Best Antivirus for Android 2026: What the Lab Tests Actually Show

By Thomas Lovas Lokoy · Published October 25, 2026 — researched and drafted with AI assistance from published sources; edited and published by NorwegianSpark SA.

On the 2026 lab results, Bitdefender Mobile Security is the strongest Android security app we can point to: it detected 100% of the malware in both independent tests that ran this year, and missed only one of 17 stalkerware apps in the most recent stalkerware test. Norton 360 and the free Avast and AVG apps are close behind. Malwarebytes is the one to choose if spyware planted by someone you know is your main worry, because it was the only app to catch every stalkerware sample. Google's built-in Play Protect costs nothing and is far better than no protection, but in AV-Comparatives' 2026 review it had the lowest protection rate and the most false alarms of the products tested, and it was the only one not approved.

Kaspersky Premium for Android also scored at the top of both 2026 tests, with 100% at AV-TEST and 99.9% with one false positive at AV-Comparatives, and missed one stalkerware sample. Whether it is available and appropriate for you is a separate question, covered in is Kaspersky safe?.

How the two labs test

AV-TEST evaluated 12 Android security products in July 2026, on their default settings and in their current versions, on Android 15. Each product can score up to 6 points for protection, performance and usability, 18 in total, and needs 10 or more for AV-TEST's certificate. The real-time protection test used 3,041 recent malware samples, and the industry average detection rate was 99.9%. False alarms were checked against 2,199 legitimate apps from Google Play and 1,129 from third-party app stores, and none of the products in our table raised a single false warning on either set.

AV-Comparatives published its Mobile Security Review 2026 in June, using apps taken from Google Play in May 2026. It tested them against 3,156 malicious apps on genuine smartphones running unmodified Android 16, with an internet connection. To be approved, an app needed a protection rate of at least 99%, no more than 10 false positives, battery drain under 8%, and core features that worked without major issues. AV-Comparatives found that all the tested apps had only a minor effect on battery life.

The stalkerware test was a joint project by the EFF and AV-Comparatives, published in November 2025, covering 17 unique stalkerware products. It matters because stalkerware is usually installed by someone with access to your phone, and the EFF reports that the installation instructions often tell them to switch Play Protect off first.

The two 2026 tests do not cover the same apps, which is why some cells in the table are empty. Where a product was not tested, we say so rather than fill the gap.

Google Play Protect: a good default, not the strongest layer

Play Protect comes with certified Android phones. Google says it checks apps from the Play Store before you download them, checks your device for harmful apps from other sources, warns you about potentially harmful apps, and may deactivate or remove them. It is on by default, and Google recommends keeping it on. To check, open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon at the top right, then open Play Protect and its settings, where Scan apps with Play Protect should be switched on.

The lab results are mixed. AV-TEST gave it full marks in July 2026, with 99.8% real-time detection against an industry average of 99.9%. AV-Comparatives measured the lowest protection rate in its 2026 review, 98.9% with 8 false positives, and did not approve it. In the 2025 stalkerware test it caught 53%, which the EFF puts partly down to stalkerware instructions that have the installer disable it.

There is a second reason some readers need a third-party app. AV-Comparatives notes that, following a US Executive Order signed in November 2020, Google apps and services including Play Protect are no longer available on newer models from the affected Chinese manufacturers, and it argues that users without Android's built-in protections have a very strong case for a third-party security app.

The picks

Bitdefender Mobile Security: best overall. It is the only app in the table with 100% at both labs, full marks at AV-TEST, approval from AV-Comparatives, and a near-perfect stalkerware result. It is a paid app. AV-Comparatives lists anti-theft, safe browsing, app lock, a data leak checker, scam protection for SMS and instant messages, and a basic VPN, all managed from the Bitdefender Central app or website, and new accounts start with a 14-day trial. See Bitdefender.

Norton 360: best if you want one subscription across devices. It scored 100% at AV-TEST, and Norton 360 Deluxe scored 99.6% and was approved at AV-Comparatives. The review lists anti-malware, app auditing, safe browsing, scam protection, a built-in VPN, secure Wi-Fi and data leak monitoring, plus Norton Genie, which uses AI to check images, links and text messages you give it for signs of a scam. See Norton 360.

Avast One Free or AVG AntiVirus Free: best free. Both are ad-supported. AV-Comparatives notes that Avast owns AVG, that their Android apps are near-identical, and that Avast, AVG and Norton are all Gen Digital products using the Avast engine, which is why the three share a 99.6% result. Avast One Free includes anti-malware, safe browsing, app auditing, scam protection, Wi-Fi protection, a data leak checker and a photo vault that holds up to ten pictures. See Avast One. If Avast's past handling of user data is a concern, our Avast One review covers it.

Malwarebytes: best for spyware and stalkerware. It was the only app in the 2025 test to detect all 17 stalkerware products. It was not in either 2026 general malware test, so there is no comparable detection figure for it. Malwarebytes says its Android app detects trojans, spyware and ransomware before they install, and it bundles a VPN. See Malwarebytes.

ESET Mobile Security: a free tier with a strong stalkerware record. It missed one of the 17 stalkerware apps in 2025, and like Malwarebytes it was not in the 2026 general tests. ESET offers a free antivirus with an in-app upgrade that unlocks its premium features free for 30 days, and lists real-time scanning, protection against scam links and messages, remote lock and location tracking, app lock and call blocking. See ESET.

What an antivirus app cannot do for you

• It cannot make sideloading safe. Google warns that downloading apps from unknown sources puts your device and personal information at risk. The single most effective habit is getting apps from Google Play.
• It is only as good as its maker. AV-Comparatives points to the prevalence of rogue antivirus apps offering inadequate security. Install a product with a recent independent test result, not whichever app tops a search.
• It works within Android's limits. AV-Comparatives notes that Android increasingly restricts what third-party security apps can control, and that some vendors have removed features such as remote wipe on Android 14 and later. Android's own anti-theft and Find Hub tools now do part of that job.
• It will not stop every scam text. Several apps now scan messages and links, but the realistic threat on a phone is still a convincing message; see smishing: scam texts.

If you suspect something is already on your phone, how to check your phone for spyware walks through the checks on Android and iPhone. For the same comparison on a computer, see best antivirus 2026 and best antivirus for Mac, and for the wider question of whether you need to pay at all, do you need antivirus in 2026?.

The short version

Keep Play Protect switched on whatever else you do. If you want the strongest measured protection, Bitdefender Mobile Security topped both 2026 lab tests. Norton 360 makes sense if you want one subscription across several devices, Avast One Free or AVG AntiVirus Free are the best-tested free options, and Malwarebytes is the pick if stalkerware is the specific worry. Lab results change with every round, so check the current figures at AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives before you buy.

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