20 Best Free Antivirus and Anti-malware Android Apps

[Batu69]

Since Google had acquired Android in 2005, things have surely changed, from phone looks to the nature of the applications. Perhaps only a few can remember the first generation of Android games. Over the time, the obsession of Android based games may come and go, but as far as the antiviruses are concerned, they still remain most popular types of apps in android.

 

It has long been argued that who exactly needs an antivirus? Well, you don’t need one if you are already playing it safe. Downloading apps only from the Play Store, and keeping your security settings on. However, it is essential for those who wants to explore unknown things or likes to do it rough. Anyway, here are the 20 best free antivirus and anti-malware Android apps to keep your phones healthy.

20. Max Clean Security Antivirus

 

Max Antivirus is a multi feature anti virus app that keeps your phone protected from viruses, adware and malware. It also cares about your privacy, and provides a boost whenever your phone needs it. It comes with some secondary functions like app lock and junk cleaner which can come handy anytime. The app gives you advance warning about any suspicious activity. Overall, Max Clean Security Antivirus is light, free and reliable app.

19. Green Booster Antivirus

 

Green Booster Antivirus is new in the market, but has some promising features which is good enough for a reason to test it out. It comes with one click scan and a nice real time protection feature. This app is for those who likes small and light apps, but without compromising its ability.

 

18. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

 

Malwarebytes provides you a lite weight, no nonsense and above all, absolutely free anti-malware protection for your android devices. With nearly 10 million downloads and higher user ratings, is app is starting to get the respect it deserves. The app rigorously scans for various malware, including spyware and trojans and notifies you when someone is spying on you or when you are about to open a malicious website.

17. Hi Security Virus Cleaner

 

With over 20 million+ installs, the Hi Security Virus Cleaner is gaining popularity among the android users quite rapidly. To ensure the customers with world class antivirus and malware protection, Hi Security has an official tie up with McAfee, a part of Intel Security. It also comes with an intelligent app lock system with dashing lock themes. With Hi Virus Cleaner you can periodically scan your device at ease.

16. Hi Security AntiVirus Lite

 

Hi Security AntiVirus Lite is an another alternative for those who seek something new. As we mentioned, the app is relatively new and provide its users with a powerful antivirus engine with cloud based database, which ensure your device’s security. It also comes with an app lock for better privacy options and wifi security to give you an edge against ARP spoofing and DNS hijackings.

15. Lookout

 

For many android users (T-Mobile) especially in the United States, Lookout Security and Antivirus have become a natural option. Unlike many other pre-installed third party apps, Lookout is a decent option when it comes to basic antivirus protection. For free users, it provides almost every basic feature including a robust anti malware and spyware and a backup facility for your important contacts.

14. TrustGo Antivirus and Mobile Security

 

TrustGo is a free and powerful virus scan engine, which allows you to quickly find suspicious apps carrying viruses or stealing private data on your devices. The app comes with a clean and easy interface. Overall, it has every important feature of an able antivirus, from real-time protection, and a privacy guard to a system manager, find-my-phone functionality, and data backup just in case you need it.

13. Avira Antivirus Security

 

Avira Antivirus Security is relatively new, but it’s making quite a lot of buzz already. Now you can secure your photos, contacts, emails and credit card numbers without any hassle and for free. Avira gives you full power over our phone’s security with tons of features. It’s free and promising and definitely worth a shot. What do you think?

12. AndroHelm Mobile Security

 

AndroHelm Mobile Security provides a complex security for your smartphone from nearly all possible threats. With more than 1 million installs, is surely building its trust among the customers. Among its popular features, the app provides its customers with real-time protection from malware and spyware. It also scans new apps upon installation, frequent updates of the antivirus database, quarantine mode, app backups, virus protection, and a lot more. You can also remotely block and delete your phone data.

