5 Best (REALLY FREE) Android Antivirus Apps [2025]

Katarina Glamoslija
Published on: May 16, 2025 Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

I spent several weeks testing all of the antivirus apps in the Google Play Store — and I only found a couple of free apps for Android that provide decent protection against malware.

I wasn’t surprised that most free antivirus apps are pretty bad — some of them are ineffective and unreliable, some lack important cybersecurity protections, and some are actually malware in disguise!

That’s why:

• You need to be extremely careful when downloading “free” Android antivirus apps.

It’s also important to keep in mind that there isn’t really such a thing as a 100% free Android antivirus.

Internet security companies don’t want to give out their products for free — their free antiviruses are typically very limited in terms of functionality because these companies want you to pay to get access to all of their features.

On the other hand, premium Android antiviruses are often very cheap — and unless you’re looking for very basic protection, you really should invest a couple of bucks into premium protection for your smartphone.

Many apps on this list have free features, but none of them have all of the security features you need to keep your Android completely protected. However, you can try out all of the premium products I recommend for free, and then decide whether or not they’re worth the upgrade.

How to Choose the Best Free Antivirus App for Your Android

Some free antivirus apps can offer decent protection — but only if you use your Android phone for basic tasks like browsing, social media, or YouTube.

However, if you store important info on your Android (like passwords for your online accounts), and if you use your phone for online banking and shopping, a free antivirus isn’t enough to fully protect your data and device.

That said, a good Android antivirus should have advanced security features like:

• Real-time malware scanning.
• Protection against malicious and fake apps.
• Anti-phishing and anti-spam.
• VPN (virtual private network).
• Data breach monitoring.
• System cleanup and performance tools.
• And lots more…

Unfortunately, internet security companies don’t offer all of these features in their free Android apps, but their premium plans are very affordable. Plus, all of the antivirus apps on this list offer risk-free money-back guarantees (including my #1 choice, Norton), so you try out all of their premium features before committing to a paid plan.

There are 5 key things you need to look for when choosing an Android antivirus app:

1. Level of protection
2. Included security features
3. Ease of use
4. Technical support
5. Overall value

And here’s what I did to help you find the best one for your smartphone:

1. I tested each antivirus app on my Android devices for malware detection rates and overall cybersecurity protection.
2. I used all of the included features of each antivirus app to see if they actually worked and if they added to the overall security of my phone.
3. I made sure that each product was easy to set up and use for a wide range of Android users, both technical and non-technical.
4. I contacted each app’s customer/technical support teams to see if they were able to resolve both common and uncommon problems.
5. And I assessed each antivirus app to see if it’s actually safe to download from the Google Play Store and whether you can try the premium versions risk-free before buying them.

Ready to secure your Android? Let’s go!

🥇1. Norton Mobile Security — Best for Overall Android Protection in 2025

Norton Mobile Security is by far the best antivirus app for Android I’ve ever used. It doesn’t have free features, but it does have a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can use it on your smartphone for 2 months and see if it’s right for you.

Norton’s antivirus app uses AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning to block mobile malware — I tested Norton on my Galaxy S10 against a wide range of malicious apps, and Norton detected and removed every single one of them!

Norton Mobile Security also includes:

• App scanner.
• Anti-phishing protection.
• Wi-Fi network scanner.
• Secure in-app search engine.
• Scam phone call blocker.
• And more…

I was very impressed with Norton’s advanced app scanner which identified fake and malicious apps from the Google Play Store and other third-party app stores before I even downloaded them! The scanner also checked apps for excessive battery usage — so I could avoid downloading apps that would drain my battery.

I also really like Norton’s anti-phishing protections that blocked all of the malicious sites and phishing pages that I visited via a range of browsers, including the default Android browser, Google Chrome, Firefox, and Brave.

Norton Mobile Security doesn’t have a free version, but its annual subscription is pretty cheap — and it has a 60-day money-back guarantee! If you’re looking to protect more devices, you should get Norton’s 360 Deluxe plan that includes protection for up to 5 devices across all popular operating systems (Android, PC, Mac, iOS) as well as a huge range of features like a VPN, device optimization controls, dark web monitoring, and much more — all for a really low price.

Bottom Line

Norton is the best Android antivirus I tested

— it comes with a range of features that keep Android users safe from cybersecurity threats, including an app scanner, anti-phishing protections, a Wi-Fi scanner, and a scam phone call blocker. Norton Mobile Security doesn’t have a free version, but it has a risk-free 60-day money-back guarantee. Norton’s premium 360 Deluxe antivirus suite offers coverage for up to 5 devices, including smartphones, as well as extras like a VPN, dark web monitoring, and lots more.

