OFF + 3 months for free |
NordVPN Threat Protection is a feature designed to add an extra layer of security to your Android device. It’s a lightweight tool for preventing access to websites with harmful download links.
NordVPN Threat Protection is a feature of NordVPN and is compatible with Android Nougat 7.0 or later. In our NordVPN Threat Protection review, we noted that it has solid malware detection rates and successfully blocks you from accessing various infected websites. It also blocks various ads that can deteriorate your browsing experience on Android and protects your device from spyware and malware.
Even better, you don’t need to connect to a VPN server for it to work – as long as the NordVPN app with an enabled Threat Protection feature is on your Android device, you’re silently protected in the background and have no data cap. The drawback of this security tool might be that you can’t perform scans.
Threat Protection is free with all NordVPN plans, which start at $2.99/month and cover up to 10 simultaneous devices. You also get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
6. Avira Security Antivirus – a versatile and lightweight tool
| Android support: | Android 6.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 25 |
| Current deal: | Get 1 year of Avira at 58% OFF |
Avira Mobile Security is lightweight virus protection for Android. It’s simple to use, provides many useful features, and focuses on solid protection, privacy, and performance.
The Avira Android app is easy to install and use – the simple design makes it exceptionally navigable. The app is compatible with Android Marshmallow 6.0 and above. The protection is also solid – during in-house testing, Avira caught up to 90% of malware threats.
In our Avira review, I was particularly impressed with the Web Protection feature that keeps you off phishing and malware websites. Other Avira for Android features include a VPN, network scanning, an Identity Safeguard, and a system optimizer. Avira also offers a call blocker and mic and webcam protection, which top antiviruses like Bitdefender lack.
Avira prices start from $26.99/year to cover 1 device. However, you must choose the Prime plan, which costs $59.99/year, to protect up to 5 devices, including Android phones. If you’re unsatisfied with the services, you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee to get a refund.
7. Malwarebytes – well-performing Android antivirus
| Android support: | Android 9.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 20 |
| Current deal: | Get Malwarebytes, now 50% OFF |
Malwarebytes is another excellent choice for an Android antivirus. It has an almost 99% zero-day rate and incredible malware detection rates. It also encompasses many features that make it Android-friendly while providing top-notch protection. However, this antivirus program works best when combined with other security apps.
Malwarebytes works perfectly well with Android devices, and its app is available for Android 9.0 and later versions.
Although its Play Store rating is a disappointing 3.5/5, the app is pretty user-friendly. You can set it up in less than 5 minutes. The dashboard is neat, and you can find any feature you’re looking for without any issues. Even better, the free trial doesn’t require providing your email address or any other payment information.
Another perk of this antivirus program is that it has fantastic security features. You can benefit from its exploit protection, which deals with all software vulnerabilities. You’ll get four types of scans – Full, Threat, Hyper, and Path. In addition, Malwarebytes has a Browser Guard, which is an ad blocker. Other features Malwarebytes offers include Malicious Website Protection and Quarantined files.
You can get a Malwarebytes subscription for free and use it on 1 device or purchase a premium plan for $22.49/year and enjoy excellent protection on 20 devices.
8. Trend Micro Mobile Security – simple Android antivirus for guaranteed security
| Android support: | Android 5.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 10 |
| Current deal: | Get Trend Micro, now 54% OFF |
Trend Micro Mobile Security offers robust protection for your Android device with an interesting user interface. It efficiently catches threats using machine learning technology and has a few extra features to keep your everyday browsing as secure as possible.
Trend Micro Android app is available for devices with Android Lollipop 5.0 or higher. Based on independent test results, Trend Micro is an excellent malware detection tool, it’s been rated 100% for malware detection. Our in-house testing provided slightly different results – we found that Trend Micro detects around 80% of malware threats.
