Keep your android mobile phone safe without using any kind of security software This may be possible if you exercise extreme caution when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, visiting web pages, downloading apps, opening files, or moving on social media.
However, we are not going to deny that with these times it is easy to fall into the clutches of criminals and not realize that your device has been affected. To avoid greater evils, the best antidote that exists is to use security programs that perform analysis and monitoring of what is happening inside.
If you want to make sure your Android device is protected against these and other threats, an antivirus app can be a good ally. In fact, there are many totally free antivirus programs on Google Play, but you should make sure you get the security from a reputable and well-known company.
And there’s nothing worse than being attacked or infected by an app you downloaded from google play as legal, posing as another that may contain malware and has not been detected. It wouldn’t be the first time this had happened.
Luckily for us, almost every major antivirus vendor has an Android app that can protect your device, and some of them are free, although their functionality is limited.
And by free, we really mean free. It’s not a 30-day free trial, but it’s actually free as long as you have it on your device. Some may have more restricted functions (it’s usually the tradeoff of being free).
But if you want to make your device more secure without paying a single dollar for a subscription, below are the apps that we think we recommend for their brand reputation and recognition in the market.
Before commenting on each of them, you may be interested to consult the article on the best free vpns you can use on android mobile. This is another additional tool that will allow you to protect your privacy and identity when connecting from public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Avira Security for Android
- Advantages: Includes VPN service; Excellent malware detection
- Versus : Lack of brand recognition
One of our top picks for free Android mobile security is through Avira for many reasons. First, it gets the highest marks of the two AV test As Audiovisual comparisons.
In the first round of tests, Avira scored 99.9% for real-time attacks and malware leaked in March 2022. In AV Comparatives, Avira achieved 100% detection using nearly 3,700 samples in the exam 2021 solutions.
Avira it also has more functions. Beyond the virus scanner, it offers a VPN service with 100MB daily usage, other storage optimization features, identity protection, and permission manager.
When it comes to security, you will be using a good set of features as well as top-notch protection on your device.
Bitdefender Free Antivirus for Android
- Advantages: High efficiency; Good real-time protection
- Versus : Basic features vs payment option
The Romanian-based company is a great expert in security solutions, as it has a long history in the field of cybersecurity. The solution discussed here is Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Android, downloadable from the google play.
This is ideal if you want something much simpler and has equally good protection ratings. The company actually has two apps on the Play Store. The free is Bitdefender Antivirus, not Bitdefender Mobile Security.
The free version does exactly what it says: it scans your phone when you ask it to. There is also minimal automated autopilot scanning when you download a new app, a potential attack vector for Android phones.
Bitdefender got 100% of the AV test for real-time attacks and large-scale malware testing for March 2022. It also achieved a 100% detection rate of AV-Comparatives Mobile security of 2021.
AVG AntiVirus Free for Android
- Advantages: Protects against malicious websites; Easy to use interface
- Versus : Detection rate worse than others; personalized advertising
Another next level protection option is AVG Antivirus & Security for Android. He got top marks for AV test with 100% protection for real-time widespread malware testing.
However, in AV-Comparatives, the detection rate was 99.6%, with one false positive. This is not a bad thing, but it is reason enough to place it here in the third place of the solutions adopted.
Another disadvantage is that it uses personalized advertising in the case of the free solution, while the others do not. Despite this annoyance, there’s a lot to like about AVG’s free Android app.
It can scan apps and files, clean junk files, and scan your current Wi-Fi network. It also has protection against malicious websites, “RAM booster” that kills background apps, Wi-Fi speed test and anti-theft feature to track and protect your phone remotely.
- Advantages: Large user database; Online reputation; GPS Tracking
- Versus : real-time analysis
If for some reason you prefer Avast, owner of AVG, this application is also very well known in the technology sector. In fact, we got the same protection scores as AVG, plus a really good feature set on the free option.
Proof of this is the story of the free version, installed on more than 100 million devices around the world, which gives it one of the highest scores you can find on Google play.
With this application for your mobile, you will be able to perform regular scans to detect threats and vulnerabilities, detect malicious applications before installing them, block links to malicious websites or check the security of public Wi-Fi.
Beyond being a free tool, this version allows you to carry out an exhaustive follow-up of the use made by the location and GPS applications of your mobile, in order to have the freedom to decide to which you grant rights. and to which you grant no rights. t.
For our part and during the period when we had the opportunity to test the tool Avastwe can confirm that it works in the background, does not negatively affect battery consumption and does not consume resources if you use your mobile to play games.
Sophos Intercept for mobile
- Advantages: Additional tools; link checker
- Versus : Real-time threat detection (free version)
Sophos was not rated on Android by AV Comparatives, as the company only opted for a score of AV test. AV-Test gave it a score of 99.8% in March 2022 associated with real-time malware attack detection.
Meanwhile, for the Pervasive Malware test, Sophos scored 100%. And when it comes to evaluating the features offered, Sophos complements the solution with many powerful tools.
Intercept X offers a lot, including malware scanning for apps and files, blocking malicious web pages, a link checker for protection against malicious links, Wi-Fi network scanning, and a link advisor confidentiality.
It is therefore possible that Sophos scoring slightly lower than the other apps reviewed here when it comes to real-time detection, but that doesn’t stop it from still being a great service with lots of cool features. All without advertising.
How to choose a free antivirus for Android
We’ve mentioned this before, but you should always think about getting an antivirus from a well-known security company. It’s also a good idea to see what third-party testing companies say in their reports on various Android apps.
After that, you should see if the company is using ads in its app and whether it works for you or not. Finally, check if you have the features you are looking for.
Pretty much every feature you can expect in a free app is similar to what we’re discussing here. If you’re looking for real-time active scanning, for example, this is an option you’ll have to pay extra for.
How we test antivirus
To test this suite of antivirus security tools and solutions, we installed and ran the application for each selection, and checked with third-party testing companies to see what kind of rating they received.
We also filtered out “free” apps from major antivirus vendors that only had a time-limited free trial, because a free service and a free trial are not the same thing.
A free service should be a long-term service with the ability to upgrade to a better version of the app with a paid subscription. There are plenty of antivirus options for Android users, but the ones reviewed here are the ones that should be on your bucket list.
To note: We may receive a small commission for each purchase made through links on our site, but it costs you nothing. It also does not affect our editorial independence. More information.
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