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Labs Reveal Top Android Antivirus Performance
20 Apr
Summary
- Bitdefender achieved perfect scores from all three testing labs.
- Top apps offer safe browsing and scan installed apps for privacy risks.
- Some security apps are dropping anti-theft features due to Android upgrades.
Independent testing labs have evaluated the effectiveness of Android antivirus utilities, with Bitdefender emerging as a top performer. AV-Comparatives reported Bitdefender achieving a perfect 100% against over 3,000 malware samples. AV-Test Institute's evaluations found that most tested Android antivirus apps earned a perfect 18 points for protection, performance, and usability, with F-Secure scoring slightly lower.
MRG-Effitas tested over a dozen apps, with Avast and Avira scoring 99.29% and others achieving 100%. These security applications typically include on-demand and scheduled scans, alongside safe browsing features to protect users from malicious URLs and phishing attempts.
Beyond basic antivirus, these tools scan installed apps for privacy risks, flagging those requesting excessive permissions. Anti-theft features, once standard, are being removed by some providers like Norton and McAfee as Android's native security improves. Avast and AVG now leverage Android's built-in anti-theft, while Bitdefender and ESET retain their own.
Advanced features found in some apps include SIM card protection, backup options, battery monitors, task killers, and Wi-Fi security warnings. While call blocking is becoming rarer due to OS changes, Avira, ESET, and Panda still offer it. Some apps, like Avast and Norton, provide real-time Play Store app scanning, and several include bandwidth-limited or unlimited VPN services.
