Your phone probably has sensitive information on it, so it may be a good idea to install some security software on it. There’s some debate about whether you really need antivirus apps on your smartphone. Much depends on whether you sideload apps, but there’s no denying that malware has grown into a much greater concern since we first wrote this article back in 2012. Luckily, security apps have improved dramatically to keep pace with the new threats, so you have plenty of great protection to choose from.
The majority of security apps go beyond antivirus protection for Android to include a host of other tools from contact filtering to remote lock or wipe. We decided to take a look at the top five Android security apps and find out what they do. We are taking a look at these from a consumer point of view, so be warned that some of the "free" apps are only free for personal, non-commercial useAveraging a 99.9 percent malware detection rate over the last two years, Trend Micro is a consistently solid choice. In the latest report, it managed 100 percent for real-time detection and 100 percent for malware discovered in the last four weeks. It also returned no false positives and it won’t impact noticeably on battery life or performance.
You get a handful of other tools with the free version of Trend Micro’s app. There’s protection against phishing sites, a privacy scanner for Facebook, and some tools to help you save battery life and memory. There’s also a neat “Just-a-Phone” feature that kills all non-essential background processes. There’s a 7-day free trial of the premium features, which include malware blocking and cleaning, anti-theft tools, app locking, call filtering, and more. At $36 per year, we’re not convinced it’s worth it, but the free version will cover you for malware detection and it already has some handy extras.As a genuinely free app for the Android platform, Avast Mobile Security offers an impressive range of tools. It has antivirus protection, it scans your apps to provide details on what they are doing, and it has a web shield that scans URLs for malware.
There are various additional tools in the package including a call blocker for blacklisting problem numbers, an app locker to PIN protect private apps, and Wi-Fi scanning options for improved security and speed. Sadly, the app locking and anti-theft features require you to subscribe to the "Pro" version, which also removes ads and gives you direct support access from the app.
If you have a rooted device, then there’s also a firewall that allows you to control network traffic. You can block access to Wi-Fi or the network for specific apps, which is handy for security and may potentially save battery life as well.According to the latest AV-Test report of 21 popular Android security apps from September 2017, Avast is a solid option with a detection rate of the latest Android malware in real time of 99.8 percent, rising to 100 percent for malware discovered in the last four weeks. That puts it near the very top of the charts in terms of malware detection, which, combined with the extra functionality, makes it worth considering. It has a light footprint with no discernible drain on battery life and no impact on general performance. It also returned no false positives.
The free version of this Android security app provides a decent range of features, keeps you safe from malware, and offers extra protection for rooted devices, making it a strong contender. If you’re looking for a security solution for your Android smartphone, and your primary concern is malware and safe browsing, then this could be the right app for
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