The Best Antivirus Software for iPhone 2026

After hands-on testing, our top three picks are Norton, McAfee, and Avira. Norton stood out as the best overall thanks to its long-standing reputation and powerful features like Wi-Fi security and safe browsing protection. McAfee impressed us with its email breach monitoring, helping you stay ahead of phishing scams, while Avira offers a strong free plan, plus a built-in VPN for extra privacy.

We personally tested several leading iPhone security apps to see which ones actually deliver real protection. While iPhones don’t support traditional antivirus tools in the same way PCs or Android devices do, the best iOS security apps can still scan for vulnerabilities, flag unsafe settings, and protect you against online threats.

Below, we break down why each of these apps earned their spot on our list and how they can help keep your iPhone secure.

The best antivirus apps for iPhone

Compare the best antivirus for iPhone

Free AV	Best Overall
Best for	Overall	Identity monitoring	Value
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.	4.9 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.	4.8 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.
iOS App price	$19.99/first yr	$29.99/yr	Free
Max number of devices	Unlimited	Unlimited	25
App Store rating	4.7/5	4.7/5	4.3/5
Malware scans	Manual	Manual	Manual
Real-time protection
Wi-Fi network protection
Phishing protection
Learn more	Get Norton Mobile Security Read Norton Review	Get McAfee Security: Privacy & VPN Read McAfee Review	Get Avira Read Avira Review

Norton Mobile Security: Best overall

What we liked

Patch management: One of the things we liked most about Norton’s iPhone antivirus is that it checks for the latest security patches and iOS updates. That’s a crucial step for antivirus software to stop current malware from infecting your device.

Text protection: Norton covers all the critical security layers, and the antivirus protects you with SMS security that helps keep your text messages and iOS calendar invites free of phishing links. With so many people getting random texts, that’s a nice perk.

Wi-Fi protection: Also, if you’re using public Wi-Fi, Norton notifies you whether the network is potentially unsafe. This Wi-Fi security feature can help you thwart potential security threats and, when paired with the VPN, secure your internet connection. Norton Mobile Security also monitors the dark web and notifies you if your personal information is for sale.

What we didn’t like

Complicated trial: You can use the free 14-day trial but only if you sign up for an annual subscription. (And even if you want to forgo the trial, you still have to sign up for a subscription.) Then, if you choose not to keep the software, you must cancel it through the App Store or Google Play Store.

That makes using Norton somewhat frustrating since you can’t test out its app beforehand.

Mobile test results

To make sure we're getting the full picture of what Norton can do, we looked at malware detection scores from independent antivirus testers. We checked Norton's mobile test results from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, which are two trustworthy sources of antivirus capabilities. Norton Mobile Security received perfect or near-perfect scores with both testers.

We also conducted our in-house testing on Norton Mobile Security. Norton didn't flag the malware test files we downloaded, but it did flag the phishing test site. 

	Norton
AV-TEST Android score	18/18 as of November 2025
AV-Comparatives mobile security score	99.99% as of May 2025
Mobile EICAR score	1/3
Learn more	Get Norton Mobile Security Read Norton Review

Star rating summary

McAfee: Best for identity monitoring

What we liked

Advanced monitoring: McAfee provides identity monitoring for email addresses, Social Security numbers, passport info, and bank accounts. With so many cyber threats related to identity theft, that’s a big plus for any antivirus product. When there’s an identity breach, you’ll get immediate notification so you can take action quickly to prevent further damage.

Performance enhancements: It also has a number of cleanup tools, including ways to clean your data from data broker sites and reviewing your online accounts for data exposure risk. You can also protect your device while browsing online with its safe browsing tools that block malicious websites and a VPN to encrypt your connection.

Patch management: On top of all this, McAfee’s iOS app has a system scan that looks for the latest operating system updates, which helps you patch any vulnerabilities and avoid current malware issues.

What we didn’t like

Lackluster instructions: There’s no clear direction on what to do if your phone gets infected. The McAfee website shows that your mobile device can get a virus, but offers virus scans only for Android devices. What if you need to get rid of iPhone malware?

Number of devices: If you use McAfee Mobile Security, you only get protection on one device. To get security on multiple devices, you’d need to upgrade to a different plan, such as McAfee Total Protection.

Test results

When we tested McAfee, we also checked testing results from other independent antivirus testers to see how well McAfee detects malware. McAfee only has recent mobile test results with AV-TEST, and it received a perfect score. 

We were also impressed because McAfee Security: Privacy & VPN detected all the EICAR malware files and the phishing test site. 

	McAfee
AV-TEST Android score	18/18 as of November 2025
AV-Comparatives mobile security score	99.9% as of July 2019
Mobile EICAR score	3/3
Learn more	Get McAfee Security: Privacy & VPN Read McAfee Review

Star rating summary

Avira Mobile Security: Best value

What we liked

Strict security: We like the no-frills option Avira offers. We know Apple is serious about security and, as such, only allows downloads from the App Store. We also know that even though Avira is a free app, Apple wouldn’t allow it in the store if it didn’t abide by strict security guidelines. Many free apps may try to get around security policies, but not Avira.

Anti-theft protection: Avira gives you anti-theft protection and helps you recover stolen or lost iPhone and iPad devices from your dashboard. We also like the free VPN you get that gives you even better protection while using public Wi-Fi. Another useful feature is Avira's ability to block Siri from recording your conversations.

What we didn’t like

Minimalistic: Although Avira offers a reliable free antivirus, it’s not exactly feature-heavy. It’s more of a minimalistic app.

VPN limits: We do like the added VPN, but you get a traffic limit of 100 MB per day. If you want unlimited data, you’ll need to buy the Phantom VPN Pro plan. Also, to get Avira’s safe online shopping features and protection against malicious websites, you’ll need to upgrade to the Avira Mobile Security Pro plan.

Test results

Avira Mobile Security has earned high test scores with both AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives. However, Avira Mobile Security didn't detect any of the EICAR malware files or the phishing website. 

	Avira
AV-TEST Android score	18/18 as of November 2025
AV-Comparatives mobile security score	99.9% as of May 2025
Mobile EICAR score	0/3
Learn more	Get Avira Mobile Security Read Avira Antivirus Review

Star rating summary

How we tested the best antivirus software for iPhone

When searching for the best antivirus software for your iPhone, we looked at a number of factors. We know each person is different and not everyone wants the same features.

For our testing purposes, we looked for the best antivirus products for those considering their budgets and available security features, such as spyware and phishing protection. Some programs come with a wide range of tools to keep your iPhone more secure, such as VPNs and data breach scanning, so we also considered those.

Lastly, we also considered ease of use for both the free app (if available) and the paid version.

Bottom line: The best antivirus apps for iOS

Out of the available antivirus products on the market today, we found Norton, Avira, and McAfee to be the best antivirus apps for iPhone, with Norton being the overall best due to its top-notch security and advanced web protection. 

While you may think Apple products can't get viruses, that's simply not true. Antivirus for iOS isn't just nice to have; it's necessary to keep your most personal data private. 

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