Updated May 2021
You might have heard that, unlike a PC, Android devices can’t get viruses. While there is some truth to this statement, viruses are only one of the many types of malware that can affect PC and Android devices, including both your smartphone and your Android TV box.
Just like on your PC, if you pick up malware on your Android TV box, you might start to notice it running painfully slowly, you might notice pop-up advertising that you just can’t stop, or you might not notice anything while your device silently leaks your personal data to attackers.
Don’t have personal data on your TV box? Think again. What about your Netflix password? And how exactly do you pay for the subscription?
You may be particularly at risk if you are using Kodi add-ons or torrenting content, as these are even more likely to contain malware than anything you stream on Netflix or any websites you visit.
But it is good news that it is super easy to protect yourself. Most of the big-name antivirus software providers have created security apps specifically designed to work on Android. Just download them from the Google Play Store to get started.
But, of course, not all antivirus software is created equal. Some offer better, more appropriate, and more affordable protection for Android devices, and especially TV boxes, than others.
So, narrow your search with our list of the five best antivirus options for Android, plus our buying guide for when it comes to this type of protection.
But first…
Quick Product Links
- AVG Antivirus For Android – Best Overall For Android And Android TV
- Avast Mobile Security – Best Free Android Antivirus
- BitDefender Antivirus Free – Best Lightweight Android Antivirus
- McAfee Security And Power Booster Free – Best Trusted Name
- Trend Micro Mobile Security & Antivirus – Best For Facebook
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Do Your Android Smartphone And Android TV Box Need Antivirus?
The short answer to this question is yes. But…
We often use the term virus to refer to a wide range of malicious programs that can attack your computer, but there many different types of “viruses,” including ransomware, spyware, adware, worms, and more.
We have not seen any Android viruses that replicate the way viruses do on PC. So, technically, your Android device can’t get a virus. But it can be infected with all other types of malware, which can be prevented and removed using antivirus software.
Your Android smartphone and Android TV box can still pick up dangerous malware, just like your PC.
You can be especially vulnerable depending on the programs you are running. An example would be running Kodi or torrenting files. These activities often involve downloading files from insecure sources, which may increase your chance of encountering issues.
Also, don’t forget that your Android TV box is almost certainly set up on your home network, so if it is attacked, the infection can spread from your Android TV box to every device on your network, including your PC, and even your smart thermostat and refrigerator (what hackers might want to do with your fridge I don’t know, but people are imaginative).
Find out more, read Is Your Device A Target For An Android TV Box Virus?
5 Best Antivirus Programs For Android And Android TV
1. AVG Antivirus For Android – Best Overall For Android And Android TV
AVG Antivirus for Android is probably the most popular on the market. It comes from a well-known name in the antivirus and anti-malware world, so you can be sure that updates are regular, and it comes packed with features. You can install it on any Android device, including your smartphone, watch, and Android TV boxes.
There is a free, ad-supported version of this app for those who really can’t afford to pay just $14.99 a year for the full protection package.
- Affordable
- Has more basic, free ad-supported version
- Compatible with Android TV
- Comes with VPN as standard
- Anti-theft features
- Works on Android 5.0 and above
With both the free and the paid-for version of this app, you get great antivirus and anti-malware protection. This includes scanning apps as they are installed for risks and scheduled scans of your device for risks in general. The app will all scan Wi-Fi networks to ensure they are safe to join.
The standout feature setting AVG apart is that it comes with a VPN included, which allows you to encrypt your online activities, hiding your personal details, and letting you appear like you are anywhere in the world.
This free VPN is nowhere near as powerful and sophisticated as paid-for subscription services. If you are planning on using Kodi on any of your devices, you will want a more sophisticated VPN that caters to Kodi. But for basic use, it can be more than enough.
Upgrading to the paid version not only removes ads but also unlocks loads of excellent additional features. You get password locking for sensitive apps and access to a secure vault to store your most important files remotely.
