The Best Android Antivirus Apps Of 2025: Expert Tested

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Cyber threats were erstwhile constricted to suspicious links, spam, and webpage pop-ups. Now we must beryllium alert of blase malware, ransomware, and sketchy mobile apps targeting our smartphones. Android faces much cyberattacks than iOS. While Google recommends that you only download apps from nan charismatic Play Store, sometimes malicious apps gaffe done nan information net. On apical of that, nan net is riddled pinch malicious package that tin infiltrate your instrumentality without your knowledge.

Keeping your smartphone aliases Android tablet malware-free whitethorn require a trustworthy antivirus app. Thankfully, plentifulness of options are astir for you to take from.

What is nan champion Android antivirus package correct now?

The champion Android antivirus app correct now is Bitdefender Mobile Security. With 4.7 stars connected Google Play and a coagulated customer base, this action provides robust security, real-time web protection, app scanning, and a big of different information features. A free scheme is available, but much information features are disposable for $15 per year.

If you're looking for my favourite free plan, however, cheque retired Sophos Intercept X for Mobile.

Also: Best malware removal package 2025

ZDNET has extensively tested Android antivirus apps and relies upon information master recommendations, customer feedback, and our ain experiences successful our reappraisal process. Read connected for nan remainder of my apical choices for nan champion Android antivirus mobile apps.

The champion Android antivirus apps of 2025

Bitdefender Mobile Security is my apical prime for nan champion Android antivirus app of 2025.

Why we for illustration it: During testing, I was impressed pinch nan app's functionality, and I liked nan first scan punctual to cheque really cleanable my Android was from nan start. However, if you're hoping to return advantage of nan built-in mobile virtual backstage web (VPN), I deliberation nan 200MB regular limit is acold excessively low.

Also: Bitdefender Total Security review: One of nan apical antivirus options you tin buy

The app's interface is clean, and nan paper is adjuvant for uncovering information features including app locking, anti-theft settings, reports, scanning, browser protection, and recommendations. You'll request to springiness nan app support to protect your instrumentality and tally scans.

Who it's for: Customers for illustration really user-friendly this app is and that it is not excessively resource-heavy for smartphone use. I deliberation it's an fantabulous action you tin spot to support astir users' devices safe. it should suit nan mostly of users.

You tin opt for Bitdefender's free antivirus option, but if you want much precocious scam prevention and nan VPN, you'll request to subscribe. Yearly subscriptions costs $15.

Who should look elsewhere: If VPN functionality and unlimited information is important to you, I would look elsewhere. You tin also check retired our standalone VPNs for Android guide.

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Sophos Intercept is simply a decent action for a free Android antivirus app.

Why we for illustration it: The Sophos Intercept X personification interface connected Android is bland but cleanable and mostly achieves precocious AV scores. Upon installation, nan app will automatically scan your device's health, checking for perchance unwanted apps (PUPs), nuisanceware, and malware.

You tin besides usage nan app for securely managing passwords including one-time passwords (OTP), QR codification scanning, nexus checking, and web filtering.

Also: Best antivirus package for Windows & best password generators

However, I dislike nan forced notification permissions correct astatine nan commencement of nan installation process. While I understand nan logic down it, it's been implemented successful a demanding fashion. This whitethorn put disconnected immoderate users who conscionable want an app that softly protects them successful nan background.

Who it's for: Anyone who wants a solid, free Android antivirus solution. Customers study immoderate issues pinch web filtering and app estimation scores, but they still admit nan level of protection provided. While it's not perfect, it's still worthy considering for a free app.

Who should look elsewhere: If you don't mind signing up for an Android antivirus subscription aliases you want VPN coverage, cheque retired my different recommendations.

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Avast Security and Virus Cleaner is different awesome prime suitable for blocking malicious web domains and sites.

Why we for illustration it: The scans are comprehensive, and I for illustration nan app's charismatic personification interface. There's besides a helpful junk remover, a Wi-Fi threat scanner, an optional VPN, and a password leak checker. I checked retired a fewer known phishing websites, and nan app detected these threats without issue.

Who it's for: Many customers for illustration nan halfway features of this antivirus app, including its web blocker capabilities, but immoderate kick of assets hogging.

There are 2 paid plans to take from, Ultimate and Premium. These costs astir $6 per period and $5.80 per month, respectively. The quality is that nan premium provides further information features including phishing protection and customer support, whereas Avast's VPN and ID protections are only disposable pinch nan Ultimate subscription.

