When you are on top of a heap, a big fish in a big pond, or whatever you describe as the world’s largest operating system, you become a target for exploitation. Scammers, hackers, disgruntled, and intruders spend countless hours of energy trying to figure out how to benefit from you and the good people who rely on you.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that there are so many antivirus and security apps for Android designed to protect you and your mobile devices from the incessant dangers that are trying to hack into your smartphone, and therefore your privacy and your life.
Is antivirus enough?
As always with the most popular desktop OS, Windows, your Android device is constantly under attack from viruses, malware, and other security threats, designed primarily to steal your most personal information such as bank, credit card and other credit cards. confidential data, and sometimes the smartphone itself.
Hence, it is important not only to protect your data, but it is also important that you have options in case someone steals or otherwise takes over your phone – protection against theft.
Typically, antivirus apps scan your device, its software, incoming apps and data for threats and in turn destroy them. They perform these functions and usually several other security options, such as free blocking of unwanted calls. To add anti-theft protection and other more powerful security features, sometimes you need to upgrade to the paid version, which ranges from $ 20 to $ 80, and sometimes not.
Of course, anti-theft apps cannot prevent your phone from being stolen or your phone lost. But what they can do is allow you to track your property or, if it comes to that, block or wipe it remotely, thereby preventing any attempts to access and use your data. Some apps go as far as allowing you to completely disable or uninstall certain apps, such as banking and credit card apps, remotely.
Other security features include viewing your apps and flagging those that have permissions they don’t need, such as viewing your contacts, scanning call logs, determining your geographic location, or sending text messages. If, for example, your phone or messaging app wants to access your contacts, that’s one thing, but if a silly little recipe collecting app tries to access your personal data, not only will you want to know about it, but you probably will. want to turn it off.
Another way that smartphone thieves try to claim your data and the device itself is by replacing the SIM card. Many antivirus security apps provide ways to prevent this, either by detecting a SIM change, blocking the device, or by sending you a new phone number associated with the SIM, which will allow you to send the encrypted messages needed to start. anti-theft measures to protect or delete your data.
Overall effectiveness
Typically, when reviewing similar products early in the prep work, I install all of these (and other proposed products) and run them through a series of performance and efficiency tests.
In this case, however, several third-party analysis and testing firms including AV-Test, AV-Comparatives, MRG-Effitas and others have already put a lot of effort into testing these products. So in addition to my testing data and time, I relied heavily on independent third party tests.
I also analyzed the usability of the user interfaces. What most of these products have in common, even those not on this list, is that they all work well enough.
Unless otherwise stated in a specific product review below, all products on this list have passed performance tests such as detecting and neutralizing known threats, blocking malicious sites and links, and more, with the highest percentage of accuracy among their peers.
However, sometimes, as is the case with Norton Security and Antivirus, you need to upgrade to the paid version to get the full suite of the best, most obvious and desirable features. For example, with a Norton product, you need to upgrade to Norton Mobile Security to be able to scan and block malicious websites.
In most cases, the free versions of all of these products contain the basic antivirus protection you’d expect; I’ll let you know if and when they don’t.
If it is in this list
Please note, if an app makes it to this list, I consider it a strong candidate for protecting your Android phone. The order, however, is alphabetical and has nothing to do with one product being better than another. In other words, this list is not a hierarchy from best to worst or vice versa.
However, let’s get started.
Avast Mobile Security
Pros:
- Free version includes firewall, anti-theft protection and call blocking.
- Application blocking
- VPN in premium version
- Advertising in free version
- Avast Mobile Security comes with almost everything = free
- Avast Mobile Security Pro, adds VPN, password management and several other features; one license costs $ 40, three costs $ 55, and five costs $ 85, and a pack of 10 licenses costs about $ 14 per device.
- Low OS overhead.
- Lots of features including anti-theft, VPN and ransomware protection.
- Remote control and monitoring
- Scans must be scheduled or started manually.
- Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition, works with Windows, macOS and Android = free.