You also get a variety of excellent anti-theft features such as tracking your phone’s location, remote locking, and remote wiping. You can even make your phone emit a siren, which can be great if your phone has been stolen or you have just misplaced it somewhere in the house. If someone is trying to block your phone, it will email you images and audio of the culprit.
On top of this, there is also call blocking, an app for seeing which apps are using too much battery or might be leaking data; the list goes on.
What we like: We like that this app is accessible with both a free and an affordable paid version, and it comes with VPN as standard. On top of that, we love just how powerful the pro-version of this app is. It really covers all your security needs in one place.
We don’t like: That’s a tricky one. The VPN that comes with the antivirus isn’t that sophisticated so it won’t meet the VPN needs of Kodi users, who will need to upgrade to a paid VPN service. But apart from that…
If you are looking for the most sophisticated protection for your Android device, and don’t want to pay the Earth, AVG is a great choice.
You can download AVG Antivirus for Android here.
2. Avast Mobile Security – Best Free Android Antivirus
The well-respected name in antivirus software has long had an application just for Android, but it has recently made this paid-for product completely free. It is now supported by ads. If you can’t stand the ads, you can pay a small monthly subscription fee.
You can protect your Android smartphone, tablet, or Android TV by simply downloading the app from the Google Play Store.
- Free ad-supported software
- Compatible with Android TV
- Call-blocker
- Firewall
- Additional security features such as tracking and remote wipe
- Works on Android 5.0 and above
It does everything you would expect from an anti-malware app: it performs regular automated scans to detect threats, alerts you to malicious apps before you install them, protects your devices against malware-infected web links, and verifies the security of the Wi-Fi networks that you connect to. It also had a call blocker for those nuisance numbers that just keep calling!
Because this product comes from one of the biggest names in antivirus and anti-malware software, you can rest assured it is being updated regularly and you are always getting the best protection.
But Avast also comes with some nice additional features. For example, you can track your device’s location, password-protect apps that contain sensitive personal data, and wipe your phone remotely should it be stolen. It also lets you optimize your device’s battery life and track which apps you are using the most. You should be able to do most of these things with your Android device anyway, but it is nice to have all these security features in one place.
What we like: This is a genuinely free app that provides quality, up-to-date protection. There is also no scrimping on additional features just because it is free.
What we don’t like: That it is ad-supported, since they can be annoying, but the pro version will only set you back $1.99 per month if you really can’t stand it.
If you are looking for a free way to protect your Android devices, you can’t really go wrong with big-name Avast.
You can download Avast Mobile Security for Android here.
3. BitDefender Antivirus Free – Best Lightweight Android Antivirus
While not as well-known as Avast, BitDefender is another big name antivirus provider for all kinds of systems that also provides free protection for Android. What sets this software apart is that it is lightweight. It does not run in the background, eating up system resources and battery. Instead, you schedule or manually run scans. Just don’t forget to do so.
- Free
- Lightweight – does not run in the background
- New apps automatically checked
- Compatible with Android TV
- Works on Android 4.1 and above
The idea of manually scanning your phone might be off-putting for some users, but it is actually incredibly easy to install and use the app, so all you really need to do is set yourself a diary reminder. You also don’t have to worry about turning it on every time you download a new app. It will scan new apps automatically when they are installed. But, it will only detect the virus from that nefarious web link after the fact.
The same antivirus app you install on your phone can also be installed on your Android TV box or Android watch with ease. In fact, if you have an Android watch and you update from the free version of this app to pro, your smartwatch can also alert you if you have accidentally left your phone behind. For those who habitually do this, it will be worth the $14.99 per year.
The pro version also offers some other enhanced features, such as real-time browser protection and anti-theft features such as location tracking and remote wiping. Considering it is not expensive, it can be worth it just for this first feature.
What we like: That this app is free and that it is not constantly running in the background, which doesn’t make everything run just that little bit slower.