11. Eset Mobile Security and Antivirus

 

Eset Mobile Security and Antivirus is another popular application for android devices. Since it comes in a paid version, paid subscribers always gets a bit more, but its free version is perfect for basic protection. The free version comes with on-demand scan, strong anti-theft feature, and a rare USSD vulnerability protection. And speaking of a rare feature it also comes with a tablet-specific interface.

10. Dr. Wed Security Space

 

Even though, Dr. Wed Security app is paid, everyone can enjoy it for free up-to 14 days, after that a commercial license must be purchased to continue. Anyway, with this app you will get a strong anti-spam features, and a ton of anti-theft quality, including remote lock, remote wiping and custom remote messages, plus a cloud checker to block potentially harmful websites.

9. Bitdefefender Antivirus Free

 

Bitdefender is most likely the lightest and modest of all apps in this list. To be exact, it has two main features, first an incomparable app scan to keep your device clean and second, a real-time antivirus protection. The real-time keeps a watch full eye on other apps to monitor anything suspicious. In terms of the interface, the app is simple and neat, and so is the scanning, it takes only a few moments to get everything done.

8. Quick Heal Antivirus & Mobile Security

 

Quick Heal Mobile Security does not only provides protection to your Android smartphone from malware, but it also secures it against possible theft or loss. Among many features, it has Call filter that allows you to block unknown and unwanted numbers. It also notifies you about malicious apps and how they can affect your privacy and protection. Quick heal also have a capable audit function that guides you about highest settings that can enhance your device’s security.

7. McAfee Security and Power Booster

 

McAfee is without a doubt one of the most popular anti virus software brand out there. And now their android based app is also achieving the same fame or maybe even higher. Even though paid subscription gets you a slightly better experience, but for free, you can get some pretty decent features as well. Free features include a top notch anti theft feature with remote access and a CaptureCam. With McAfee you can also save yourself against malicious web sites and ARP spoofing attacks with its streamline web protection.

6. Kaspersky Internet Security

 

Kaspersky is perhaps one of the most recognizable names among the top dogs in this industry. And like the majority, it also has a free version and a paid version with slightly more features. The app provides its users a strong anti-phishing and anti-theft function for better security. The app also features a highly capable web filter to stop dangerous sites from attacking your device and a ever useful call blocker for privacy.

5. Avast Mobile Security

 

Antivirus Engine! Check. Call Blocker. Check, Anti-Theft! Check. App locker! Check. Junk Cleaner! Check. It is nearly all that we need in an anti-virus. Avast is a well respected and trusted antivirus product over PC and android. The features include the usual device scanning and real-time protection, but it also includes regular antivirus database updates, anti-theft features, and the ability to remote lock your device in case you lose it.

4. AVG AntiVirus Security

 

You can join the 100 million+ users to take advantage of AVG AntiVirus to secure your device from any future threat. Compared to other similar apps, AVG is a bit lighter and provide similar options like real-time protection, device scanning, and steady database updates. Plus, there is a task killer. It also protects your wireless network with regular scans for network encryption and password strength.

3. CM Security

 

Since the first launch of CM Security it had some major success, when there was less competition. Time has changed, but CM Security still remains among the top freeware antivirus app till date. CM Security includes one of the most advanced app locks feature available in the app market. It now comes with fingerprint mechanism and modern anti-theft feature that takes selfies of people trying to sneak it in their pocket. Overall, the app is lightweight and won’t take much of your phone’s space and it’s completely free.

2. Norton Security and Antivirus

 

Norton is reliable, effective and will not disappoint when you need it the most. That is why nearly 20 million android costumers trust Norton with their mobile security. On a downside, the app is heavy and can cause executive power draining on several occasions, but quick and successful virus detection will make up for that. With a free Norton anti virus app, you get possibly the best in class privacy and device finder features with a fortified virus protection.

1. 360 Security – Antivirus Boost

 

360 Security is perhaps the most popular free antivirus app available on the Play Store with more than 200 million downloads. Apart from malware and virus safety, 360 Security also comes with a load of awesome features like speed booster, and power saver, which intelligently saves power by automatically triggering apps’s Clean feature. In a case when you lost your phone, its anti-theft solution can Erase, Locate, Alarm and Lock, to assist you with retrieving the lost device and protecting personal data.

