Needless to say, digital security is quite important, especially when it comes to your phones, which safeguard a lot of sensitive information. That is why we’ve decided to compile a list of the very best antivirus apps for Android, well, at least in our opinion. There are a lot of antivirus apps for Android available in the Play Store, so you do have a lot of options. We’ve trimmed that list to 10 of them, which you can check out below.
Now, some people would even say that an antivirus app is not necessary on Android devices. That may even be true, but to be quite honest, having one installed and running may give you some extra peace of mind. It can only help Google keep your phone safe. Having said that, the apps listed below are not laid out in any specific order. Just because one app is mentioned before the other doesn’t really mean much.
Top 10 Best Antivirus Android Apps 2022
Below is a quick overview of the top 10 best antivirus Android apps for 2022, including any download and in-app purchase costs.
| Download Cost | In-app cost (per item) | |
| Kaspersky | ✕ | $0.99-$149.99 |
| ESET | ✕ | $1.99-$69.99 |
| McAfee | ✕ | $0.99-$119.99 |
| Lookout | ✕ | $0.99-$99.99 |
| AVG | ✕ | $0.99-$119.99 |
| Avira | ✕ | $0.99-$104.99 |
| Avast | ✕ | $0.99-$119.99 |
| Norton 360 | ✕ | $0.99-$104.99 |
| Bitdefender | ✕ | ✕ |
| Malwarebytes | ✕ | $1.49-$79.99 |
Top 10 Best Antivirus Android Apps 2022 Downloads
Below is a little more information on each app, and a direct link for easy downloading.
All download links go to the app’s Google Play Store listing. Users are always recommended to download apps from Google Play or an authorized app store.
Kaspersky
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $0.99-$149.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Kaspersky is one of the best antivirus apps for Android, without a doubt. There’s a good reason this app has such a high rating in the Play Store. It comes in both free and paid versions, and both are quite capable. The ‘Pro’ version does offer more, of course, but the free version is kind of great as well. You will get real-time protection with this application, while an AppLock feature is also included.
Kaspersky does allow you to schedule virus scanning, while its virus database is updated quite frequently. The app also delivers the anti-theft feature, and it can also serve you as a call blocking tool, if you choose to make it so. This app basically hits the right spot with all of its features. It doesn’t have any features that clutter up the space and don’t do much, each of its features has a specific function, and it delivers in a big way. This is one of the most consistent antivirus apps for Android.
ESET
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $1.99-$69.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
ESET is another great, and versatile antivirus app. This app has a great tool for scan scheduling, but it’s so much more than that. Much like Kaspersky, it does have anti-theft support, and even a security auditor feature. Real-time scanning is included here, as is the activity log that you can check out whenever you want. You can also set up fingerprint scanner protection right from the app.
This app doesn’t really offer a simple setup process. It will require an email address out of you, and you will get a free trial upon registration. Once the trial period of 30 days is up, you will have to pay up in order to keep using the app. It will set you back $1.99 per month, or $14.99 per year, depending on what plan you choose. This app is also not as light as some others on the list, but it’s not exactly heavy either.
McAfee
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $0.99-$119.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars
McAfee is one of the most popular antivirus apps for Windows, and it has been around for a long time on Android as well. This is also one really capable antivirus app for Android, and it comes with a lot of features. That is part of the reason why this app is so heavy, but it may be worth it for you. The app does come with general virus scanning, as pretty much every other app does, but in addition to that, there are many features to talk about.
You will get anti-spyware tools, an anti-theft feature, and some security locking features. There are some phone booster features that you can use, and so on. McAfee also has a number of standalone apps that you can install, that can work in collaboration with this app. In order to get access to a ton of additional features that you may be interested in, you will have to pay up. The app, in general, is free, and you can get away with using a free version.
Lookout
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $0.99-$99.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Lookout is actually a great option for many people. Why? Well, it does the basic stuff like a champ. On top of that, it has a really nice-looking UI that will appear to many people, and is easy to use. The app also has excellent identity protection tools, while it does offer your regular antivirus features as well. It can scan your smartphone for viruses, while you’ll also get malware protection, and phishing protection as well.