- Bitdefender Total Security 2019 protects up to five Android, Windows, macOS and iOS devices for one year = $ 89.99 MSRP / $ 44.99 retail price.
- Excellent protection against malware.
- Protection for up to 20 devices.
- Numerous features including parental controls, password management, VPN and security.
- Online Security Control Panel.
- Password manager can be more secure.
- Several separate installations required
- An inexpensive version with 10 licenses is available.
- Checks for application data leaks.
- Strong anti-phishing protection.
- Ransomware protection
- Ads in the free version
- Excellent antivirus and malware detection and removal.
- Remote phone lock.
- Consistently good results during testing.
- Built-in firewall
- Virus protection guarantee
- VPN
- Parental Control
- Online backup
- An update is required to protect malicious sites.
- Protection against online threats
- Protection against theft
- Cloud backup
- Smart Firewall
- Password Manager
- Virus Protection Guaranteed
- Parental Controls
- VPN
- LifeLock Features
- US Identity Recovery
- Lost Wallet Protection
- Million Dollar Protection Package
- Credit Monitoring
- SSN Monitoring
- Data Breach Alerts
Cons:
Outcome:
The free version should be reliable enough for most users, and moving to the premium version adds VPN and other important features.
Versions:
The antivirus business giant, Avast products are known for their performance and feature set. The free version of Avast Mobile Security contains almost everything you need to keep your phone fully secure.
This includes blocking spam, detecting and removing viruses and malware, detecting malicious applications and removing viruses, detecting malicious web pages and links, checking the security of the Wi-Fi network, protecting against theft (including photography and audio thief with the Pro version .), cleaning up storage, increasing the amount of RAM, monitoring battery consumption and much more.
Upgrading to the Pro version again gives you the snaps and sounds of a potential thief, registration and lock when changing SIM, VPN, application and media protection with PIN codes, and password management.
Avast also tracks your usage to see which apps you use most of the time, determines which apps to use when connected to Wi-Fi (as opposed to a phone data network), and helps determine how specific apps are accessing certain aspects of your computer. phone, such as contacts, email, messages, etc.
Bitdefender
Pros:
Cons:
Outcome:
Depending on the version you choose, Bitdefender is a huge all-in-one antivirus app and mega security suite.
Versions:
Bitdefender is a powerful antivirus and security app for Android that has won awards from almost every publication and organization that reviewed it.
The free add-on, of course, provides simple antivirus and anti-malware features, including behavioral detection to closely monitor your active applications, and when it detects anything suspicious, it takes action immediately. Powerful scanning engines detect and remove all malware from viruses, worms and Trojans, ransomware, zero-day exploits, rootkits and spyware.
Bitdefender Total Security comes with just about every Android security feature available, including anti-theft, device admin, app lock, account privacy, and much, much more. If you turn it on, there is even a feature that takes a picture when someone tries to guess your lock screen PIN.
While you have to schedule or run a scan manually, which reduces the OS overhead of this application, Bitdefender’s antivirus scanning is one of the fastest in the business in my test. App Lock provides additional security for messages, emails and settings, and other apps of your choice. It also protects you from fraudulent and malicious sites on Chrome and some other browsers.
Kaspersky
Pros:
Cons:
Bottom line:
Depending on the version you choose, Kaspersky is a fully functional, serious antivirus security app that leaves a lot to be desired.
Versions:
Kaspersky Internet Security for Android, Robust Feature Set = Free
Kaspersky Total Security, one device per year for $ 14.95; three devices for a year for $ 24.95. There is also a multi-platform version that supports up to 20 Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices (MSRP $ 149.99 / retail price $ 59.99).
The free version of Kaspersky is one of the most reliable I’ve seen, and may be all you really need to secure your Android smartphone. Not only does it provide powerful mobile antivirus and anti-malware protection, it also scans dangerous apps and links, although you’ll need to initiate a $ 4 / month update to do so.
What really comes with the free version is full-featured anti-theft protection, including the ability to lock your phone or wipe it remotely if it is stolen or lost. However, the free version lacks the ability to set up automatic malware scans, anti-phishing protection for websites and links via SMS, and a privacy feature that allows you to block apps with a code and hide calls. and text messages from unauthorized users on your device.
