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If you’re looking for the best spyware app to protect an Android phone, Malwarebytes Mobile Security had the strongest result in AV-Comparatives’ September 2025 test: it detected 100% of the test cases. Bitdefender, ESET, Kaspersky and McAfee each detected 94%. Those figures are a dated result from one test—not a guarantee that an app will find every form of spyware on your phone. This guide is about detecting stalkerware and other unwanted monitoring, not installing software to secretly watch someone.
What does “spyware” mean in this guide?
Here, spyware means software used to monitor a person or device without the user’s knowledge. The FTC describes stalkerware, also known as spyware, as software or an app that someone installs on a phone or other device without the owner’s knowledge. Depending on the software, it may expose location, microphone recordings, messages, email, photos, videos or browsing activity.
There is an important distinction between a security app that detects unwanted monitoring and a covert monitoring product designed to observe someone. This is a defensive review. AV-Comparatives cautions that although buying and selling such software may be legal, using it to monitor someone without their knowledge is often a crime. Do not use monitoring software to track another person without their informed consent.
Which Android security apps detected stalkerware in the 2025 test?
In AV-Comparatives’ September 2025 Android test, Malwarebytes Mobile Security detected every test case. Four products detected 94%, while Google Play Protect detected 53%. The table reports the results as published; it is a snapshot of specific products, test conditions and commercial stalkerware samples, not a permanent league table.
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| Android product | Detection in the test | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Malwarebytes Mobile Security | 100% | Highest result in this test. |
| Bitdefender Mobile Security | 94% | Specific app version details are not stated here. |
| ESET Mobile Security | 94% | Specific app version details are not stated here. |
| Kaspersky Mobile Security | 94% | Installed from the vendor’s website because it was not available on Google Play at test time. |
| McAfee Mobile Security | 94% | Specific app version details are not stated here. |
| Avast Mobile Security | 88% | Specific app version details are not stated here. |
| Avira Antivirus Security | 88% | Specific app version details are not stated here. |
| F-Secure Total Security | 88% | Specific app version details are not stated here. |
| Norton 360 Mobile Security | About 82% | Approximate result as reported. |
| Sophos Intercept X for Mobile | About 82% | Approximate result as reported. |
| G DATA Mobile Security | 65% | Specific app version details are not stated here. |
| Trend Micro Mobile Security | 59% | Specific app version details are not stated here. |
| Google Play Protect | 53% | Built-in Android protection was included as a comparison. |
The test included 13 Android security products and commercial stalkerware samples. Some samples interfered with security software. The report does not establish that these percentages predict how an app will perform against every real-world installation, a modified app, a new release, or monitoring tied to online accounts.
How should you choose an Android spyware scanner?
Do not choose on a detection percentage alone. The useful question is whether a product can find the kind of monitoring you are concerned about, explain the alert clearly, and let you act at a safe time.
Use a dated independent result as one signal
A benchmark is most useful when it names the test date, platform, tested products and sample type. The September 2025 results are meaningful evidence about the tested Android setup. They are not proof of current performance for an untested version, another operating system, or a different collection of threats. Check whether newer independent results are available when you make a decision; no newer result is established here.
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Ask what the scanner actually checks
Compare whether a product scans the full device or only installed apps, and whether it monitors new installations in real time. Those capabilities answer different needs: an on-demand scan checks what is present during the scan, while monitoring new installations can flag later changes. The test figures above do not establish which of these functions each product provides, so verify them in the product’s current documentation before relying on them.
Check how it handles interference and alerts
Some stalkerware samples in the test interfered with security products. Ask whether the app describes protection against tampering, and what it tells you when a scan finds something. A warning that says “stalkerware” or explains why an app is concerning is more actionable than a generic “threat detected” label. The EFF/AV-Comparatives report found that detection varied substantially and that strong detection did not always come with clear, context-rich warnings.
