Updated on: July 26, 2024
Short on time? Here’s the best antivirus app for Android in 2024:
- 🥇 Norton : Advanced malware protection, Wi-Fi monitoring, phishing protection, app advisor, VPN, identity theft protection, and much more — all inside an intuitive Android app.
I downloaded, installed, and tested the most popular Android antivirus apps. I wanted to find the best tool to protect me from dangerous apps, webpages, and other threats. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that most Android antivirus apps are terrible — they failed to detect sophisticated and new malware, significantly reduced my battery life, crippled my phone’s performance, and even harvested my data for advertisers.
The good news is that there are some excellent internet security apps out there. They offer a wide range of useful features, like real-time malware protection, anti-phishing protection, virtual private networks (VPNs), anti-theft tools, spam filters, and parental controls.
After weeks of testing, I found the 10 best Android antiviruses on the market. All of the apps below performed excellently in my tests, and they can be installed onto almost all Android smartphones and tablets. (Chromebook users can look here for my favorite Chromebook-compatible apps).
As a quick money-saving tip, click on the links on this page for the best deals. You’ll get lower prices and stronger money-back guarantees than you’ll get buying directly from the Google Play Store.
Quick summary of the best Android antivirus apps in 2024:
- 1.🥇 Norton — Best overall Android antivirus in 2024 (feature-rich app + perfect malware detection).
- 2.🥈 Bitdefender — Best lightweight scanner (includes an excellent VPN, app locker, and scam alerts).
- 3.🥉 McAfee — Best tool for avoiding web-based threats (blocks phishing sites and scam pages).
- 4. TotalAV — Best antivirus for optimizing Android devices with speed and storage issues.
- 5. Avira — Good choice for privacy-conscious users (with mic and camera protection).
- Plus 5 more!
1. 🥇Norton — #1 Overall Pick for Best Android Antivirus of 2024
Norton Mobile Security is a comprehensive Android internet security app. It has a reliable anti-malware scanner and a lot of additional features. During my tests, I ran Norton’s malware scanner against a wide range of Android threats, including malicious apps and dangerous files. It removed 100% of the malware from my device, and the scan took just a couple of minutes. The app had virtually no impact on my device’s performance or battery life. In terms of privacy, Norton only collects minimal information, which it doesn’t share with any third parties.
Norton includes more security features than almost any competitor, including:
- App Advisor.
- SMS filter.
- Tracker blocker.
- Anti-phishing protection.
- Wi-Fi monitoring.
- Identity theft protection (360 plans and US only).
- VPN (360 plans only).
I really like Norton’s App Advisor. It scans the Google Play Store and warns you about malicious apps before you download them. Additionally, it provides a useful list of every app on your phone, organized by permissions and threat level. I used it to remove a malicious app and a few others that were collecting excess personal information about me. Norton runs scans in real time, so you’ll be alerted to threats as soon as they arise.
Norton’s anti-phishing protection is also excellent — it blocked the vast majority of the phishing and risky sites I tried opening. It works on every major mobile browser and comes with some nice features. For example, Safe Search color codes search results based on potential risk. Norton also scans links you receive in text messages and can even block spam text messages from appearing in your inbox.
US users can also get access to an identity theft monitor. This can track a wide variety of personally identifying information (PII) — such as phone numbers, emails, social security numbers, credit card numbers, ID numbers, and more. This feature is only available on Norton 360 Deluxe and pricier plans.
Other notable features include an unlimited-data VPN. It maintained fast speeds while I browsed the internet anonymously and has a split-tunneling feature. It isn’t as good as the best standalone VPNs, but it’s still pretty good. There’s also a Wi-Fi scanner that alerts me whenever I connect to an unsecured network.
Norton Mobile Security covers 1 Android device and costs $19.99 / year*, but if you also need protection for PC, Mac, or iOS, then Norton’s premium bundles are a great option. Norton’s internet security suites start at $54.99 / year* and are all covered by a generous 60-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Norton Mobile Security is a reliable Android antivirus with tons of additional security features. Its antivirus scanner is one of the best on the market, detecting 100% of malware during testing. I’m also a big fan of Norton’s anti-phishing protection and US-only identity theft monitoring, but I think its VPN could be better. Norton Mobile Security is available for mobile users as a standalone app or bundled with Norton’s 360 antivirus packages, and there’s a generous 60-day money-back guarantee on all of Norton’s plans.
