Android smartphones are common in our daily lives. Personally, I use my Android for everything from communication to entertainment. But, with the increasing cyber threats, it’s essential to keep Androids safe from viruses and malware because they’re quite susceptible.
Luckily, there are many free antivirus apps available for Android that can help keep our phones secure. In this article, I’ll discuss the best free antivirus for Android smartphones. You’ll also learn how they can help protect your phone from cyber threats.
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Which is the Best Free Antivirus for Android Smartphones?
Many of us have gotten used to performing sensitive tasks like online banking on our Androids. Even if you don’t have bank apps, I’m sure you have your email and social media accounts logged in on your device.
This is why protecting your device from malware and other security threats is more important than ever. Here are some of the best free antivirus for Android phones, so try any of these recommendations to keep your phone secure from malware.
TotalAV Antivirus
I’m big on reputation when I’m choosing between different products, so I tend to trust reputable brands more. TotalAV Antivirus is an excellent choice in this regard and it’s endorsed by many Android users.
It offers an anti-virus protection program for different devices running various operating systems. You’ll also get real-time protection because TotalAV constantly scans your downloads, executables, and files for any threats that could harm your system.
Also, to ensure that it can get rid of any malware and virus threats, it updates itself automatically and often. The software helps users to automate system security by scheduling scans. Another reason TotalAV Antivirus is my top choice among the best free antivirus for Android phones is how effective it is at ad blocking.
If you intend to use the tool for free, you can do a basic scan of your system. But I’l strongly advise subscribing to one of its premium plans if you want access to its advanced features. This will grant you access to all its services, including:
- an unlimited-data VPN
- real-time malware scanning
- malicious app protection
- app lockout (which adds an extra layer of privacy to apps that contain confidential information).
So, if you want one of the best antivirus for Android smartphones, here’s where to start looking. You can check out what other users think about it here. If you pay $19 for the Pro plan, you can get protection for up to three devices.
Avira
Avira is yet another one of the best free antivirus apps for Android. It safeguards your privacy by scanning apps and websites to filter out harmful options. It also provides a data breach scanner and a free VPN service with 100 MB of data each day.
If you’re also big on popular opinion, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s one of the most well-liked and suggested antiviruses for Android devices, with over 20 million users globally. It also has a 4.6/5 rating on the Google Play Store.
There are also paid subscriptions that allow you to install premium mobile apps, receive VIP customer service and much more. The great thing about the paid options is the anti-phishing protection, because you won’t find that in the free version.
All in all, this is my second recommendation for the best free antivirus for Android mobile devices.
AVG Antivirus Free
AVG Antivirus Free is another completely free antivirus for Android mobile devices. This program safeguards your Android device from viruses and theft. You also have options to protect your privacy by password-protecting your apps. You’ll be able to access some paid features on the premium plan for free for up to 30 days.
The fact that this antivirus for Android has over 100 million downloads should tell you something about its widely-recognized benefits. But note that while it had a 99.6% detection rate, false positives were also recorded, so you may want to keep that in mind when using it.
The free features are enjoyable, but I also doubt you’d like the personalized advertising that is used to support this. But to be fair, its many great features make up for this. Take for instance, the camera trap feature which captures the image of anyone who attempts to unlock your device. It also cleans up junk files, scans apps and files, and scans Wi-Fi networks for malicious content.
AVG’s website protection is top-notch and it also has a RAM booster that stops background apps for improved performance. There’s also its Wi-Fi speed test feature and an anti-theft feature that tracks and secures your Android remotely.
You’ll need an account for that last feature though, but isn’t it just great altogether? So yes, it’s definitely on my list of the best free antivirus for Android smartphones.
Avast Mobile Security
Avast Mobile Security is another free antivirus app that can help keep your Android smartphone safe from viruses and malware. It offers several features to protect your phone, such as a virus scanner, Web shield to block phishing sites, Wi-Fi security, and anti-theft tools.
There’s also a photo vault feature that holds up to 40 photos, but I think what I like best is how it alerts you to any potential data breaches your email is associated with.
You could consider Avast Mobile Security the best free antivirus for Android phones if your antivirus protection needs are pretty basic. In terms of reviews, it had 4.7/5 ratings in the Google Play Store. So if you want an antivirus option that works for several devices at once in your home or office, I’d recommend Avast as one of the best free antivirus for Android mobile devices.
Panda Dome
Panda Dome is also among the best free antivirus for Android smartphones. It provides adequate antivirus protection, an app privacy scanner, and a VPN. The majority of these features are controllable remotely via an Android Wear smartwatch, which in my opinion is so cool and useful.
It also has anti-theft capabilities such as remote location tracking, data wiping, and device locking. Note that the remote selfie camera and alarm functions are only available in the premium Android app, which is available as part of Panda’s internet security suites.
A free VPN is also included with Panda Dome, but it only offers 150 MB each day. Nonetheless, I still maintain that Panda Dome deserves a place among the best free Antivirus for Android.
To conclude, if you’re an Android user, I’m sure you know how important it is to have reliable antivirus protection. There are many options available, but I believe this guide should simplify the choice for you. If you need recommendations on the best budget Android phones in 2023, check out this guide.