The Best Antivirus for Android 2026 [TESTED]

According to our hands-on testing, the best antivirus for Android is Bitdefender, followed closely by TotalAV, AVG, and Norton. Bitdefender stood out with the widest feature set we found on Android, including scam protection for texts and calls, ongoing app-behavior monitoring, anti-theft tools, and a built-in VPN.

If you're also tired of ads on your phone, TotalAV comes bundled with the highly rated Total Adblock, which can even help you bypass YouTube ads. If you simply want a free option, we recommend AVG. Finally, Norton bundles the most tools around the antivirus itself, including cloud backup, a password manager, and dark web monitoring, if you'd rather keep everything with one company.

Read on to find the right option for your phone.

The best antivirus for Android 2026

Best antivirus for Android compared

	Bitdefender	TotalAV	AVG	Norton 360
Details	View Deal	View Deal	View Deal	View Deal
Star rating	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	4.7 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	5.0 AllAboutCookies writers and editors score products based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Price overview	$34.99–$64.99/first yr	$19.00–$49.00/first yr	$31.20–$59.99/first yr	$29.99–$299.99/first yr
Max # devices	25	8	10	Unlimited
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Opera	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Extras	Scam and call protection, smart watch protection, VPN, and app lock	Anonymous browsing, memory optimization	Malware uninstaller, Wi-Fi scanner, and app lock	USB scanner and security report
24/7 customer support
Learn more	Read our Bitdefender review	Read our TotalAV review	Read our AVG review	Read our Norton 360 review

How we tested the best antivirus apps for Android

When reviewing and testing these antivirus apps, we considered many factors. Our choices were influenced by the ease of use on an Android device as well as typical considerations for a high-quality antivirus app. These factors include:

• User experience on Android: Android devices have limited screen space, so the antivirus app needs to be optimized and easy to use.
• Additional security features: Along with malware detection, we wanted to choose antivirus apps that included other security tools to protect an Android device.
• Affordability: It's hard to justify another subscription unless you can prove its value. If an antivirus app was more expensive than its competitors, it needed additional features to justify the price.

Along with choosing a great antivirus app, consider downloading other Android security apps to fill in any gaps. You may also want to adjust your Android security settings to your preferred privacy level.

To learn more, read how we test antivirus software.

Do you need antivirus if Android has Google Play Protect?

Every Android phone ships with Google Play Protect, and it runs in the background whether you install anything else. So the fair question is whether a paid app earns its keep.

AV-TEST's May 2026 Android round suggests it does, though the gap is narrower than you might expect. Play Protect scored 16.5 out of 18 points: 5.5 for protection, 6 for performance, and 5 for usability. Bitdefender, AVG, and Norton each earned a perfect 18. TotalAV landed at 17.5.

Detection isn't the whole story, though. Play Protect covers the baseline and nothing else. A dedicated app is where you get scam and phishing protection for texts, app locking, anti-theft tools, and a VPN. If you install apps only from the Play Store and you're cautious with links, Play Protect might be enough on its own. If you sideload apps, share your phone with family, or get a steady stream of scam texts, a paid app could be worth it.

Bitdefender: Best antivirus for Android

Who it's best for

Bitdefender is a great option for people who want to protect only their Android devices and want either a free or an affordable premium plan. While the free plan has minimal features, the premium plan is worth the splurge.

What we liked

Free version: Bitdefender offers two Android apps. The free one is called Bitdefender Antivirus. It's a lightweight app with the same malware-detection feature as the paid app, but it lacks extra frills. If you just want an app to scan for malware without taking up too much storage or battery, this free app is for you.

Affordable paid plan with lots of features: The paid plan is part of Bitdefender Mobile Security. An Android-only plan is extremely affordable, especially when you consider the extra security features, including a VPN for up to 200 MB of encrypted traffic per day, App Lock to add passwords to apps, web protection against malicious websites, and anti-theft features to locate, lock, or wipe your device. It can even take a photo of the person trying to access your device.

Scam and call protection: Scam Protection covers texts, calls, and chat apps, and it flags known scam patterns before you tap a link. Bitdefender also added spam and scam call blocking, which screens numbers with a known history and watches for suspicious calling patterns in real time. If fake delivery texts and robocalls are your main headache, this could be the part of the app you use most.

App Anomaly Detection: Most antivirus apps scan an app once, at install. Bitdefender keeps watching after that and flags an app when its behavior changes, which could catch malware that stays quiet through the first scan. Bitdefender calls the feature an industry first.

What we didn't like

Missing some standard security features: While it offers plenty of mobile-focused features, it lacks some security features available on other operating systems. These include a firewall, ransomware protection, and webcam protection. These features may or may not matter to you, but it would be nice to round out Bitdefender's security offerings.