Read the full Norton review here >
2.🥈 Bitdefender — Lightweight Malware Scanner With a Fast VPN
Bitdefender Mobile Security a lightweight antivirus app for Android with tons of helpful features. Its cloud-based scanning engine uses machine learning to detect the latest malware threats. When I tested the scanner, it removed all of the malware from my phone and tablet in just a few minutes. The real-time protection worked perfectly, barely impacting my phone’s battery or performance. The only downside is that Bitdefender collects more user data than Norton, but it doesn’t sell it.
Bitdefender has an innovative App Anomaly Detection feature for Android. This advanced technology continually monitors app behavior and immediately flags any suspicious activities. It even works when you have Bitdefender closed, so you’re always protected. Moreover, it doesn’t just use a malicious app database; it constantly scans your phone for suspicious app activity.
The app also comes with a VPN powered by Hotspot Shield. During my tests, I could watch HD video with no interruptions when I was connected to a local server and experienced only minor lag when I connected to a distant server in Europe. It supports multiple VPN protocols and lets you make multi-hop connections if you want an extra layer of privacy. Most plans have a low data limit, but this is still better than apps like ESET, which lack a bundled VPN.
I’m pretty impressed with the wide range of features in Bitdefender’s mobile app. You also get:
- App locker.
- SMS scam filter.
- Data breach monitoring.
- Anti-theft tools.
- Web protections.
- Smartwatch compatibility.
- Security settings optimizer.
Bitdefender Mobile Security is a good value, but I prefer Bitdefender’s multi-device packages. Mobile Security covers 1 device, costs $12.49 / year, and comes with all of Bitdefender’s Android protections. However, if you have multiple devices, you can get a better deal by subscribing to one of the multi-platform plans. Antivirus Plus costs just $29.99 / year and covers up to 3 devices of any type. But my favorite plan is Total Security ($49.99 / year), which includes every feature save the unlimited-data VPN. All of Bitdefender’s plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Bitdefender Mobile Security provides lightweight protection with some great extra features. The malware scanner scored 100% in my device scanning and real-time protection testing. I also really like Bitdefender’s anti-phishing measures and VPN, which provides 200 MB of daily data usage (you’ll need to upgrade to the priciest plan to get unlimited data). You can buy Bitdefender as a standalone Android app or get it as part of the Bitdefender Total Security or Premium Security bundles. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of Bitdefender’s subscriptions.
Read the full Bitdefender review here >
3.🥉 McAfee — Best Android Web Protections
McAfee Mobile Security provides excellent malware protection, and some of the best web protections on the market today. McAfee’s scanner was able to detect all of the malware I downloaded to my Android tablet, but the scanning process affected my battery life much more than Norton or Bitdefender.
The malware scanner works well, removing both apps and dangerous .ZIP and .APK files. I like how the app issues you with a protection score that you can increase by optimizing your phone’s security settings. US customers can also set up McAfee’s identity theft monitoring service to get the highest possible score.
McAfee’s Android app also comes with excellent anti-phishing protection. In my tests, it successfully blocked both risky sites and malicious downloads. It also scans URLs sent in text messages, making it easy to identify scammers.
In addition to helping you avoid dangerous sites, McAfee’s Android app will alert you to unsecured networks. The Wi-Fi scanner analyzes networks for security issues and alerts you if you connect to an unsecured hotspot. But the strongest privacy tool is the VPN, which you can use to anonymize your web traffic.
I recommend Android users pick up McAfee Premium for $49.99 / year. It provides unlimited device licenses, so you can protect your desktop and iOS devices as well. You’ll need the Advanced plan ($89.99 / year) to get the full identity protections. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
McAfee is a secure antivirus app for Android with a robust set of web protections. McAfee’s malware scanner is excellent at detecting and removing malware, the anti-phishing protection blocks all risky sites, and the dark web monitoring notifies you in case your sensitive data is leaked in a data breach. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of McAfee’s plans.
Read the full McAfee review here >
4. TotalAV — Best Device Optimization for Old or Slow Androids
TotalAV’s Android antivirus provides secure anti-malware protection, good additional features, and excellent device optimization tools. Like all of TotalAV’s apps, the Android version is super easy to use. It’s also very effective, detecting 99% of the malware on my Android device during testing, but the real-time scanner did affect my phone’s battery more than Norton (which detected 100% of the malware).