What we don’t like: That the free version does not include live scanning for browser activity, but it is not expensive to upgrade.
If you are concerned about how antivirus software will affect your device’s performance, you can optimize performance and still get excellent protection with BitDefender.
You can download BitDefender Antivirus Free for Android here.
4. McAfee Security And Power Booster Free – Best Trusted Name
McAfee has become a byword for antivirus and anti-malware, so it is no surprise they also have coverage for Android, which can be installed via the Google Play store on any devices running the Android operating system.
- Free ad-supported version of paid-for Pro version
- Scan apps to see if they are leaking data
- Pro version comes with anti-theft features
- Works on Android 5.0 and later
- Compatible with Android TV
As seen with the other options here, there is both an ad-supported free version and a paid-for version of this protection – though the paid-for version of this app costs almost double that of its competitors. Both offer standard antivirus security, including a scanner and checking new apps as they are installed, and you can also scan existing apps to see whether they are leaking data.
But the paid-for version comes with additional anti-theft security features, including emailing you photos of anyone trying to unlock your device.
What we like: This is powerful antivirus software from a name you can trust.
What we don’t like: To make the most of this app, you really need to invest in the paid version, but it is twice as expensive as its competitors on the market.
If you are all about trust, and you already trust McAfee to protect your computer, you will be happy to see the same great protection on your phone. But be prepared to pay for it.
You can download McAfee Security and Power Booster Free here.
5. Trend Micro Mobile Security & Antivirus – Best For Facebook
For our last choice, we have picked a bit of an outlier: Trend Micro Mobile Security. This is because we have been concerned about Facebook privacy for a number of years, even uninstalling the app.
Its constantly changing privacy policy is not reassuring, and the app has always leaked data. This antivirus also comes with a privacy scanner specifically for Facebook to ensure it isn’t displaying sensitive personal information.
- Free and paid-for versions of the app
- Facebook privacy scanner included
- Pro version comes with anti-theft features
- Works on Android 5.0 and later
- Compatible with Android TV
There is a free and a paid version of the app; the latter will set you back $17.99 per year. It will scan all apps as they are installed, monitor website URLs and links you might receive via Messenger or WhatsApp, and scan Wi-Fi networks.
The paid version of the app also comes with all the advanced features we have seen with the other options on the list, including a dashboard of anti-theft options and password-lock for selected apps. As well as scanning your Facebook app for leaking data, it will do the same with all your apps.
What we like: That this app is responding to some of the issues we are most concerned about, such as popular apps like Facebook collecting data on our activity without our knowledge.
What we don’t like: While this is a great idea, there is still work to be done to improve the app. I can get similar protection from one of the free apps on this list, and just not install Facebook.
But if you are a Facebook fan and want to protect yourself, and you want to support a company that is innovating, this is an excellent antivirus choice.
You can download Trend Micro Mobile Security & Antivirus here.
Android And Android TV Antivirus Buying Guide
While these are our top picks for antivirus software for Android and Android TV, there are lots of others on the market.
So, how do you determine which are worth the price tag and which are a waste of time? Here is our list of the main things you should be considering when choosing antivirus software for Android or Android TV.
Brand Name
We don’t like the idea of dismissing a product because we haven’t heard of it and not giving new products a chance. However, unless you have quite a bit of technical expertise and can dig into the details of the protocols used by the anti-virus software, we suggest going with a name you have heard of.
For the big online security companies such as Avast, Norton, and Kaspersky, they have a reputation to maintain, and they have teams of people working on updating and dealing with new threats. So, name does matter.
Cost
You don’t want to be paying above the odds for your antivirus software, so you should know what the industry standard is.
You can get basic antivirus coverage for Android free, as long as you are willing to put up with some ads. This will, at a minimum, check apps as you download them and do regular scans for issues. But don’t expect additional features such as anti-theft or app password lock.