Who should look elsewhere: Unfortunately, to usage this app and person nan first level of protection for free, you must work together to position ads. In my opinion, they are obtrusive. If this annoys you arsenic well, possibly look elsewhere.

There is different caveat. In February, nan U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced a refund process for Avast Antivirus customers concerning an alleged deceptive trading believe surrounding nan waste of personification data. As portion of nan settlement, Avast was required to salary $16.5 million, which will beryllium utilized to money compensation claims.

Also: Best VPNs 2025

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Malwarebytes Mobile Security has improved passim nan years, and it's still a awesome action if you prize speedy checks and simplicity.

Why we for illustration it: It's awesome for moving speedy scans, a use I took advantage of for years connected erstwhile handsets. In addition, nan newest type of nan app has a Digital Footprint service. Once you've verified your ownership of an email reside via a verification code, you will beryllium fixed a snapshot of immoderate linked credentials progressive successful information breaches aliases information incidents.

Also: Malwarebytes review: Solid, free protection pinch a user-friendly interface

When you instal and motorboat nan app, you are awarded a "protection score." Exploring nan metrics down your people includes whether aliases not you person precocious conducted a afloat scan and your existent settings. Don't interest astir being a fewer points out, arsenic you'll ne'er person nan afloat 100 marks without a subscription.

Who it's for: I deliberation this app is champion suited for occasional use. Open nan app, tally a scan, execute a integer footprint check, and past adjacent it. Many customers look to agree.

The free type of Malwarebytes is suitable for casual scans and use. If you'd alternatively opt for a paid model, you tin subscribe to plans starting astatine $45 per year.

Who should look elsewhere: Some customers do not for illustration nan optional VPN functionality. While it is simply a bully action for beginners aliases set-and-forget scans, if you want much method power and information data, you mightiness want to look elsewhere.

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Norton is simply a reputable antivirus supplier known for its robust information practices and fantabulous protection.

Why we for illustration it: While you must acquisition Norton360, information features see antivirus scanning, scam alerts, unsafe Wi-Fi hotspot defenses, app monitoring, and instrumentality wellness checks.

This antivirus solution, which has achieved precocious AV scores, comes pinch a VPN from 360 Standard onwards astatine $40 per year. During my tests, it was a adjacent VPN pinch acceptable speeds and a reasonable server network. It doesn't scope nan heights of immoderate different VPN providers, specified as NordVPN aliases ExpressVPN, but it useful good enough.

Who it's for: Norton perpetually demonstrates fantabulous AV scores and has done truthful for years. If you want a precocious level of protection and a reasonable VPN bundle, this is nan champion action for you.

Other options for protecting devices see Plus, Standard, Deluxe, and Select Plus plans, pinch subscriptions starting astatine $30 per twelvemonth to protect 1 device. Basic protection starts astatine $20 for nan first twelvemonth pinch Norton's existent promotion.

Who should look elsewhere: Many customers applaud nan information of Norton products, but they dislike nan firm's attack to upselling and notifications. I besides find this irritating, truthful if you want a "quiet" app, you mightiness want to cheque retired different option.

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To thief you determine connected nan champion Android antivirus app for you, see nan pursuing factors:

Android antivirus app	Price	Real clip protection?	App protection?	VPN?	Google Rating
Bitdefender Mobile Security	Free, $15 per year	Yes, web protection	Yes	Yes	4.7 stars, 448K reviews
Sophos Intercept X	Free	Yes, web filtering	Yes	No	4.1 stars, 47.1K reviews
Avast	Ad-supported, free, $5.80+ per month	Yes, web protection	Yes	Yes	4.6 stars, 7.34M reviews
Malwarebytes	Free, $45 per year	Yes, web protection	Application manager	Yes	4.6 stars, 423K reviews
Norton360	$20+ per year	Yes	Yes	Yes	4.6 stars, 1.92M reviews

Choose this Android antivirus app..	If you want aliases need…
Bitdefender Mobile Security	The champion Android antivirus app overall. It's solid, secure, and has a big of useful features extracurricular of its awesome web protection. It won't noticeably drain your battery, and nan paid type is astir apt 1 of nan champion solutions retired location for all-round mobile security.
Sophos Intercept X	A free Android antivirus app. While it is constricted and nan interface could usage improvement, Sophos' offering provides a coagulated information furniture for your phone. Try it if you want much protection than Android offers by default, but you do not want to pay.
Avast	A coagulated app for malicious website blocking and protection. Customers for illustration its online shielding technologies, and I agree. However, it is ad-supported, and immoderate precocious features are locked down paywalls.
Malwarebytes	An Android antivirus app for casual use. Malwarebytes has a awesome scanner and immoderate useful devices pinch coagulated microorganism protection, but I do find nan interface and its personification interactions to beryllium annoying sometimes.
Norton 360	A reputable antivirus app pinch a VPN. Norton is well-known for its assortment of antivirus products. You tin widen protection to different devices you ain by doubling up pinch its VPN, a reasonable -- though not my favourite -- solution for encrypted communication.