TotalAV’s device optimization tools are excellent. They scanned my Android tablet for duplicates, junk, and cache files and cleaned up over 1 GB of much-needed disk drive space. I really like the duplicate photo and video finder. I had tons of near-identical images which I could swiftly delete.
TotalAV includes a few more decent security features:
- VPN.
- Anti-phishing protection.
- Secure browser.
- App locker.
- Data breach monitoring.
TotalAV’s VPN is better than both Norton and Bitdefender’s VPN, ranking #1 on our list of the best antiviruses with VPNs. It provides access to almost 100 servers around the world, comes with a kill switch and a no-logs policy, works with streaming sites, and maintains very fast speeds. The anti-phishing protection and secure browser (which uses DuckDuckGo’s secure search technology) are also very helpful and intuitive additions to TotalAV’s security protections. They work well on all types of Android devices, including tablets.
All of TotalAV’s internet security suites are compatible with Android devices. The multi-device plans are way cheaper than the Android subscription, starting at $19.00 / year, and providing excellent antivirus protection for PC, Mac, and iOS as well. Every annual plan is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee (there’s a 14-day money-back guarantee for monthly plans).
Bottom Line:
TotalAV for Android has good anti-malware protection and excellent device optimization tools. TotalAV’s antivirus scanner detected all of the malware in my testing, but the real-time protection drained my battery significantly more than the other top antiviruses on this list. TotalAV’s device cleanup tools removed over 1 GB of junk files from my tablet, improving its speed and performance. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of TotalAV’s annual plans and a 14-day money-back guarantee on monthly subscriptions.
Read the full TotalAV review here >
5. Avira — Good Privacy Protections
Avira Security Antivirus & VPN provides a cloud-based malware scanner with lots of features. Avira’s malware scanner detected all of the malware files in my testing, but I was a bit disappointed with how quickly it drained my battery during scans.
The malware scanner works well — and it’s 100% free. It removed every malicious app on my phone and provided a list of every app with invasive permissions. But I prefer Norton’s App Advisor, which rates apps based on overall permissions (Avira shows permission types, and you have to tap the permissions to see which apps have them).
Here are Avira’s additional features:
- Anti-phishing protections.
- Breach monitoring.
- Call blocker.
- App locker.
- Camera and microphone protection.
- Web protection.
- Anti-theft tools.
- VPN (100 MB/day, or unlimited data on Avira Prime).
- System tune-up tools.
I like the VPN and system tune-up tools the most. The VPN is very intuitive (it’s one of my top choices for torrenting), and the system tune-up tools are excellent for clearing memory and storage. Unfortunately, you’ll have to upgrade to one of the paid plans to get unlimited data. The web protections (another premium feature) are great, providing security to match the VPN’s privacy features.
To get all of Avira’s Android features — including the unlimited-data VPN and web protections — you’ll need the Prime plan. It costs $59.99 / year. It covers up to 5 devices (including Android, PC, Mac, & iOS). Avira’s annual plans are covered by a 60-day money-back guarantee, and its monthly plans are covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Avira Antivirus Security for Android is a full-featured antivirus app for Android, with more features than many competing brands. Avira detected the majority of the malware in my testing, and its anti-phishing protection, system tune-up tools, and VPN are all good. Avira offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on all of its yearly plans and a 14-day money-back guarantee on monthly plans.
Read the full Avira review here >
6. ESET — Strong Malware Protection
ESET Mobile Security’s malware scanner is very thorough, achieving a 100% detection rate during my tests. Its real-time protection proved very effective at stopping ransomware, spyware, and other malicious files.
ESET comes with a lot of additional features:
- Anti-phishing protections.
- App lock.
- Payment protection.
- Wi-Fi network scanner.
- Anti-theft protection.
- Call and SMS filter.
- App auditor.
- Payment protection.
The anti-phishing protections are pretty good. They successfully blocked the majority of dangerous sites I tried to visit. However, they are a little over-sensitive, and I found it difficult to add false positives to the whitelist. There’s also a payment protection tool that provides extra security by encrypting your keystrokes when shopping on your phone. These are all good web protections, but ESET lacks anything like Norton’s VPN, so it isn’t the best for online privacy.
I also found the anti-theft protections very comprehensive. If your phone is stolen, you can use the anti-theft dashboard on your computer to find it. You can also remotely lock your phone if your SIM is removed.
