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3 Comments Iván Ramírez @ivan_r

There are those who install an antivirus everywhere and those who have not touched one for years. If you are part of the first group, we have selected the best 9 free antiviruses that are available on Android today. All of them, renowned antivirus.

First, we will reflect on whether or not it is necessary to install an antivirus on your mobile, and then we will show you a list of the best ones, including some options that do not require you to install anything additional, such as Google Play Protect or web-based antivirus, to scan specific files.

A look at… How to PROTECT your ANDROID from VIRUSES and MALWARE: Tips and Tricks

Do you really need an antivirus?

This is the question of the decade. Now that root is in the doldrums, Android apps are much more restricted in what they can and can't do, including typical malware behavior like stealing data, spreading to other devices, or doing all sorts of other havoc. It is common to draw parallels between Windows antivirus and mobile, although they are two completely different systems.

In Xataka AndroidIs it necessary to install an antivirus on Android?

However, Android is far from perfect or invulnerable to threats. More frequently than we would like, we receive news of malware found inside and outside the Google store, proving that in Google's ongoing war against malware, some battles are won and others are lost. Is it recommended, therefore, to install an antivirus on the mobile?

Using an antivirus is recommended, although this does not mean that you need to install a suite of 300 tools. Google Play Protect is enough for most users

The short answer is yes, but with an important nuance: Android phones already have an integrated antivirus, Google Play Protect. Play Protect serves as a line of defense against known malware and does the basic protection tasks of an antivirus: analyze applications and tell you if any of them are malware. If so, it shows you a warning before you install it, or prompting you to uninstall it, if it is already on the system.

While Google Play Protect is a lightweight option, third-party antiviruses offer a more comprehensive suite of tools, adding to the mix phishing link scanning, identity protection tools, or the ability to talk to someone in case there is a problem, something that is not in Google Play Protect. In the words of the antivirus creators themselves, they are a security bonus over Play Protect.

Some users will prefer a complete suite of security tools, while others will suffice with the more lightweight Google Play Protect or selective scanning of suspicious files, such as APKs, with specialized websites such as VirusTotal. Is an antivirus necessary on Android? Yes, although this does not necessarily mean installing one, it is enough to activate Play Protect.

The best antivirus for Android

Taking the above into account, we have created a list of the main free antivirus for Android available today. We will take into account the free versions of each one, since most of them have professional versions or subscriptions that add more capabilities.

Google Play Protect

Google Play Protect is the default antivirus for Android. It is pre-installed on all mobiles that include Google Play, having become the default security tool for millions of mobiles.

The best thing about Google Play Protect is that it does its job without bothering you. You won't see pop-ups, warnings that "your mobile is in danger" or threats that really aren't as dangerous as in other more complex antiviruses. Basically, Google Play Protect only makes itself known when it finds a threat on the mobile. To access it, you must go to the Google Play menu ☰ and enter Play Protect.

Avast

Avast is one of the best-known names in the antivirus landscape, with over 25 years of experience. For Android mobiles, it comes under the name of Avast Mobile Security, a suite of tools that range from the classic scanner to protection against phishing, anti-theft protection or VPN connection for extra security, although several of these additional tools are premium features.

Avast notifies you of both dangerous applications (installed or in the form of APKs), as well as active options on the mobile that could be exploited, such as USB debugging. The free version has ads and includes basic versions of the anti-theft tools, the photo vault or the Wi-Fi security scene.

Avast Antivirus Free – Virus Cleaner

AVG Antivirus

Avast bought AVG in 2016, so no it's no surprise that the mobile versions of both antiviruses are practically identical, if we disregard the icon and the name. Therefore, AVG has the same advantages as Avast, the only difference being the color of the interface.

Therefore, you have a classic scanner of files and applications installed on your mobile, a junk cleaner, Wi-Fi network analysis and limited versions of other functions available in the premium version.

AVG AntiVirus Free 2021 – Security for Android

Kaspersky

Kaspersky is another antivirus heavyweight that gave the leap, many years ago, from the PC to the mobile. The mobile version of Kaspersky performs an analysis of your mobile, as in its version for Windows, as well as including a series of additional tools, some of which are available for free.

A positive point of the Kaspersky application is that its interface can be both very simple, showing the analysis percentage, and showing the details of everything it is doing. It also includes a call filter and anti-theft protection for the mobile.

Kaspersky Antivirus Android Free - Security

Avira

Avira is another well-known name in the antivirus landscape, being a company founded 35 years ago. The Android version allows you to check the security of your mobile in two ways: with a button and that's it (intelligent analysis) or with different types of analysis focused on security, privacy or performance.

In addition to the classic analysis of the applications you have installed, Avira includes a good series of additional tools in the free version, such as identity protection, call blocking, anti-theft protection or network analyzer.

Avira Security 2020 - Antivirus & VPN

BitDefender

The free version of BitDefender for Android allows you to scan all the files of your mobile and the applications that you have installed in search of the undesirable malware. This analysis takes a while, depending on the power of your mobile and how many applications you have installed.

The main difference between BitDefender and most Android antivirus is that it's an old-fashioned antivirus and that's it, without tools, RAM cleaners or other distractions. It is, therefore, a good option for those who want to analyze viruses and nothing else.

Bitdefender Antivirus Free

Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes is another malware scanner for Windows that made the leap to mobile . Its malware scanner is available on Android, analyzing in depth all the applications you have installed, and taking a long time doing it.

In addition to looking at malicious apps, it alerts you to system settings that could be exploited (like USB debugging) and can run a privacy audit, which shows you a summary of what your installed apps have access to.

Malwarebytes Protection: Antivirus & Anti-Malware

McAfee

The mobile version of McAfee scans all your mobile files and installed applications for malware and applications that potentially They are not of interest to you. As in the previous cases, the free version includes only some of the available tools.

As a free user, you also have available anti-theft protection, analysis of the security -or not- of the Wi-Fi network to which you are connected and some typical performance tools such as a storage cleaner or a memory cleaner .

Mobile Security: Secure Wi-Fi with VPN and anti-theft

Web antivirus like Virustotal

If none of the above convinces you, or you just prefer a more passive solution, you can always use a web antivirus to scan APK files before installing them. Most web antivirus are adapted so that you can use them from your mobile. Here are some of them:

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