Kaspersky also makes Kaspersky Security Cloud, which costs $ 149.99 and sells on the street for about 1/3 that amount. With this product you get 20 devices to install Android, Windows, macOS or iOS. The functions and controls are extensive depending on the device. Protection on your Android smartphone includes Wi-Fi network scanning, OS optimization, Waste Cleaner to remove unused apps, and Battery Saver and Booster.
However, it does not provide anti-virus protection. You have to install this separately with the free Android app mentioned earlier. There is also a Kaspersky Safe Kids option that filters content and monitors social networks. And you can use the app to track your child’s location on his or her smartphone.
McAfee
Pros:
Cons:
Bottom line :
For households and businesses with a large number of devices, McAfee AntiVirus Plus supports 10 Android, Windows, macOS, and iOS devices.
Versions:
McAfee Mobile Security for Android = Free
McAfee Total Protection comes in three versions: one, five, and ten licenses for Android, Windows, macOS and iOS devices, priced at $ 29.99, $ 39.99, and $ 44.99 per year, respectively.
A huge and trusted name in antivirus and security, McAfee’s offerings, whether you choose a standalone free version of Android or the multi-platform Total Protection product, will keep your devices safe. In addition to antivirus protection, the free version has advanced anti-theft and device search features, including the ability to take a photo of a thief or someone else trying to hack your smartphone.
However, to be able to check for malicious sites, app blocking, Wi-Fi protection, ad removal, and media backup, you must upgrade to the Pro version, which costs $ 79.99, or $ 30 more than Total Protection package for multiplatform 10 devices. Although you get support for up to 10 Android devices with the Android Pro package.
Moving to the multi-platform Total Protection product gives you, in addition to the features listed in the previous paragraph, identity theft protection, password management, ransomware protection, firewall, McAfee Mobile Security, and more. However, if you only have one device to protect, the $ 30 Total Protection package is by far the best option.
While this is a great product, McAfee should take another look at its pricing logistics. Also, during installation, I somehow managed to lock my McAfee account on the Internet before I finished configuring it , which added a few nasty steps to get Anti Theft and other features that depended on from the work of my account.
Norton
Pros:
Cons:
Outcome:
A host of features including online backup, VPN, multiple security features, parental controls, and more, make Norton 360 the enduring leader in antivirus and security products.
Versions:
Norton Mobile Security provides advanced security, including anti-theft protection and call blocking = free for 30 days, then $ 29.99 (sold for half the price as I wrote).
Norton 360 comes in Standard and Deluxe variants (MSRP $ 79.99 / $ 49.99 Retail, $ 99.99 / $ 59.99 Retail), with the main difference being that the Deluxe product supports up to five Android, Windows, macOS, or iOS devices. It also provides 50 GB of space for online backups.
Norton 360 with LifeLock Select ships with everything in the previous product, plus LifeLock identity theft protection and 100GB of backup space for a suggested retail price of $ 149.99 / $ 99.99 retail price.
By far one of the first and probably best-known antivirus and security products, Norton has been around for a long time and works exceptionally well. While there is no “free†product as such, the company offers a 30-day trial of Norton Mobile Security, or you can get it in a five-device bundle in Norton 360 Deluxe (which I have been using without issue for several years).
In addition to antivirus protection, you get the following features:
True, not everyone needs it, and to get everything, you need to pay from $ 100 to $ 150 per year. Norton also promises that your devices will stay virus-free or get your money back.
Conclusion
In addition to these five products, there are many others and it was not easy to settle on them. Many of them are free. But if you are like me and your house is full of Android, Windows and iOS devices, you are much better off choosing one of the mega packages that provide multi-platform support.
Be warned though, even the best of them save money on supporting Apple devices. The good news is that macOS and iOS are closed architectures, so they are not as easy to use and do not represent as big and interesting a target as Android devices.
In any case, be sure to check that the package you have chosen has the required functionality on the platforms you are using.
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