- Ten Android security options compared
- Android security apps, from built in to third party
- What Play Protect already does on your phone
- What third-party Android apps add on top
- Match the Android app to the worry
- Five habits that keep an Android phone safer
- My plain advice on Android antivirus
- Frequently asked questions
Every Android phone with Google Play already has a built-in scanner switched on by default, so a separate antivirus app is an extra layer rather than a must. Add one if you want scam call and text protection, anti-theft or a spyware check, and remember the bigger risk is installing apps from outside the Play Store. Ten options follow, in no particular order.
Search for Android antivirus and you'll find a long queue of apps promising to clean, boost and protect your phone. Before you install any of them, it helps to know what's already running on it.
The ten below include that built-in protection alongside the third-party apps, alphabetically and in no particular order. Each description comes from the maker's own page as of Nov 2026, and there are no scores or star ratings here, only what each app says it does.
Ten Android security options compared
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Avast Mobile Security | Free Android antivirus app | Free scanning with scam protection |
| Avira Antivirus Security | Free antivirus with a VPN | Free protection with a bundled VPN |
| Bitdefender Mobile Security | Android security with anti-theft | Finding, locking or messaging a lost phone |
| Certo Mobile Security | Spyware detection app | Checking a phone you think has been hacked |
| Dr.Web Security Space | Android security, free demo licence | Ransomware protection and blocking unwanted calls |
| ESET Mobile Security | Free antivirus with a Premium upgrade | App lock and anti-theft alongside the scanner |
| F-Secure Mobile Security | Mobile security, formerly Lookout Life | Former Lookout users looking for their app |
| Google Play Protect | Built into Android with Google Play | Scanning apps for harm, already switched on |
| Malwarebytes Mobile | Scam and web protection app | Flagging scam texts, calls and dodgy links |
| Surfshark Antivirus | Real-time and scheduled scanning | Real-time protection on newer 64-bit phones |
Android security apps, from built in to third party
Avast Mobile Security
Best for: People who want a free Android antivirus with scam protection and an AI assistant, from a maker that also covers PC, Mac and iOS.
Avira Antivirus Security
Best for: Anyone who'd like free Android antivirus with a VPN included, bearing in mind the page says the free VPN has a daily traffic limit.
Bitdefender Mobile Security
Best for: Owners worried about loss or theft: it can locate, lock or message a lost phone, and the page says it can photograph whoever tries to get in.
Certo Mobile Security
Best for: Anyone who suspects spyware on their phone, with apps for iPhone and Android that scan for, detect and remove threats.
Dr.Web Security Space
Best for: Users who want protection against malware including encryption ransomware, plus blocking of unwanted calls and SMS, with a free demo licence at install.
ESET Mobile Security
Best for: People who'd like antivirus, app lock and anti-theft, starting with the free antivirus and trying Premium features in the app.
F-Secure Mobile Security
Best for: Former Lookout customers, since the page says Lookout Life is now this app, combining Lookout's features with new additions.
Google Play Protect
Best for: Every Android user with Google Play: it checks apps for harm and verifies new ones, and it's on by default unless you switch it off.
Malwarebytes Mobile
Best for: Targets of scam texts and calls who want Scam Guard, Text Protection, Call Protection and Safe Browsing to flag suspicious messages, links and sites.
Surfshark Antivirus
Best for: Owners of 64-bit phones on Android 10 or later who want real-time protection and scheduled scans; the page says it won't run on non-64-bit devices.
What Play Protect already does on your phone
Google's own Play Protect page says the scanner checks your apps for harm, verifies new ones and is on by default, though you can turn it off. If you install an app from outside the Play Store, it may ask to send that unknown app to Google for checking.
That last point is the heart of it. The biggest Android risk isn't the lack of a scanner; it's sideloading, which means installing apps from websites, links in messages or third-party stores. Keep Play Protect switched on, keep your installs to the Play Store, and you've closed the door most trouble comes through.
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What third-party Android apps add on top
The extras are where the apps differ. Malwarebytes adds scam call and text protection, Bitdefender's anti-theft can photograph whoever tries to get into a lost phone, and Avira's free app bundles a VPN with a daily traffic limit. Others focus on spyware checks, app locks or ransomware.
One name has changed, too. The old Lookout consumer address now opens a page saying Lookout's consumer business is part of F-Secure, so if you're looking for the app you used to have, that's where it went.
Match the Android app to the worry
- Scam calls and texts: look for call and text protection that flags suspicious messages and links.
- A lost or stolen phone: look for anti-theft that can locate, lock or message the phone.
- Suspected spyware: a dedicated spyware scanner is built for exactly that job.
- Public Wi-Fi: a bundled VPN helps, but check for a traffic limit on a free version.
- A child's phone: security apps aren't parental controls, and my guide to the best parental control app covers those.
Five habits that keep an Android phone safer
- Install apps from the Play Store only, and leave the setting that allows unknown apps switched off.
- Keep Play Protect switched on.
- Install system and app updates when your phone offers them.
- Check the permissions an app asks for, and say no to anything that doesn't fit what the app does.
- Don't tap links in unexpected texts, even when they look like they're from your bank or a delivery firm.
If you also need protection on your laptop or desktop, my guide to choosing antivirus software covers the full suites.
Do you make an Android security app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on Android antivirus
Don't install an Android antivirus app out of fear. Play Protect is already on, and if you only install from the Play Store and keep your phone updated, you've covered the biggest risk. Add a third-party app when you've got a specific worry: scam calls and texts, a phone you might lose, or a hunch someone's put spyware on it. Choose the app whose page names that problem, start with its free version where there is one, and leave it there unless you need more.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Does Android need antivirus?
Android phones with Google Play already have Play Protect built in and switched on by default. A separate app adds extras such as scam call protection or anti-theft, but the most useful habit is installing apps from the Play Store only.
Is Play Protect enough on its own?
For many people who only install from the Play Store and keep their phone updated, it covers the basics. Add another app if you want features it doesn't list, such as scam call protection or anti-theft.
What is sideloading?
It's installing an app from outside the Play Store, such as a file downloaded from a website. Play Protect may ask to send unknown apps like these to Google for checking.
What happened to Lookout's consumer app?
The Lookout consumer address now opens a page saying Lookout's consumer business is part of F-Secure, and the app is now F-Secure Mobile Security.
Can an antivirus app find spyware?
Some focus on it. One app on this list is built specifically to scan for, detect and remove spyware on iPhone and Android.
Do free Android antivirus apps have limits?
Some do. One free app here includes a VPN with a daily traffic limit, and others offer the free version as a starting point with Premium upgrades in the app.
