The Best Antivirus for Android 2026 [TESTED]

According to our hands-on testing, the best antivirus for Android is Bitdefender, followed closely by AVG, TotalAV, and Norton. Bitdefender stood out from the rest with its full suite of features, landing it with a perfect score on Android.

If you're also tired of looking at ads on your phone, TotalAV comes bundled with the highly rated Total Adblock, which can even help you bypass YouTube ads on your phone. If you simply want a free option, we recommend AVG. Finally, Norton is one of the most trusted names in antivirus and offers intensive protection for a bit more.

Read on to find out which option is right for your phone.

The best antivirus for Android 2026

Best antivirus for Android compared

	Bitdefender	AVG	TotalAV	Norton 360
Details	View Deal	View Deal	View Deal	View Deal
Star rating	4.8 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.	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.
Price overview	$29.99–$79.99/first yr	$31.20–$59.99/first yr	$19.00–$49.00/first yr	$29.99–$299.99/first yr
Max # devices	25	10	8	Unlimited
Compatibility	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Chrome, Edge, Opera	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Extras	Smart watch protection, VPN, and app lock.	Malware uninstaller, Wi-Fi scanner, and app lock.	Anonymous browsing, memory optimization.	USB scanner and security report.
24/7 customer support
Learn more	Read our Bitdefender review	Read our AVG review	Read our TotalAV review	Read our Norton 360 review

Bitdefender: Best overall

Who it's best for

Bitdefender is a great option for people looking to protect only their Android devices who 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 doesn't include any extra frills. If all you're looking for is an app to scan for malware without taking up too much storage or battery, then this is the free app for you.

Affordable paid plan with lots of features: The paid plan is under the app 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, 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.

What we didn't like

Missing some standard security features: While there are plenty of mobile-focused features, we missed some security features available on other operating systems. Some of these include a firewall, ransomware protection, and webcam protection. These features may or may not be important to you, but it would be nice to round out the other security elements of Bitdefender.

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	99.99%
SE Labs	100%
EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get Bitdefender Read Bitdefender Antivirus Review

AVG: Best free antivirus app

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: Despite being free, this doesn't mean AVG is poor quality. The AV-TEST scores showed that AVG excelled across all categories and earned a perfect 6.0 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: Let's say you want to upgrade to a paid plan for additional security features, such as phishing protection or Wi-Fi security. Unlike the other antivirus apps on this list, AVG doesn't have a plan to only cover 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 your Android phone covered, 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	99.98%
SE Labs	99%
EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get AVG Read AVG 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 and clean internet. With the Total Adblock bundle, you can even block YouTube ads on mobile!

What we liked

Total Adblock included: You can get Total AV 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: Total AV has consistently scored highly in third-party testing, including 17.5/18 on its January 2025 AV-test score.

What we didn't like

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

Test results

	Total AV
AV-TEST Android score	17.5/18
AV-TEST Windows score	18/18
AV-TEST macOS score	18/18
AV-Comparatives malware protection score	99.99%
SE Labs	99%
EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get TotalAV Read TotalAV Review

Norton 360: Best for premium security

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 has taken the time to include 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 them all within 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	99.98%
SE Labs	100%
EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get Norton Read Norton 360 Review

How we tested the best antivirus apps for Android

In reviewing and testing these antivirus apps, we considered a multitude of 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 ad blockers.

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 while still having a high-quality antivirus app, then look no further than AVG. But if you have the budget, consider Norton 360 to access multiple premium security features for 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.

Let's face it: Android devices face different threats compared to other operating systems. Not only are there security threats from internet browsing, but you also face security issues from malicious apps, smishing scams, and theft. These antivirus apps are essential for keeping you safe while browsing on your phone.

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