If you’re worried about someone stealing your phone, this app also offers anti-theft features. Identity protection feature is also included here, as is WiFi scanning. The app is free to use, but there are two paid tiers that you may consider paying for. Do note that you’ll need an account before you start using this app, which is not the case for the vast majority of other antivirus apps.
AVG
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $0.99-$119.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
AVG is another app that is immensely popular on Windows. The app has been around for Android for a long time, and even though it’s quite heavy, it is quite good as well. The app’s anti-theft feature is especially good, as it can do the anti-theft tracking via Google Maps. AVG does the basics really well too. The design of the app is excellent, modern, and chances are you won’t have issues using it.
Unfortunately, AVG does come with some features that you should probably stay away from. Some phone boosting features are included here which will likely not benefit your phone’s performance. Other than that, AVG is a really capable application which can help protect your smartphone. It is also worth noting that AVG is owned by Avast, so… that’s why you’ll find some similar features on the two apps.
Avira
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $0.99-$104.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
If you’re looking for a lightweight antivirus app for Android, Avira is one of them. This app does the basics really well, while it has some advanced features as well. It’s also one of those apps that became quite popular on Windows. The app can perform device scans for viruses, as pretty much every other app can. It does provide you with real-time protection as well.
Some blacklisting features are included here, and the same goes for anti-theft protection. The app does allow you to scan SD cards as well, for some extra protection. This app also comes in both free and paid versions. You can get away with using a free version of the app, though if you need some extra functionality / features, you can always pay up. A VPN feature for added security is, for example, locked behind a paywall.
Avast
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $0.99-$119.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Avast is not exactly one of the lightest antivirus apps for Android, not at all. It does, however, offer a ton of features that may interest you. It is also one of the most popular antivirus apps from this list, and that actually goes for all platforms it’s available on, not just Android. Now, regular, basic antivirus scanning feature is included here, of course, as is the scheduled scanning feature.
In addition to that, this app will also provide you with a call blocker feature, an applock, anti-theft security, a photo vault, and so on. If you have a rooted Android device, you can even set up a firewall using Avast. The free version actually includes most of the features this app has to offer, though you’ll have to put up with ads. If you want to get the premium version, you can, as it will remove adds, and provide you with some extra features, including a VPN service.
Norton 360
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $0.99-$104.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Norton 360 is free, though paid options include some interesting features. This app will protect your phone from malware and spyware, while it has your regular scan-a-phone option as well. Real-time protection is a part of the package, while it can even save your device’s location when the battery is low, which is a neat feature to have. Anti-theft features are included, and so on.
Norton 360 is one of the pricier options around, well, if you want everything it has to offer. You can part with $14.99 and get everything you may want except VPN, basically. If you do decide to spend around $50, you will get the VPN feature, and also a dark web monitor, so it may be worth it for some of you. You can spend all the way up to $104.99 if you need support for 5 devices.
Bitdefender
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: No
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Bitdefender is the only app on this list that is truly free. There are no extra features hidden behind a paywall or anything of the sort. This app does also bring a really nice UI, and it has a nice set of features on top of everything. Many people gravitate towards it because of all this, no to mention that the app’s performance is excellent. You have access to the general scan option, and everything else you may need.
The app also doesn’t complicate things when it comes to initial setup, not at all. Do note that there is a paid version of the app (a totally different app), which you can get a trial for, if you want. However, for the vast majority of you, that is not necessary. This free version is more than you need, though it does come with ads, so keep that in mind. If you need a truly free antivirus app, try Bitdefender.
Malwarebytes
- Price: Free to download
- In-app purchases: $1.49-$79.99
- Size: Varies with device
- Google Play rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Malwarebytes is an app that gets extremely frequent virus database updates. Every app from the list does, but Malwarebytes is probably one of the best ones in that regard. This app will protect you from all sorts of viruses, including malware and ransomware. The app also comes with a permission tracker, and it’s ad-free. The app can even scan messages, both SMS, and from various instant messaging apps.
The app’s UI is really nice, and it’s easy to use. Even if you decide to get a paid version of the app for some extra features, you don’t have to break the bank. The paid version will set you back $1.49 per month, or $11.99 per year. That is not necessary for many of you, but it is an option. Do note that Malwarebytes is also available for Chrome OS.
2022-09-12 15:07:24