Keeping your Android smartphone safe without proper security software is a tad risky. Especially if you open a lot of files on your phone from your email or apps. A good virus scanner is therefore not an unnecessary luxury.
There are a lot of completely free virus scanners available in the PlayStore. Yet not all of them are equally reliable. Of course, you would prefer to be protected by a reputable company. Because there is only one thing worse than being scammed by an app you downloaded from Google Play: being scammed by an antivirus app.
Keep your Android smartphone safe with help from these free virus scanners
Fortunately, almost every major antivirus maker has an Android app, a few of which are free. And by free, we really mean free. Not a 30-day trial period, but completely for free. Some may have limited features, but this is usually the trade-off you make with free apps. Here are four virus scanners that are definitely worth a try.
1. Avira Security for Android
Avira gets the top score from experts and users alike, and this is not without reason. The virus scanner for Android has a huge row of cool features. Besides the virus scanner, Avira has 100 MB of VPN usage per day, storage optimization features, and identity protection. It’s a nice array of features along with premium protection.
Download Avira Security here
2. Bitdefender Antivirus for Android
If you are looking for something simpler than Avira, with the same quality, Bitdefender is your best option. The Romania-based company offers two apps in the Play Store. The free version is Bitdefender Antivirus, but there is also a paid app. This one is called Bitdefender Mobile Security. The free version does exactly what it’s supposed to do: it scans your phone whenever you want and filters out unwanted hardware. The Android app also has a minimal automated Autopilot scan. This is especially useful if you’re downloading a new app. The scanner automatically checks for potential threats upon installation.
Download Bitdefender here
3. AVG Antivirus Free
Another top-notch protector is AVG Antivirus & Security for Android. The app has an awful lot to offer. It can scan apps and files, clean up junk files, and scan your current Wi-Fi network. AVG also offers protection against dangerous websites, a “RAM booster” that turns off background apps and an anti-theft feature. The latter allows you to track and secure your smartphone remotely. The app only has one drawback. Namely, AVG uses ads, while other virus scanners from this list do not.
Download AVG Antivirus here
4. Sophos Intercept X for Mobile
For a free virus scanner, Sophos offers a surprising amount of features. For example, the Android app can scan malware on apps and files, block malicious Web pages, and protect your smartphone from mysterious links. It also scans Wifi networks and features a privacy advisor. There is one small caveat, though. In practice, the virus scanner works a little less efficiently than the others in this list. Still, it’s a fine service with some interesting features.
Download Sophos Intercept here