ESET Mobile Security is a good choice if you need to protect 1 Android. Its annual plan costs $12.99 / year. To get PC and macOS coverage as well, you can upgrade to ESET Advanced Security for just $103.49 / year, which also gets you access to features like parental controls and webcam protection. All of ESET’s plans come with a 30-day free trial (no credit card required) and are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
ESET Mobile Security offers powerful malware protection and a long list of extra features. Its anti-theft tools and application auditor are particularly good. However, it lacks some useful extras offered by top competitors, like system tune-up tools, data breach monitoring, and a bundled VPN. ESET offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of its plans.
Read the full ESET review here
7. Kaspersky — Powerful Anti-Theft Features
Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that Kaspersky’s products present any privacy risk to their users. However, if you’re still wary (or reside in the US, where sales of Kaspersky have been banned), there are plenty of great alternatives.
Kaspersky has a powerful malware scanner and some of the best anti-theft tools on the market. It managed to detect all of the 80+ malware samples I put on my phone during a full scan, and the whole thing took less than 5 minutes. However, Kaspersky doesn’t offer a standalone Android antivirus app, so you need to buy it as part of a bundle with other devices.
Its real-time protection stopped me from downloading dangerous apps from the Google Play Store, intercepting and automatically placing them into quarantine. However, it doesn’t warn you about risky apps before you download them — an added layer of security offered by Norton Mobile Security’s App Advisor.
Kaspersky’s Android app also comes with the following additional features:
- Anti-phishing protections.
- Anti-theft.
- App lock.
- Call filter.
- Social media privacy optimizer.
- VPN (unlimited data on Plus and Premium plans).
- Home Wi-Fi monitor.
- Password manager (separate download).
I was particularly impressed by Kaspersky’s anti-theft tools, which allow you to lock and locate your device, take a secret photo if your phone is stolen, set off an alarm on your device, and even perform a factory reset (wiping any sensitive data you may have on your phone) — all completely remotely. Additionally, you can set it so that your device locks if a new SIM card is inserted, and the Kaspersky app comes with uninstall protection. I just wish it had something like the optimization and space-saving tools that you get with TotalAV.
Kaspersky offers an Android-only plan, but isn’t a great deal on its own and you’re better off getting a multi-device plan. Kaspersky’s Standard plan protects between 3–10 devices, and prices start from $38.49 / year. The Plus plan starts from $52.99 / year and adds a VPN with unlimited data, home Wi-Fi monitoring, and a password manager. The Premium plan starts from $74.99 / year and adds extra features, such as an identity protection wallet for securing sensitive documents and accessing them on any device, as well as 24/7 remote IT support. Every plan is covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Kaspersky offers a solid antivirus app with particularly good anti-theft tools. Kaspersky caught every malware sample I threw at it during my testing and blocked most phishing sites I visited. However, Kaspersky falls short because it lacks many features available on other Android antiviruses, such as system tune-up tools and in-depth identity theft protections. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of its plans.
Read the full Kaspersky review here
8. Panda — Compatible With Wear OS Smart Watches
Panda Dome for Android features a good malware scanner with a 95% detection rate and excellent real-time protection that blocks all attempted malware downloads.
The Android app comes with:
- App lock.
- Anti-theft tools (including motion alerts).
- App privacy auditing.
- Call blocker.
- VPN (150 MB/day on most plans).
I like how Panda’s anti-theft tools have Android smartwatch connectivity, which allows you to control your antivirus from your wrist. The anti-theft tools will sound an alarm if your watch and your device are too far away from each other. You can even make it so you’ll get an alert to the web dashboard if your phone changes location. It’s my favorite feature after the call filter, which blocked tons of annoying (and dangerous) cold calls.
However, Panda’s other features are unimpressive compared to those of its competitors. For example, its privacy auditing isn’t as good as Norton’s app advisor, and the VPN is severely lacking in features and has a low data limit on most plans.
I recommend getting one of Panda’s multi-platform plans. They start at $22.50 / year and can cover up to 10 devices (including PCs, Macs, and iPhones). To get the unlimited-data VPN, password manager, and Android parental controls, you’ll need Panda Dome Premium, which starts at $63.00 / year. All of Panda’s plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Panda Dome for Android is a secure antivirus with good malware detection. That said, the rest of its security features are disappointing. It has a decent app auditing tool and some unique anti-theft features, but it doesn’t have as many extra features as some top competitors, and its VPN leaves something to be desired. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of Panda’s plans, so you can try it out to see if it’d be a good fit for you.