 

Article source

[DKT27]

I for one do not trust some of these. Always prefer to stick to the ones which are famous already on PC and such.

[Batu69]

7 hours ago, DKT27 said:

I for one do not trust some of these.

Agreed, not for some but all  

Why?

Refer here:

 Android antivirus apps are useless — here’s what to do instead
Chris DiBona (Open source programs manager at Google).

Mobile anti-virus not needed: Google

Quote

"I don’t think 99 per cent plus users even get a benefit from [anti-virus]," Mr Ludwig said. "There’s certainly no reason that they need to install something in addition to [the security we provide].

"If I were to be in a line of work where I need that type of protection it would make sense for me to do that. [But] do I think the average user on Android needs to install [anti-virus]? Absolutely not."

 

[Recruit]

Most of them aren't free, require subscription to do standard jobs for an av.

Also, the majority do not have advanced techniques to detect malware, they are working with " virus definitions " instead to analyze behavior of potential threats.

[DKT27]

On 25/5/2017 at 6:14 AM, Batu69 said:

Agreed, not for some but all  

Why?

Refer here:

 Android antivirus apps are useless — here’s what to do instead
Chris DiBona (Open source programs manager at Google).

Mobile anti-virus not needed: Google

 

 

I must be honest here, the AV on my Android has caught far more trojans than I can admit, inspite of using a OS based adblocker on it. The reason probably is one, some sites not working when adblocker is working and two, a lot of notorious adblocker bypassing ads out there.

[Togijak]

I have ~ 120 apps on my smartphone but no AV and I never will understand for what I need a AV. Also I don't use a adblocker - the cause might be that I'm not surfing so much on the smartphone with a browser = most needed information i get from the apps and as I said on other places my installed apps are restricted with Xprivacy and AFWall+ 

[Togijak]

@0bin

 

Don't give up to fast, If I remember right I needed much reading/learning and trying for around 6 month to be satisfied.

[Togijak]

only ignore warnings like this

 

if you are 200% sure that you can trust that app. If I see a warning like this normal I don't allow this position and if the app don't work under this conditions I uninstall it / search on F-Droid  for some alternate solution. SnoopSnitch is an exception (coded by a well known Chaos Computer Club member)

[Recruit]

Xprivacy is cool.

Unfortunately, I cannot use it because requires root & xposed framework.

All the time my smartphone is under warranty and if I will root it the warranty has flew ( samsung stupid policy )...and I cannot afford to throw on window with about 800, 900 euros how a galaxy s it costs......

[Stanners]

First awesome post and thanks guys for all the reply's!

 

Generally I've been more concerned about PC security and haven't bothered with much security on my Android tables.

 

Clearly for me its time to play catch up as I want to keep my data private! Its not that I am doing anything wrong or Illegal its just that I like to keep my stuff private cause its mine.

I'm guessing that as a standard I should install an AV program and an Ad blocker?

 

Whats the standard or a "best practices" to apply to Android?

 

[DKT27]

On 6/6/2017 at 9:38 AM, Stanners said:

First awesome post and thanks guys for all the reply's!

 

Generally I've been more concerned about PC security and haven't bothered with much security on my Android tables.

 

Clearly for me its time to play catch up as I want to keep my data private! Its not that I am doing anything wrong or Illegal its just that I like to keep my stuff private cause its mine.

I'm guessing that as a standard I should install an AV program and an Ad blocker?

 

Whats the standard or a "best practices" to apply to Android?

 

 

I suggest you start a new topic for it if not done already.

 

I would recommend looking into famous AVs of PCs for android. As for adblocker, there are some good options but this is more widely used.

 

Beware though, using both of the above may slow your phone and it's browsing and might even effect it's battery - all depending on the power of your mobile, but, one is still recommended to use them.