Some of the most impressive features were Social Network Privacy, which keeps your online life safe, and PayGuard, which protects your online shopping. In addition to antivirus essentials, Trend Micro offers you to add a VPN proxy for an additional charge. With it, you can easily protect your IP address. To ensure the safety of your passwords, you can add either a free or a paid password manager to the bundle.
However, as found in our Trend Micro review, the service is limited as an antivirus suite. It has no firewall, provides limited licensing choices, and the malware detection rates provide mixed results. Alternatively, you could pick Bitdefender, which has the highest virus detection rates and includes a firewall.
The pricing for Trend Micro mobile security starts at $19.95/year and covers up to 10 devices. You can also use the 30-day money-back guarantee if needed.
9. ESET Mobile Security Antivirus – excellent Android cybersecurity suite
| Android support: | Android 6.0 and up |
| In-app ads: | No |
| Maximum devices covered: | 25 |
| Current deal: | Get ESET, save up to 30% |
As far as Android antivirus apps go, ESET is undoubtedly one of the most advanced suites available on the market today.
The ESET Android app is available for Android Marshmallow 6.0 and above. The independent tests give ESET the highest marks. During my ESET testing, the antivirus caught almost all of the malware threats we challenged it with.
One of the features that I found to be quite interesting was the anti-theft suite. It allows you to check your device's location and IP address if it gets stolen or lost. Additionally, you can enable web filters that help steer clear of phishing and malware websites. Another notable feature is that there’s even a separate payment protection function, which kicks in when you’re using banking apps.
One drawback is that ESET antivirus for Android is targeted at intermediate to experienced users, so beginners might find it challenging to navigate and use.
The ESET Mobile Security plan starts at $14.99/year for 1 mobile device. If you want to cover both mobile and desktop gadgets, there's an ESET Internet Security plan starting at $34.99/year.
Android antivirus apps compared
Here’s how our top antiviruses for Android compare to one another:
| Brand | Rating | Free plan | App lock | ID theft guard | In-app ads | Min. Android OS support | VPN | Price per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TotalAV |
| Yes | Yes | No | No | Lollipop 5.0 and above | Yes, unlimited data | From $19.00 |
| Bitdefender | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Lollipop 5.0 and above | Yes, up to 200MB/day | From $9.99 | |
| Norton | No | No | Yes | No | Oreo 8.0 and above | Yes, upper-tier plans only | From $29.99 | |
| Surfshark antivirus | No | No | Yes | No | Lollipop 5.0 and above | Yes, unlimited data | From $34.86 | |
| NordVPN Threat Protection | No | No | No | No | Android Nougat 7.0 and above | Yes, unlimited data | From $80.73 | |
| Avira Security Antivirus | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Marshmallow 6.0 and above | Yes, unlimited data | From $26.99 | |
| Trend Micro | No | Yes | Yes | No | Lollipop 5.0 and above | Yes, VPN proxy, unlimited data | From $19.95 | |
| ESET Mobile Security antivirus | No | Yes | No | Yes | Marshmallow 6.0 and above | No | From $34.99 |
How we tested and ranked antivirus apps
We take research and analysis seriously at Cybernews, and so our process of testing antiviruses is very thorough. Here are the main steps we took to select the best Android antivirus apps:
- Antivirus selection. We tested 26 antiviruses to make sure we assess both well-known and lesser-known antivirus tools before picking our top list.
- Testing environment. We created a clean testing environment using the Nokia 6.2 (model TA-1198) smartphone, with Android version 11, 64GB internal storage, 4GB RAM, and a CPU Octa-Core (4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.6 GHz Kryo 260 Silver).
- Malware detection tests. We used 10 malware samples to check how our tested antiviruses performed in terms of threat detection. During the test, we assessed real-time protection and different scanning options. For apps with web protection features (e.g., NordVPN Threat Protection), we used malicious URLs from phishing websites.
- Result evaluation. During the final stage, we compared the antiviruses and ranked the apps based on malware detection rates, security features, independent lab test results, performance, ease of use, and pricing.