For bells and whistles, you’ll need to pay. At the moment, you should expect to pay between $14.99 and $24.99 per year. If you are being asked for more than that, you need to consider what extra features you are getting for your extra dollars.
Extra Features
Antivirus apps set themselves apart with the extra features they offer, but they are not always as good as they sound.
Take anti-theft features such as location tracking and remote wiping. These are something you should be able to do with your Android phone anyway using your associated Google account, as long as you have the right settings. Emailing you a photo of who is accessing your phone, however, is a nice additional feature. Call blocking is also something you can already do.
An inbuilt VPN is also a nice feature, but the kind of VPN you are likely to get in this way will probably be basic. It will support browsing, but don’t expect to be able to access geographically-restricted streaming services or download torrents. For this, you will need to download (and pay for) a more sophisticated VPN.
While it is incredibly convenient to have all of these features in one security app, you do have to consider how much that convenience is worth.
The main additional features we like to see offered with Android antivirus are:
- App password-lock
- A VPN (for basic users)
- Anti-theft features that include taking photos and/or audio of anyone trying to access your phone
- Sirens or other features that help you physically locate your phone when it is lost
Operating System Compatibility
Finally, make sure the antivirus is compatible with the Android operating system you plan to use. This is not a problem with most devices, as most antivirus software will work with anything from Android 5.0 and later. But be careful of options that don’t have this back compatibility.
This can be particularly important if you are planning on installing the Android on your Android TV Box, as they tend to run older versions of the operating system.
FAQs
How Do I Find My Android Device If It Is Stolen?
While many antivirus subscriptions will also offer you the ability to locate and/or erase your device if it is lost as an additional security feature, this is something
you can already do if you are using Google.
You can do this as long as your phone is switched off and connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, is signed into Google, and has Location Services and Find My Device turned on in settings.
Once you have your device set up like this, then just go to https://android.com/find and sign onto your Google Account. Choose the device that you want to locate, and it should appear on the map.
From here, you can also command your device to play sound on high for five minutes to help you find it. You can also secure the device by adding a password if you don’t have one and put a notification message on the screen.
If the device is irretrievable, you can permanently delete all the data on your device (though not your SD card). This protects your data, but you will no longer be able to track the location of the device.
How Do I Remove A Shadow App From My Android Device?
Sometimes a malicious app will make it on its way to your phone and do annoying things like constantly showing you pop-up advertising. You think that you can just delete the app, but when you go to find it in your list of apps it isn’t there. So, how do you remove this shadow app?
Removing the app will require you to boot your phone in safe mode. How exactly you do that depends on the model of phone, but it usually involves something like holding down the power and the volume up and down buttons at the same time for several seconds.
In this mode, you should be able to see the full administrator list of apps, including the one that has been causing you a headache. From here, you can delete it. You should also look for other suspicious apps, as you often pick up more than one at the same time.
You can then reboot your device normally. If you don’t already have it, this should be a reminder to download antivirus software, that can scan all new downloads for this type of malware and prevent them.
Does Factory Reset Remove Malware?
A factory reset removes all data and settings from your phone. So, you lose everything, and while most malware will also be removed, there are some pervasive forms of malware that will remain and continue to infect your phone after you repopulate it.
This is why it is often better to use a malware scanning app to identify and remove malware, as they can be more effective, and you don’t have to sacrifice your data.
The Verdict
Just like your PC, your Android device, your smartphone, tablet, or TV box can be infected by malware. Your TV box may be at even greater risk if you are running insecure Kodi add-ons or torrenting content.
Fortunately, most of the big-name security and antivirus companies that you know about from your PC also make versions of their protection for your Android device. They are incredibly easy to install, just download their dedicated application for the Google Play Store, and authenticate your subscription to get started.
While there are some free, ad-supported antivirus options available for Android, you should expect to pay around $30-$40 a year for decent protection.
Do you have any experience using antivirus on Android or Android TV? Share your thoughts below in the comments to support the community.
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