Try Norton Mobile Security Free for 60 Days

🥈 2. TotalAV Total Mobile Security — Best for Android Optimization Tools

TotalAV’s Total Mobile Security has a great range of free device optimization features — useful for cleaning junk files and speeding up your phone’s performance.

During my tests, TotalAV cleaned over 5 GB of junk files stored on my Galaxy S10, including duplicate photos and music files. TotalAV also boosted my phone’s performance by freeing up memory used by background apps that were slowing down my device!

TotalAV’s free version also has anti-phishing protection, which blocks fake websites trying to steal user data, as well as data breach monitoring to check if sensitive data like emails and passwords have been compromised in a data breach.

However, TotalAV’s free Android antivirus doesn’t have an anti-malware scanner — so you can neither check your phone for existing malware nor stay protected against cybersecurity threats in real-time!

That said, TotalAV’s premium features include:

• Anti-malware scanner.
• App scanner.
• VPN.
• App locking capabilities.

TotalAV’s malware scanner performed really well in my tests, removing all of the mobile malware samples from my phone. And TotalAV’s app scanner was really good at detecting malicious apps before download — I tested this feature with adware and spyware apps and the scanner identified every single one of them!

I also like TotalAV’s VPN, which keeps browsing activity private and blocks hackers from stealing data — essential if you regularly connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots.

While some of TotalAV’s features are free, the real-time protection, VPN, and app locking require a paid subscription. However, you can try all of the premium features included in TotalAV Total Mobile Security with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Bottom Line

TotalAV has a great range of free device optimization tools for improving your Android’s performance.

TotalAV’s free plan also includes anti-phishing protection and data breach monitoring. However, only TotalAV’s premium Total Mobile Security plan has malware scanning, an app scanner, and a VPN. You can try out TotalAV’s premium features with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Download TotalAV Total Mobile Security Free Now

🥉 3. McAfee Mobile Security — Best for Theft Prevention

McAfee Mobile Security Free includes a wide range of cybersecurity protections — including the best anti-theft protection tools on the market!

I tested the anti-theft features by giving my partner my Galaxy S10 and telling her to enter the wrong passcode 3 times. Then I triggered the Capture Cam feature from the McAfee online dashboard and I got an email with an image of my partner using my phone and the precise location of the phone so I could track it down.

McAfee’s free Android app also includes:

• Malware scanning.
• Wi-Fi network scanner.
• Device optimization tools.

All of McAfee’s free features worked well — I was particularly impressed with the malware scanner that detected all of the malicious apps and downloads during my testing. The scanner even caught a couple of really tricky spyware apps that some competitors failed to detect!

McAfee’s free version is really good compared to some other free antivirus apps. But if you want to access all of McAfee’s features, including a VPN, anti-phishing protections, app locking, and ad blocker, you’ll need to upgrade to Mobile Security Plus. However, if you’re looking to cover all of the devices in your household, McAfee’s Total Protection plans cover up to 10 devices across all operating systems.

Bottom Line

McAfee Mobile Security Free has an excellent app scanner and the best anti-theft tools I tested.

The app comes with an easy-to-navigate interface and some good cybersecurity protections, including a Wi-Fi scanner and device optimization tools. McAfee’s premium Mobile Security Plus adds anti-phishing, a VPN, an ad blocker, and lots more. And McAfee’s Total Protection antivirus suites provide complete protection for up to 10 devices. All McAfee purchases have a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Download McAfee Mobile Security Free Now

4. Avira Antivirus — Best for Privacy Protection

Avira Antivirus provides strong protection against mobile malware as well as some really useful features for privacy protection.

Avira’s free privacy-related features include:

• App permissions manager.
• Identity theft protection.
• App PIN code locking capabilities.
• Anti-theft tools.
• VPN.

I really like Avira’s VPN — it’s fast, secure, and unblocked all the geo-restricted content I tried to access in my testing. Unfortunately, the VPN that is included in the free app only comes with 100 MB of browsing data per day. That’s not really a lot, especially if you’re using your Android for content streaming. To get the full VPN with unlimited browsing data, you’ll need to upgrade.

And Avira’s premium features are pretty good — it includes web browsing security (like anti-phishing) and camera and microphone protection to block hackers from watching you or listening to your conversations.