Test results

	Bitdefender
AV-TEST Android score	18/18
AV-TEST Windows score	18/18
AV-TEST macOS score	18/18
AV-Comparatives malware protection score	99.94%
SE Labs	100%
EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Antivirus Review

TotalAV: Best for virus AND ad blocking

Who it's best for

TotalAV is best for people who want the full package — no ads and no viruses ruining their day, just a safe, clean internet. With the Total Adblock bundle, you can even block YouTube ads on mobile.

What we liked

Total Adblock included: You can get TotalAV and Total Adblock bundled together for one low monthly price, which means not only will you stay protected during your daily browsing, but you'll also be free of those obtrusive (and dangerous) ads.

High test scores: TotalAV has consistently scored highly in third-party testing, including 18/18 on its July 2026 AV-test score.

What we didn't like

No firewall included: One of TotalAV's main downsides is that it doesn't offer a firewall. While most devices have sufficient firewalls to begin with, other leading antivirus software has the feature, so we consider it a miss.

Test results

	TotalAV
AV-TEST Android score	18/18
AV-TEST Windows score	17.5/18
AV-TEST macOS score	18/18
AV-Comparatives malware protection score	99.98%
SE Labs	91%
EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get TotalAV Read TotalAV Review

AVG: Best free antivirus app for Android

Who it's best for

AVG is a free antivirus for Android phones. This is a great option for those who don't want to spend money on antivirus software but still want to protect their device from harmful malware and hackers.

What we liked

Fully featured: Some other antivirus apps offer only minimal features in their free versions, but not AVG. The AVG Antivirus app includes protection against ransomware, spyware, adware, and more. It even has a built-in Anti-Theft Phone Tracker in case your Android gets lost or stolen.

Good scores: Even though it's free, AVG isn't low quality. AV-TEST scores show AVG excelled across all categories and earned a perfect 18/18 on Android devices. The results mean AVG is an excellent tool for malware detection, performance, and usability.

What we didn't like

Can get expensive: If you want to upgrade to a paid plan for additional security features, such as phishing protection or Wi-Fi security, it can add up. Unlike the other antivirus apps on this list, AVG doesn't offer a plan that covers only your Android device. Instead, you need to choose the 10-device option from the AVG Internet Security plan or the AVG Ultimate plan. This makes it a bit more costly, with Android-inclusive plans starting at $39.99/first yr. The good news is that it's still a fairly affordable plan if you need to cover multiple devices. But if you only need to cover your Android phone, this plan is expensive.

Test results

	AVG
AV-TEST Android score	18/18
AV-TEST Windows score	18/18
AV-TEST macOS score	18/18
AV-Comparatives malware protection score	99.97%
SE Labs	99%
EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get AVG Read AVG Antivirus Review

Norton 360: Best for security suite

Who it's best for

Norton 360, also known as Norton Mobile Security, is best for people willing to spend a little extra for all the premium security features you could need in an antivirus solution. While Norton offers an Android single-device plan, you may want to upgrade to a premium plan to unlock high-level security tools.

What we liked

Protects against mobile-specific threats: Most antivirus software focuses on Mac or Windows devices, but Norton includes security features for threats that specifically target Android devices. For example, SMS phishing can easily be mistaken for an authentic text message. But Norton has you protected with its SMS Security feature to spot and filter suspicious text messages.

Extra features: While the Android antivirus plan offers the necessary protection, you may want to add extra security features. With Norton Antivirus Plus, you can get a 2 GB cloud backup and a password manager for $29.99/first yr. If you need to cover additional devices or want to add a VPN and dark web monitoring services, then take a look at the Standard plan at $39.99/first yr. Norton offers a variety of extra security tools, so it's easy to keep everything under one company.

What we didn't like

No theft protection: Norton 360 has no theft protection for mobile devices. Bitdefender has a feature that locks your phone and even takes a picture of someone trying to access your Android device. It even has an app lock feature to provide another layer of protection for sensitive data. Neither of these is essential for an antivirus app, but it was a missing piece of the overall Android security puzzle.

Test results

	Norton 360
AV-TEST Android score	18/18
AV-TEST Windows score	18/18
AV-TEST macOS score	18/18
AV-Comparatives malware protection score	99.97%
SE Labs	100%
EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get Norton Read Norton 360 Review

Bottom line: The best antivirus apps for Android

Bitdefender is the best antivirus for Android, thanks to its basic free plan for malware detection and a paid plan that includes all the bells and whistles, like a VPN and anti-theft features.

If you want a free plan with a high-quality antivirus app, look no further than AVG. But if you have the budget, consider Norton 360 for multiple premium security features on your Android device. Finally, if you also want to cross off ads from your list, TotalAV comes bundled with one of the best mobile ad blockers we've tested.

Let's face it: Android devices face different threats compared to other operating systems. You face security threats from internet browsing, malicious apps, smishing scams, and theft. These antivirus apps are essential for keeping you safe while browsing on your phone.

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