Read the full Panda review here >
9. Trend Micro — Good Smishing Blocker
Trend Micro Mobile Security has a pretty good malware scanner — it detected almost all of the virus samples I downloaded onto my phone. Its web protections also worked well, preventing me from visiting several malicious and fraudulent websites during my tests on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. However, in general, Trend Micro lacks many features offered by the top antiviruses on this list.
Trend Micro has the following additional features:
- Wi-Fi monitoring.
- System tune-up tools.
- Anti-theft tools.
- Parental controls.
- Social media privacy checker.
I like Trend Micro’s ability to stop SMS-based phishing (smishing), which warns you if it detects a scam URL in any SMS message (Norton also offer this feature). The web protections work well too, but the call spam filter wasn’t effective in my tests.
The anti-theft tools (which can take a photo of anyone who steals your phone) are pretty good, but other features are lacking. The tune-up tools didn’t improve my phone’s performance (and the app itself used more resources than I’d like), and it didn’t remove nearly as much junk as TotalAV.
Trend Micro Mobile Security starts at $29.99 / year for 1 device. Trend Micro Maximum Security, however, is its best value plan, at just $49.95 / year. For that price, you’ll also get a password manager, parental controls, and much more, as well as coverage for up to 5 Windows, macOS, and iOS devices. Trend Micro’s VPN is only offered as part of its highest-priced plan, Trend Micro Premium Security Suite, which is $54.95 / year. All of Trend Micro’s plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Trend Micro Mobile Security has great malware detection rates and anti-phishing protections. It also includes Wi-Fi monitoring, system tune-up tools, and anti-theft tools. However, it doesn’t offer as many extras as other top Android antiviruses, and none of its additional features are truly outstanding. Trend Micro backs all of its plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Trend Micro review here
10. Malwarebytes — Good No-Frills Antivirus
Malwarebytes for Android is a decent minimalistic antivirus with an intuitive interface. Its malware scanner is incredibly lightweight, having little to no effect on my battery or my device’s performance speeds, but it only found 95% of the malware I hid on my device for testing purposes — much less than the top antiviruses on this list.
Malwarebytes has very few additional features:
- Anti-phishing protections.
- Security audit.
- Privacy checker.
- App manager.
The privacy checker is pretty good. It lets you quickly review your apps’ settings and permissions, including which apps can read your personal information, track your location, monitor your calls, cost you money, and more. Unlike Norton’s app advisor, though, it can’t identify apps that may pose a security or privacy risk before they’re installed.
You can protect your Android by subscribing to Malwarebytes Standard for $44.99 / year. Plus subscriptions cost $59.99 / year and add an unlimited VPN for use on both mobile and desktop devices. The company also offers 2 mobile-only plans (one with a VPN and one without), but I recommend getting a bundle, so you can protect all of your devices. All plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line:
Malwarebytes for Android is pretty good at removing malware from your device. It also has a decent privacy auditing tool, but that’s about all it can do. It definitely doesn’t offer as much value as the best Android antiviruses, which have tons of additional features. Users who just want a lightweight and minimalistic antivirus may be quite happy with that, though. You can try out Malwarebytes risk-free by taking advantage of its 60-day money-back guarantee.
Read the full Malwarebytes review here >
Quick Comparison Table
Testing Methodology: Comparison & Ranking Criteria
To identify the best Android antivirus apps for 2024, I used our detailed testing methodology to assess each product’s malware detection, threat protection, performance impact, usability, additional features, and overall value. Here’s how I approached the evaluation of these essential security tools for Android devices.
- I tested malware detection capabilities. I thoroughly tested each antivirus app on this list for its ability to detect and neutralize various types of malware, including ransomware, spyware, and viruses. This included analyzing their effectiveness against threats embedded in apps from the Google Play Store, as well as those found in emails, text messages, and websites.
- I evaluated comprehensive threat protection. A top-notch Android internet security app should have a full range of cybersecurity features, like web protection, SMS and call filters, junk cleaners, and a VPN, as well as an advanced antivirus scanner. All the brands on this list offer at least one of these tools, and some (like Norton) offer all.
- I considered what each company does with user data. Every Android antivirus app needs access to some level of user data. There’s no way around that fact. However, some developers take this way too far, harvesting sensitive data and selling it to third parties. I only selected apps that collect minimal data.
- I assessed performance impact. It’s important that an antivirus app doesn’t slow down your device or drain your battery. Bitdefender is a particularly good choice here — its cloud-based engine lets you scan for malware without any performance impact, and it includes a lightning-fast VPN to protect your privacy without significantly hurting your internet speed.
