Protect your Android smartphone from viruses, spyware and phishing attacks using these free security and antivirus apps. Other features include hiding your photos to keep them private, WiFi scanner, Web browser protection, and free firewall for Android phones that are rooted.
Avast Mobile Security
Info, features, and review of Avast Mobile Security for Android.
App Description:
Avast is one of my favorite Android security apps. It has a very good virus scanner that can be set to automatic or manual scans. It also has an option to scan your phone apps for privacy issues. The Anti-Theft feature will lock your phone after someone tries to gain access to it by entering random passwords. The feature I like best is the Photo Vault. I add pictures to the vault and secure it by using a PIN. I don’t know about you but some people like to look at my phones picture gallery and this feature allows me to keep some of my personal photos hidden from them. Avast Mobile Security does have a firewall but it only works for rooted phones. I hope they make the firewall available for all phones someday, because it works very well on my rooted phone.
Overall, Avast does a great job at protecting my smartphone from viruses and the Photo Vault is a feature I believe a lot of people would appreciate. It has other free features included and others that you have to install through the app if you wanted them. There are ads in this free version and sometimes they get in the way, but they can be removed by upgrading.
Useful Review:
“Have been using this app for quite a few years now, first time I used it was on my home computer and then moved it to my tablet and smartphone. I have not had any problems since then. Works great. Love the virus protection it gives me. It also helps boost my internet & removes any unnecessary apps that aren’t needed. I wouldn’t want to switch to any other virus protection app. This one will always stay with me since it has proved its performance with me.”
Features:
- Avast’s antivirus engine scores high on antivirus tests. It scans your phone for viruses, spyware, malware and other harmful threats.
- Keep photos private using a PIN or password.
- The Anti-Theft feature will lock your phone if you lose it and someone tries to unlock it.
- Block phone numbers using the Call Blocker blacklist feature.
- It can scan your wireless router to check if it can be hacked using the WI-FI security scanner.
- Monitors your installed apps for privacy issues.
- Firewall for rooted phones.
AVG AntiVirus Free & Mobile Security
Info, features, and review of AVG free AntiVirus for Android.
App Description:
AVG is another great free antivirus app for Android smartphones. Some of you may have already use AVG for your computers or heard about it. They’ve been around a long time and is quite popular. The virus scanner does a great job at finding and removing viruses and other types of malware. It also scans the apps that you’ve installed for privacy issues. I find the memory booster to be very helpful at stopping background tasks that slow down my smartphone. As with other Android security software, it includes a call blocker, power saver, WIFI vulnerability scanner. You can also test your wireless connection speed using the app. The Photo Vault feature is simple and easy to use when you want to hide personal photos on your phone.
AVG has other software that can be installed using the app, such as a smartphone cleaner and VPN protection. The app is ad-supported and you can remove them like any other app by upgrading.
Useful Review:
“I have used this app for almost a full year so far and I have not had any bad experiences so far. The ads that appear are only inside the app itself and do not interfere with the operation of the app. They do appear sometimes when you move from let’s say running a security scan on your WiFi signal to running a scan on your phone device. And the phone scan will scan all of your apps for malware, viruses, bots, adware, spyware, Trojans, etc. And it does these scans automatically if you choose.”
Features:
- Very popular antivirus app that’s been around for a long time.
- It scans all your apps, games and files on your smartphone. It gives you the option to remove any viruses or malware that it finds after scanning. You also have the option to have the app scan automatically.
- Protects you while surfing the Internet using Chrome or the default Android web browser. This is an important feature because it helps filter phishing and other harmful websites.
- Scans your WiFi for vulnerabilities.
- The RAM Booster speeds up your smartphone by stopping unneeded processes or apps running in the background.
- Monitors your installed apps for privacy issues.
- It has a firewall but it only works for rooted Android smartphones for now.
Malwarebytes Security: Virus Cleaner, Anti-Malware
Scans Android device for any malicious apps and files.
App Description:
The reason I use Malwarebytes is because it has one of the best virus and malware detection rates during tests. The free version does not actively scan your phone, instead it has to be done manually. This is the first app that I install on a phone if someone tells me that their phone already has an virus or adware. It does an excellent job when I enable the Deep Scan option, although it does take a longer time to scan. Another feature that I find useful is the Security Audit. This scans your Android phone for unsecured system settings.
Overall, this app does a great job at detecting and removing viruses and adware but it doesn’t actively apply protection. This is an app that’s best to use after an infection or if you think you may have gotten malware on your phone. I always install this app and one of the other security apps in this post when I get a new phone. I haven’t had any issues with this setup and my phone has been virus-free and running smoothly like this.
Useful Reviews:
“This app handles like a true charm. So smooth, your operations continue without any virus or any other Cyber Threats. I am always looking forward to any new technological upgrades. They clearly know how to observe and prepare us from current to future functioning. That’s what a serious company does for you. In an era of less sophisticated criminals, just buy the services of raccoon malware to steal all your essential information and app’s information, you need to have Malwarebytes Security.”
“This is the best. Not only is it the only antimalware and antivirus app to detect the infection on my phone, but the followup and immediate personal help was spot-on, extensive, and complete. I’ve not had this kind of service for apps I paid for, let alone a free app.”
Features:
- It has one of the best virus and malware detection rates.
- This security app also scans and removes adware.
- It checks your Android phone for unsecured and vulnerable system settings.
- Automatically does a privacy audit of your installed apps to let you know what access they have on your phone.
- Has a Deep Scan option that can be enabled in the app settings for a more comprehensive virus, malware, and adware scan.
