6 Best Android Antiviruses for 2021
Just like you get malware protection for your Windows or Mac computer, it is also important that you have adequate protection in your Android smartphone or tablet device. Hackers, illegal activists and cyber terrorists are always trying to steal the personal information of the general population so that they can use them to fund their activities or perform other kinds of terrorist assignments. Hence, it is in your best interest to have the best Android antivirus app you can get and then use it to protect your Android device from getting infiltrated by hackers.
The Google Play Store has got numerous antivirus apps made by some of the most well-known names in the business and by some not so well-known ones. However, the sad truth is that the majority of these apps are really not good enough when it comes to providing sufficient levels of security against malware, Trojans, and phishing sites. That being said, there are some antivirus programs that provide users with proper virus scanning, mobile browser security and real-time protection. They can also offer a range of other features like VPN, password manager, and parental controls.
In order to select the best antivirus app for Android in 2021, it is essential that you learn about the features offered by some of the major antivirus programs that you can get from the Google Play Store. Here is a list of antivirus programs that you should consider when you are trying to find the right antivirus program for your personal use on your Android device.
1. Norton Mobile Security
Considered to be one of the best Android antivirus apps in the Google Play Store, the Norton Mobile Security is every bit as beneficial as its desktop counterpart. Norton Mobile Security offers an extensive range of high-end features that can ensure a smooth user experience for all kinds of mobile users. The program can provide you with complete malware protection for both basic as well as advanced level threats. The highly reactive and powerful virus detection engine that comes with Norton Mobile Security can guarantee seamless protection against all types of viruses, ransomware, spywares, and cyber-attacks. Norton Mobile Security also has an app advisor that presents with a scanning function that can analyze the apps from Google Play Store for malware concerns and privacy matters.
Another area in which Norton Mobile Security specializes is surveillance app protection. The Norton Mobile Security is equipped with a behavioral sensor that can send a notification in case any app is attempting to access the device location and/or other types of sensitive information. You can also get complete Wi-Fi security for your Android device. The network guard that comes with Norton Mobile Security is powerful enough to stop the hackers that are trying to use the Wi-Fi network to spy on your browsing activity and then steal information from it. Repeated tests have been performed to check the performance of the Norton Mobile Security and it has been found that it is highly effective on all kinds of Android tablets and smartphones. This makes Norton Mobile Security the best anti-malware for Android devices.
It has been found that the Norton Mobile Security is 100% capable of detecting malicious apps and this makes this app as useful as the Norton antivirus meant for Windows desktops. The other thing that was also sufficiently good for the Norton Mobile Security is its App Advisor. The App Advisor can provide you with a warning when you are unknowingly trying to download and use apps that are malicious and not good for your Android device. The app also delivers excellent web security features that can block phishing sites that you may visit inadvertently. This feature was tested on the Android Google Chrome app as well as the default Android browser with the same kind of efficiency.
2. McAfee Mobile Security
McAfee Mobile Security is yet another great option for you when you are trying to find the best antivirus software for Android devices. This is an antivirus app that comes with excellent anti-theft tools which are widely regarded as some of the finest among all Android antivirus products. Once you have downloaded the McAfee Mobile Security app on your mobile or tablet, you need to create your own McAfee account in order to use the app. By having a look at the McAfee Mobile Security online dashboard, you can get the app’s anti-theft features activated. This can help you to locate your device accurately so that it never gets lost. You can also sound an alarm that can help you to find your device. Additionally, you can wipe out all your data remotely. You may even send a message to the lock screen of your smartphone so that anyone who finds it can return it to you. The McAfee Mobile Security app also lets you click a picture using your camera so that it can identify any potential thief who may have got your phone.
Hence, it can be said that the anti-theft tools offered by McAfee Mobile Security are not only easy to use but they are also by far some of the most advanced ones in practice these days. Along with this, you also get to have some high-quality malware scanner features that come with McAfee Mobile Security. In numerous tests that have been performed by experienced professionals, it has been found that McAfee Mobile Security can detect and remove practically 99% of all types of malware samples and malicious apps. McAfee Mobile Security also provides high-end performance optimization tools that can enhance the performance of the Android device to a high extent.
The interface that comes with the McAfee Mobile Security is extremely intuitive which means that you can definitely navigate through the various features in a smooth manner. It can also offer support for all kinds of Android Wear devices. There is also a battery optimizer feature that can enhance the battery performance of the Android device in a major way.
