10 “Best” Antivirus Apps for Android (April 2024)

Antivirus software is not only meant for computers. It is also important to install the right antivirus on your Android smartphone or tablet to help protect against corrupted or malicious apps and malware. The Android operating system is widely popular and installed on millions of devices across the globe, making it a major target for malicious hackers. 

It goes without saying that this means there are countless Android viruses that can affect your phone or tablet, and they could lead to damaged devices or stolen identities and financial information. 

By installing a quality antivirus app for Android, you can help protect your device from these types of attacks. The best ones on the market provide thorough protection while also using minimum resources on your device, which ensures it keeps running smoothly. 

Here is a look at the 10 best antivirus apps for Android:

1. Surfshark Antivirus

Our featured solution is Surfshark Antivirus, it offers a great bundle an an unbeatable price that is both easy to set up and configure.

The antivirus protects against all known viruses and zero-day threats. The bundle also offers a VPN to offer complete privacy. Some of the features include:

• Detect and removes malware and other advanced threats
• Stops malware in real-time before it can harm your device
• Hides your IP (Internet Protocol) address and physical location (VPN)
• Notifies if your email, password, ID, or bank information appears in a breach
• Allows you to search the web without ads or tracking
• Surfshark Cloud Protect system analyzes unknown files to prevent zero-day attacks.

2. Bitdefender Mobile Security

Topping our list is Bitfender’s Android security app, which offers excellent malware protection, a light performance impact, Android Wear watch integration, a malicious-website blocker, and more. 

One of the best parts of Bitdefender’s antivirus app is that it offers robust privacy-protection tools, such as an app lock, Wi-Fi scanner, and anti-theft features. The company has recently added the Scam Alert feature, which flags potential malicious links in SMS messages, screen notifications, and messaging apps. 

Bitdefender’s Android antivirus mobile app received full marks in the latest AV-Test roundup. AV-Comparatives, which is the other major independent antivirus test lab, observed a protection rate of 99.9%.  

Here are some of the main features of Bitdefender Mobile Security:

• Excellent malware protection
• Light performance impact
• Android Wear watch integration
• Privacy-protection tools
• Scam Alert feature

3. Webroot Mobile Security

Another top antivirus app for Android is Webroot’s Mobile Security, which offers a highly advanced Android antivirus and internet security protection for smartphones and tablets. The app carries out seamless scans and updates without slowing down your device or draining its battery, and it effectively blocks threats from mobile malware before they infect your phone. 

Webroot’s Android app also protects against phishing attacks or social engineering, which are dramatically rising. With Webroot’s comprehensive protection for web browsing, you are protected against breaches involving your identity and personal information. By using proprietary URL filtering, Webroot categorizes and filters threats extremely fast. 

One of the other unique features offered by Webroot is the ability to quickly access and lock a lost or stolen device. You can lock, screen, or wipe your Android smartphone as soon as it’s compromised, as well as pinpoint its location. 

Here are some of the main features of Webroot Mobile Security:

• Highly advanced Android antivirus
• Seamless scans that are easy on the phone
• Secure web browsing
• Locate lost or stolen devices
• Automatically check all applications and updates

4. Panda Security

Panda Security offers an effective Android antivirus protection with real-time scanning of installed apps and app updates before they are first used. Like some of the other top Android antivirus apps, Panda has a low impact on device performance. One of the unique features of this app is that it can also scan SD memory cards. 

Panda’s Android app checks and shows the access permissions of your device, such as access to contacts, accounts, images, locations, and more. This enables you to decide which apps you want to keep or delete. 

The app also optimizes battery life by monitoring the memory usage of the installed apps. It stops the app processes to improve device performance and maximize battery life. 

Here are some of the main features of Panda:

• Real-time scanning of installed apps and updates
• Checks access permissions
• Maximizes battery life
• Low impact on device
• Track you and your family’s devices in real time

5. Norton 360

One of the biggest names in the industry, Norton Mobile Security offers some of the best malware protection for Androids on the market. It includes many different features, such as an App Advisor that checks apps for privacy risks or unwanted behavior. 