Avira’s premium mobile-only package isn’t as affordable as the other products on this list. However, Avira’s multi-device package — Avira Prime — provides a great value for users who want to unlock Avira’s premium Android features and protect multiple devices across all operating systems. Avira’s premium purchases all have a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Bottom Line

Avira’s free app is great for protecting your privacy while using your Android.

You can upgrade to Avira’s premium mobile-only plan to access privacy features like mic and camera protection and anti-phishing. You can try out the paid mobile plan or Avira’s multi-device Prime package with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Download Avira Antivirus Free Now

5. BullGuard Mobile Security and Antivirus — Best for Easy-to-Use Backup Tools

BullGuard Mobile Security and Antivirus provides free malware scanning as well as a couple of extra security features — I’m a big fan of BullGuard’s easy-to-use backup tools, which encrypted and stored my contacts, notes, and other data in BullGuard’s cloud server.

During my testing, BullGuard’s malware scanner detected all of the malicious apps I had downloaded to my phone — but unlike Norton or McAfee, BullGuard didn’t scan any apps before download, only after I installed them on my Android device.

BullGuard also provides free features like:

• Remote device management.
• Anti-theft protection.
• Wi-Fi network security.

I especially liked that I could remotely manage all the app’s features from another device — for example, triggering malware scans or anti-theft alerts from the BullGuard web dashboard on my PC.

While most of BullGuard’s mobile features are free, upgrading to the Premium Mobile Security plan adds excellent parental controls that let you monitor your child’s apps, view photos they send and receive, and track their location — perfect for when they start going to school on their own or meeting with friends.

Bottom Line

BullGuard Mobile Security Free has a good malware scanner as well as great backup tools, anti-theft protections, and remote phone management. Parents and families may wish to upgrade to Premium Mobile Security which adds excellent parental controls. All BullGuard premium purchases come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Download BullGuard Mobile Security Free Now

Bonus. Bitdefender Mobile Security and Antivirus — Best for Lightweight Android Protection

Bitdefender’s Antivirus Free for Android provides a good, lightweight antivirus scanner that has a minimal impact on Android phones — I ran multiple scans and kept Bitdefender’s real-time protection on during testing and the scanner didn’t slow down my phone or drain my battery!

Bitdefender’s free app doesn’t come with more than a scanner, but upgrading to the premium version gets you:

• VPN (200 MB per day).
• Anti-theft protections.
• Wi-Fi scanner.
• App locking.

All of Bitdefender’s features work well and are easy to use, even for beginners. My one issue with the free Bitdefender app was that I kept getting a notification letting me know that Bitdefender was running, which I couldn’t seem to remove.

Bitdefender’s multi-device Total Security plan, which covers Androids as well as PCs and Macs, is a much better value than the mobile-only plan (and it also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee).

Bottom Line

Bitdefender’s Antivirus Free for Android is secure, beginner-friendly, and lightweight

— during my tests, it scanned all of my new downloads and apps for malware without slowing down my smartphone. The app also comes with anti-theft, a Wi-Fi scanner, and a limited VPN (200 MB per day).

Download Bitdefender Antivirus Free Now

Are free Android antivirus apps safe?

Not all of them — a lot are infective, fake, or even malicious!

However, all of the apps on this list are 100% safe — they come from trusted brands with good reputations, they provide good protection against all types of mobile malware, and they even have some extra cybersecurity features to keep you safe online.

Do Android phones really need an antivirus?

Yes! Android phones are vulnerable to a wide range of cybersecurity threats, including all types of malware, phishing attacks, data breaches, and more.

The 5 apps on my list all have reliable mobile security features, including Android malware protection and internet security tools.

Norton Mobile Security is the best antivirus app for Android that I’ve tested in 2025 — blocking all malicious apps and downloads in my testing and providing excellent cybersecurity protections like anti-phishing, a Wi-Fi scanner, a secure search engine, and lots more.

Which Android devices will these antivirus apps work with?

Most of the Android antivirus apps on this list will work with any Android smartphone or tablet running Android 5.0 (released in 2014) or above — Norton is the only exception, requiring Android 6.0 (released in 2015) or later.

McAfee is the only app on this list that works with Android 4.1 (2012) or higher.

However, it’s really important that you always keep your device updated with the latest version of Android to avoid hackers targeting security vulnerabilities in older firmware versions.

What kind of features can you get with a free Android antivirus app?

Free Android antiviruses are limited in terms of security features — but most of them have malware protection, device optimization, and Wi-Fi scanners.

However, these features aren’t enough to keep your Android phone completely protected. To gain access to premium features like real-time protection, anti-phishing, a VPN, and others, you should invest in a low-cost premium option like Norton Mobile Security.