- I examined usability. The ease of setup and use is fundamental. I tested each app for user-friendly interfaces and accessible features, noting apps like TotalAV that are particularly intuitive and straightforward to navigate.
- I checked for additional features. I looked for apps that offer more than just basic virus protection, including those with system optimization tools, anti-theft features, parental controls, and more. These additional features can significantly enhance overall privacy, security, and device performance.
- I considered value for money. I compared the cost against the range of features offered by each antivirus app. All apps on this list provide excellent value, featuring comprehensive security tools such as malware protection, anti-phishing measures, and VPNs at a reasonable price. Each app also offers a money-back guarantee, allowing you to try them risk-free.
Top Brands That Didn’t Make the Cut
- Avast. Avast includes a good malware scanner inside an intuitive interface, but a disappointing VPN and the lack of a password manager stop it from making this list.
- AVG. AVG’s mobile app is pretty good and includes excellent anti-theft protections — however, its parental controls aren’t as comprehensive as other options on this list, and I didn’t like having to download multiple apps to access every feature.
- Webroot. Webroot has a decent, lightweight malware scanner, but it isn’t great at stopping ransomware. It also offers minimal web protection and lacks many bonus features for Android.
- Sophos. Sophos offers decent antivirus tools for many users. But while the Sophos Android app is pretty good in terms of features, the interface isn’t as intuitive and easy to use as the other apps on this list.
- Trustd. Trustd is a free antivirus app with great malware detection and anti-phishing protection for Android. Unfortunately, I found its constant push notifications a little intrusive, and it doesn’t have as many extra features as the other antiviruses on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an antivirus on my Android?
Yes, you need an antivirus on your Android — but it’s important to understand why. Hackers specifically target Android devices for two reasons:
- Android’s built-in security is not nearly as good as iOS’s.
- Android users think they can “get by” without downloading an antivirus.
Android’s open-source, developer-friendly design makes it an exciting platform. However that excitement extends to both creative coders and malicious hackers. Ransomware, spyware, and crypto-mining attacks have all affected millions of Android users in the last few years, which has resulted in millions of dollars lost, hundreds of thousands of identities stolen, and a shocking amount of computing power given away to hackers.
But now that you know you need an antivirus, you need to ensure you pick the right one. My top choice is Norton, but all of the apps on this list offer excellent protection for Android devices.
Which Android antivirus is the best?
It depends on what you need. My favorite is Norton’s Android app — which includes real-time scanning, phishing protection, an app advisor, Wi-Fi monitoring, plus a VPN and identity theft protections for US users if you get it as part of the Norton 360 Deluxe package.
How to install an antivirus on Android?
When possible, I recommend buying a subscription to your chosen app through the antivirus website rather than purchasing through the Play Store. This way, you’ll get a better price and a longer money-back guarantee.
Once you’ve paid for your purchase, download the app from the Google Play Store. Once you install the app and open it, there should be an option to enter a license key, which you will have received either by email or on the webpage you used to make the purchase.
Will an Android antivirus slow down my device?
Some Android antivirus apps will slow down your device, but it depends on which one you choose. While some are more lightweight than others, the best antiviruses on this list are highly efficient and won’t significantly affect performance.
If you’re running a slow or old Android, TotalAV will help you clean it up and make it run faster. And Bitdefender’s antivirus engine is based on the cloud, so it doesn’t occupy any device CPU during scanning.
Do Android apps work on tablets as well as phones?
Android apps are designed to work on both tablets and phones. However, your experience may vary depending on what tablet or antivirus you have. Some antivirus apps are optimized for larger tablet screens, while others might simply scale up the phone version. I’ve noticed that apps with tablet-optimized designs provide a more intuitive and efficient experience on tablets, and I recommend Norton — which offers good protection and features suitable for varied screen sizes. However, all of the options on this list worked fine on tablets. Just make sure your tablet is running a compatible Android version for the best app and antivirus performance.
What’s the best free Android antivirus app?
Avira and McAfee offer pretty good free Android antivirus plans, but they don’t include all the features you need to ensure your device is 100% protected against every threat. There are a few other free Android antivirus apps out there, but they also don’t include many essential security features, or only offer them to paid users (like a VPN).
It’s always smarter to buy a low-cost premium Android antivirus rather than trying to save on essential protections, which could end up costing you a lot more.