The app has received top marks for the protection of its antivirus engine, and you will find an array of other features like call blocking to protect against spam calls, and WiFi security to help protect you against connecting to unsecured wireless networks. 

Here are some of the main features of Panda:

• App checker
• Spam phone call blocker
• High-level protection
• WiFi security
• Array of useful features

6. Avast Mobile Security

Another big name in the industry, Avast offers a quality Android antivirus app that can carry out a lot of functions. Its scanner is highly rated by independent test labs, and Avast Mobile Security offers a lot of impressive features, such as an anti-theft system that enables you to track and remotely lock or wipe your Android device. 

The security suite also offers performance enhancing features like a junk cleaner that frees up storage space and a ‘Ram boost’ that speeds up your device. 

Here are some of the main features of Avast Mobile Security:

• Real-time scanning of installed apps and updates
• Checks access permissions
• Maximizes battery life
• Low impact on device
• Track you and your family’s devices in real time

7. McAfee Mobile Security

One more well-known name in the industry, McAfee offers a great antivirus Android app. Along with an effective scanner, the free version of the app offers anti-theft features and the ability to track, lock, and wipe your device remotely. 

McAfee’s mobile security app also allows you to scan apps and ensure that they don’t leak sensitive information. It checks the security of Wi-Fi networks that you connect to while also helping your device run smoother thanks to its storage cleaner and memory and battery optimizer. 

The paid version of the app offers a few more features like phone support, Safe Web protection, and web surfing protection. 

Here are some of the main features of McAfee Mobile Security:

• Effective scanner
• Anti-theft features
• Track, lock, and wipe device remotely
• Storage cleaner
• Memory and battery optimizer

8. AVG Antivirus

AVG Antivirus is a high-quality app that helps secure your Android device by delivering a high level of protection. It uses the same antivirus engine as Avast while offering other features in its antivirus protection. The app’s anti-theft features enable you to locate, lock, and wipe stolen or lost phones. 

The paid version of AVG antivirus offers even more features and extends the anti-theft capabilities with the ability for the device to lock itself if the SIM card is replaced. The Photo Vault tool helps you secure your photos, and it is offered alongside an app lock, additional privacy settings, and a Wi-Fi- scanner.

The app can enhance performance by stopping unnecessary processes, turning off battery-draining settings, and deleting junk files

Here are some of the main features of AVG Antivirus:

• Same antivirus engine as Avast
• Anti-theft features
• Photo Vault tool
• App lock
• Wi-Fi scanner

9. Trend Micro Mobile Security

Trend Micro Mobile Security offers an Android antivirus app that scans new apps for malware before they are downloaded. At the same time, it prevents newly installed apps from accessing other applications. 

The app’s built-in privacy scanner includes capabilities for Facebook, which it uses to alert you if your profile is displaying sensitive personal information that you might not want to get out. The app includes an array of other features like web protection, Wi-Fi checker, parental controls, and anti-theft capabilities. 

Trend Micro Mobile Security has passed various independent testing labs with flying colors, protecting against 100% of threats. 

Here are some of the main features of Trend Micro Mobile Security:

• Scans new apps for malware
• Facebook scanner
• Web protection
• Wi-Fi checker
• Pay Guard to secure online banking and shopping

10. Sophos Intercept X for Mobile

Nearing the end of our list is Sophos Intercept X for Mobile, which offers a completely free app for Android. The app hasn’t been tested by the major independent labs, but it has scored full marks for antivirus protection in AV-Test’s reports. 

The software scans apps for malware and harmful content as they are installed, and it notifies you of any potential for the leak of sensitive data. One of the unique features of Sophos is its Secure QR Code Scanner, which checks any target URL for possible threats when scanning QR codes. 

The app also offers an authenticator that helps with multi-factor authentication with any app that supports Google Authenticator. 

Here are some of the main features of Sophos Intercept X for Mobile:

• Scans for malware as apps are installed
• Notifies of any potential data leaks
• Secure QR Code Scanner
• Authenticator 
• Standard anti-theft measures