3.Avira Mobile Security
If you are looking for the most responsive Android antivirus app, then you should use Avira Mobile Security as it can certainly work out well for you. Avira has been a renowned antivirus company for a long time now and they have been serving as a highly consistent brand in the sphere of cybersecurity for several decades. One of the main reasons why you should consider Avira Mobile Security for your Android smartphone is that it comes equipped with a wide range of high-end mobile security features. Moreover, most of the features that come with the Avira Mobile Security are 100% free. That being said, even these free features are extremely good and can deliver highly competent performance for your Android mobile smartphone and tablet. Avira Mobile Security is very easy to set up and use and can present you with complete protection from the most advanced malware.
As one of the best Android security app, the Avira Mobile Security is equipped with numerous mobile security features like cloud-based scanning. The database files are commonly hosted on the cloud server of Avira which means that there’s no possibility of a slowdown for your device when system scanning is being carried out. There is also a privacy advisor that can check apps that share the browsing data or access the camera. In many cases, they can compromise security of the device which is why they are closely inspected. The Phantom VPN that comes with the Avira Mobile Security can run 500 MB VPN data every month that is absolutely free. This VPN data is suitable for private browsing as well as unblocking different kinds of geo-restricted streaming content. The antivirus app also offers competent identity protection which can keep the email accounts safe. In the event of someone breaching the email accounts, you can get a notification that lets you know about the problem.
The Avira Mobile Security also brings forth numerous other free features like camera protection and microphone protection. This can prevent any kind of unauthorized access to these components. As far as the VPN is concerned, you will need to get a paid account if you are trying to get a full VPN access for your system.
4. Bitdefender Mobile Security
The Bitdefender Mobile Security comes with state of the art cloud-based malware scanning engine along with excellent machine learning features. This makes it the best antivirus for Android smartphones. Bitdefender Mobile Security is capable of instantly detecting and blocking the different types of malware programs that can attack your Android tablet or your phone device. As an extremely responsive antivirus app for the Android platform, it can perform thorough scans of your Android device and perform effective threat detection. The detection rate for malware offered by Bitdefender Mobile Security is absolutely perfect and you can rely on it completely.
Apart from getting top of the line malware protection from Bitdefender Mobile Security, you can also benefit from a wide range of other advantages like autopilot, app lock, account privacy, and integrated VPN. The autopilot feature can enable you to constantly scan the Android device to see if there is any kind of suspicious activity. The account privacy feature lets you find out any kind of online account credentials that may have been leaked in some kind of data breach. The app lock component can allow you to lock the banking apps, social media apps, messaging apps and other apps with a highly secure PIN code so that all crucial data stays protected. The integrated VPN can present you with 200 MB of free data every day. You can also get a good speed with the VPN that comes with Bitdefender Mobile Security.
However, you can sometimes find some bothering instances with the Bitdefender Mobile Security. For instance, the app can crash from time to time and this can be annoying. Nevertheless, you can still find that the cloud-based scanning feature is really good for your virus scanning requirements. Apart from the free version of the app, there is also a paid version which can deliver you highly competent performance for your day to day security requirements.
5. TotalAV
Numerous sources have tested TotalAV and they have unanimously admitted the fact that it is one of the best Android antivirus apps. By using the TotalAV app, you can easily get rid of duplicates, cache and junk files from your disk drive. You can also enhance the processing power of your mobile or tablet device so that you can get rid of CPU-draining apps using the Manage Apps feature. Using the TotalAV antivirus allows you to have access to numerous powerful security features. It has a robust antivirus scanning engine, an Integrated VPN as well as real-time malware protection. Both the malware detection and protection systems have been found to be extremely effective. This is why plenty of people rely on TotalAV as it can provide with reliable results each and every time.
The Safe Browsing VPN that comes with TotalAV can offer good speeds which mean that you can get a flawless user experience while you work with it. You can also use it for numerous server locations from various corners of the world. The Android mobile app of TotalAV comes with the TotalAV premium packages that can offer protection for 3 to 6 devices, including Windows PC, Mac device and iOS devices as well. Even though you can get a fee app for TotalAV from the Google Play Store, you should upgrade it for a paid account in order to get all the benefits. The paid version of the app is filled with a number of rich features and yet it does not make your device run slowly. You can also focus on running other apps in the background while you do a scanning of your device and even though your phone is going to work just fine.
6. Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus
Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus is one of the most reliable apps that you can get for your malware protection needs. The app can be used for free when you are seeking protection for your Android device. Additionally, you can opt for in-app purchases to have access to premium features that are provided with this app. The program ensures powerful protection against both basic as well as advanced type of malware and other viruses. The benefit of using the Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus is that it can provide you with real- time protection against different types of spyware and malware. You can also benefit from its high end anti-theft as well as anti-phishing features. There is also an app locker feature that can help you to lock your apps so that you do not have to have their security compromised at any point of time.
When you get the Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus for your Android device, you can also find a call filter that can help you to block all spam calls and unwanted calls. The anti-theft feature and Find My Phone feature helps you to find your device in case it has been lost. The apps that you run in the background can also be checked for the presence of malware through the background apps check feature. Moreover, Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus presents you with very strong protection against all types of viruses, malware, and Trojans so that you do not have to worry about them. Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus is also very light which means that you do not have to worry about your device getting slow at any time.
As a person who may not have used an antivirus before for your Android device, there can be a number of queries that you may have when you are trying to find a good malware protection system. Here you can explore some of those queries to understand how one antivirus may be efficient than the other. You can also have your expectations set straight when you are looking to find a proper antivirus program that can suit your needs for a long time to come.
🤔 Do I need an antivirus on my Android?
Yes, it is absolutely important that you do have an antivirus on your Android device. Hackers often target Android tablets and smartphones for two main reasons. Firstly, the built-in security features of Android devices are not really as effective as the iOS devices. Secondly, most Android users believe that they can run their devices smoothly without ever using any antivirus. Moreover, it is highly likely that you store all types of personal details on your Android tablet and/or smartphones, such as messages, photos, app usage data, work documents, contact information, location information, browsing history, social media passwords as well as debit and credit card numbers. This means that anyone who breaches the security of their Android phone can easily have access to such information and use them for cybercrimes.
🤔Which Android antivirus is the best?
The Android antivirus that is going to be best for you will depend on what you are looking for. In most cases, you can rely on the Norton Mobile Security app as it can provide you with real-time scanning and excellent Wi-Fi network scanning. You can also benefit from a dedicated app advisor that can analyze the Android apps to make sure that they do not pose any security risks. You can also go for the Norton 360 Deluxe package if you are looking to secure another device.
- McAfee Mobile Security can provide you with the best anti-theft features.
- Avira Mobile Security is a free antivirus that can work superbly for you if you are just looking for basic level security and do not have any intention to protect something majorly sensitive.
- Bitdefender Mobile Security is a simple antivirus with numerous easy to use features.
- TotalAV is something that you should go for if you are planning on cleaning and optimizing a slow or old Android device.
🤔 Will an Android antivirus slow down my device?
It is going to depend on the Android antivirus app that you choose to use for your device. Keep in mind that some antivirus apps are comparatively lighter than others. That being said, the antivirus apps listed here are some of the extensively used and they are not going to negatively affect the performance of your Android device. The antivirus engine that comes with Avira is cloud-based which means that it is not going to cover any space in the device CPU while scanning. TotalAV can even boost the speed of your Android device and clean up any traces of malware easily. The other antivirus programs listed here are also going to enhance the performance and functionality of your device.
🤔 What’s the best free Android antivirus app?
If you are looking to find the best free antivirus for Android mobile, then you may get Avira Mobile Security as it is certainly one of the most reliable programs out there. However, you won’t be getting complete protection against all kinds of malware. Additionally, features like phishing protection, VPN and microphone, and camera blocking will be missing from a free Avira antivirus. You can also find some other Android antivirus apps that come free. However, they miss the main essential features that can provide you with the right kind of cybersecurity that you need. Getting the best protection from malware and security threats does not come at a price and you won’t get it from a free antivirus.
🤔 What kind of features can you get with an Android antivirus app?
There are a number of features that you can obtain from the mobile security apps for Android. Some of them are listed below.
- Complete malware protection
- Cloud-based scanning
- Surveillance app protection
- Identity protection
- App advisor
- VPN
- Wi-Fi security
- App lock
- Internet security
- Device optimization tools
So, make sure that you download an antivirus app for your Android device so that you can have a complete protection at every step of the way against any kind of malware that may affect your device.