For galore consumers, default OS information will supply them pinch immoderate protection while astatine home. Free versions of third-party cybersecurity firms specified arsenic Bitdefender and Sophos tin besides supply an invaluable furniture of information for mobile devices. This is particularly useful if you person a jailbroken smartphone aliases you are downloading apps from risky sources. You should besides see a paid solution if you usage your Android instrumentality for delicate aliases activity tasks.

In nan business realm, galore organizations opt for Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) packages that are a measurement supra antivirus package implementations.

While deciding upon nan champion Android antivirus apps of 2025, information must beryllium astatine nan forefront. However, different factors request to beryllium considered:

Reputation: I only considered vendors pinch a coagulated estimation for putting information first. After all, an antivirus solution is worthless if it allows threats to gaffe done nan net.
Signature results: I for illustration cybersecurity vendors that person demonstrated consistently precocious AV trial scores.
Features: I for illustration to spot mobile antivirus apps connection a scope of features including real-time scanning, alerts, proposal and guides, and phishing protection.
Ease of use: It's important that mobile antivirus apps are easy to use, particularly arsenic you thin to person constricted surface space. I person listed solutions that are suitable for beginners and much tech-savvy audiences alike.
Updates: It's important that app developers update their antivirus package apps frequently. Updates not only hole bugs and vulnerabilities discovered successful nan apps themselves but besides mostly see updates to microorganism signatures.
Support: I for illustration it erstwhile customer support is available, whether by unrecorded tickets, email, aliases societal media. However, this is not ever nan case, particularly erstwhile it comes to free package packages.
Cost: I person included free and paid options. Not everyone has nan fund to adhd yet-another subscription to their monthly aliases yearly costs, but everyone should person entree to mobile security.

Malwarebytes says that nan recorded measurement of mobile-related malware targeting Android smartphones has jumped by 151% since nan commencement of 2025.
Google is taking "legal action" against nan BadBox 2.0 botnet. It targets a assortment of IoT devices, including those moving connected nan Android platform.
A caller shape of malware called ClickFix is targeting macOS, Android, and iOS devices.

You don't needfully request an antivirus app connected your Android phone as agelong arsenic it isn't rooted and you aren't downloading APKs extracurricular of Google Play.

Android has built-in protection, and nan Google Play Store attempts to verify apps hosted connected its level for information issues. You shouldn't trust connected conscionable 1 instrumentality aliases telephone characteristic for decent security. We propose a decent AV for different furniture of protection arsenic good arsenic a VPN.

Also: Best Android VPNs successful 2025

There is simply a scope of paid and free Android information solutions retired there. Whether aliases not you should salary for an app depends upon what you usage your Android telephone for.

Free options will springiness you a basal furniture of protection but if you request much precocious features -- specified arsenic real-time scanning and app monitoring -- you mightiness want to spell a measurement up. It's besides advisable if you are much astatine consequence of discuss than nan mean consumer, specified arsenic those successful civilian authorities movements, politics, lawyers, and journalists.

Also: Why you don't request to salary for an antivirus successful 2025

Android antivirus solutions whitethorn slow down your phone, requiring powerfulness and representation resources to run. You will apt announcement a slowdown, for example, if you are moving a scan for viruses and malware. However, nan champion solutions shouldn't consequence successful very noticeable powerfulness usage aliases changes to artillery life.

If you fishy your smartphone has been compromised, download a reputable antivirus app and tally a scan. Be alert that immoderate cyberthreats will forestall you from being capable to. If you can, observe and swipe retired nan infection, of which a malicious app whitethorn beryllium nan source. Remove immoderate suspicious apps alongside immoderate apps you nary longer use. In immoderate terrible cases, performing a mill reset connected your mobile instrumentality whitethorn beryllium nan correct option.

Also: 9 apical mobile information threats and really you tin debar them