After thoroughly testing and analyzing Android antivirus apps, we have presented our final list of the best mobile security apps for Android users.
How to install an antivirus on an Android device
Installing an antivirus on your phone is fairly straightforward. It boils down to finding an app on the Google Play Store and clicking the install button. If that doesn’t help you much, here’s what the general process should look like:
- Open the Play Store app on your Android device
- Type the name of the best Android security app you prefer into the search bar. We recommend TotalAV, now 80% OFF
-
Tap Install and wait for the setup to complete
- Run a scan and monitor any suspicious activities
If you’ve chosen a premium antivirus service, you’ll most likely have to log in to unlock premium features. Once you’re logged in, you can now scan for malware or take advantage of other features.
How do I check my Android for viruses?
If you think your device got infected with malware, here’s how to check your Android for viruses:
- Download and install a reliable antivirus for Android. We recommend TotalAV, now 80% OFF
- Run a full system scan using the antivirus app
- Check the results and follow the antivirus recommendations and instructions
Are free Android antivirus apps worth it?
Yes, using a free Android antivirus is useful if it comes from a reliable service provider. For example, TotalAV – our top choice for the best Android security app – offers a great free version with a WebShield feature that blocks access to malicious websites. Plus, it guarantees excellent malware detection rates. Although it’s free, it’s still more powerful than Google Play Protect.
However, keep in mind that numerous so-called free security apps for Android are unreliable. Usually, they are designed to spread malware rather than remove it. So, make sure that you pick a trustworthy security tool, especially when it’s free. Here is a list of our best free antivirus apps for Android.
It’s also worth mentioning that even though certain free mobile security apps are worth it, with a premium antivirus, you’ll be getting a lot more features. Often, only the paid version will protect you against ransomware and other serious threats.
Video review: best antivirus apps for Android
Feeling like you're more of a visual learner? Check out our YouTube video where we discuss the top antiviruses for Android.
Bottom line
Mobile Android antiviruses evolved enough to offer much more than simple malware cleanup. They are impressive cybersecurity suites that have numerous functions, including anti-theft tools, app locks, password managers, and even VPNs.
When choosing the best antivirus app for your Android, make sure that the provider offers excellent malware protection rates. Also, consider the user interface and how easy it is to install and use the app itself. Additional features such as system cleanup, phishing protection, and web protection will make browsing on your phone much safer.
According to our tests and reviews, TotalAV is the best antivirus for Android in 2024. It offers a simple and easy-to-use app, effective malware protection, plenty of scan options, and handy additional features such as App Lock or Anti-Theft tools.
More antivirus guides from Cybernews:
Best antivirus for Chromebook: excellent antiviruses for malware detection on Chromebook
Best antivirus for Windows 10: increase your online safety with antivirus running on Windows 10
Free antivirus software: protect your PC against viruses and malware
FAQ
Do Android phones need antivirus?
Yes, Android phones need antivirus apps to protect them from malware (such as adware or spyware), identity theft, and other cyberthreats. Although most Android devices have the Google Play Protect scanner, it lacks essential features such as real-time protection and anti-theft tools. With a premium Android antivirus app such as TotalAV, you will get all of that and more.
Do I need an antivirus for the Samsung tablet?
Yes, you do. Android phones and tablets run the same OS. This means that tips relevant to phones are also relevant to tablets. In short, it’s not a bad idea to use an antivirus on a tablet as well.
Does Android have a built-in antivirus?
Yes, most Android devices come with Google Play Protect already built in. It uses various machine-learning algorithms to detect malicious code. However, this isn’t a foolproof solution. So, using a third-party antivirus, like our top-rated TotalAV, can provide you with better flexibility, features, and malware protection.
Does Samsung have built-in antivirus?
Yes, Samsung has a built-in antivirus tool called Device Care. Although it is meant to protect your Android system against malicious apps, it cannot outperform dedicated security apps, like TotalAV, that are designed to deal with all kinds of cyberthreats and provide you with an array of security features.