Look for control over the next step
Detection and removal are separate tasks. The test found that none of the products removed stalkerware automatically: users had to initiate uninstallation. That gives you a chance to consider timing, but only if the interface makes the choice understandable. Look for removal controls that let you decide when to act rather than forcing immediate deletion, especially if another person might notice a change.
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Review coverage and support, not just scanning
Before installing a security app, check its platform coverage, privacy policy, update cadence and support options. These are practical decision factors, but the September 2025 detection percentages do not compare them. Do not assume a product’s Android result applies to iPhone, desktop devices or accounts you use online.
Is Google Play Protect enough to find spyware?
Google Play Protect detected 53% of the test cases in this specific September 2025 benchmark. That is useful as a comparison point, but it means a clean result from Play Protect cannot establish that a device has no stalkerware.
That result does not make Play Protect useless, nor does it establish how it performs against every app or threat. It shows why it is unwise to treat a single scanner—built-in or separately installed—as a definitive answer. If you are concerned, consider the circumstances as well as the scan: unexpected access to sensitive information, a person knowing things they should not know, or other signs may deserve careful attention even when a scanner reports nothing.
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How can you tell if someone put spyware on your phone?
A scan can identify suspicious software, but no one result can confirm or rule out every form of monitoring. The benchmark showed substantial differences among products, and the report warned that samples could interfere with security tools. A clean scan is therefore one piece of information, not proof that your phone is safe.
Be especially careful if you suspect a partner or another person who may react to changes on the device. The FTC warns that researching the issue, calling for help, scanning, or removing an app may tip off an abuser. If that risk applies, avoid taking visible action on the phone until you have considered a safer way to get advice.
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- Consider whether the person you are concerned about can see your browsing, calls, messages or location through the phone or another account.
- If seeking help could be noticed, use a device the other person cannot access, such as a trusted person’s phone or a public computer, where safe and available.
- Ask a domestic-violence advocate for advice before running scans or changing settings if you fear retaliation. The safest next step depends on your situation.
- Do not treat an unfamiliar app name or one generic security alert as proof of who installed it or why. Seek an explanation from the security product and make decisions with your safety in mind.
How do you remove spyware safely?
Removal can stop monitoring, but a sudden change may alert the person responsible. The FTC’s safety warning matters as much as the technical step: if you may be at risk, get advice from a trusted advocate using a safer device before scanning or removing anything.
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- Think through safety first. If a person may retaliate after losing access, do not start with an immediate uninstall. Find a safer device to seek advice and decide when and how to act.
- Use a reputable security app for a scan. The 2025 test shows that products differed in detection, and no scanner can be assumed to find every kind of monitoring. A result should be treated as evidence to evaluate, not as a complete diagnosis.
- Read the alert and identify the finding. The test found that most products gave generic alerts, so a message may not explain what an app does or why it is risky. If the warning is unclear, consult the product’s support or documentation from a device that is safe to use.
- Choose the timing of removal. In the tested products, users had to initiate uninstallation; none automatically removed stalkerware. Do not assume that an alert means removal has already happened, and consider the consequences of acting at that moment.
- Reassess what the scan cannot cover. A scan may not detect modified or newly released software, and it cannot by itself rule out monitoring linked to accounts. If concerns persist, seek appropriate expert or advocate guidance rather than repeatedly relying on one clean scan.
The exact removal controls vary by app and Android version, and the test does not provide product-by-product instructions. Follow the current instructions from the security app and device maker, while accounting for safety before changing the phone.
What legal warning applies to covert monitoring?
Covertly monitoring another person can have serious privacy and legal consequences. The FTC finalized a 2021 order banning SpyFone/Support King and Scott Zuckerman from offering, promoting, selling or advertising surveillance apps and requiring deletion of illegally collected data. In December 2025, the FTC denied a petition to vacate or modify that order. This enforcement action is a concrete example, not a complete summary of laws in every jurisdiction.
For someone worried about being monitored, the practical point is not to confront a suspected installer or remove software without considering personal safety. For anyone considering surveillance, the responsible choice is not to use software to monitor someone without their knowledge and consent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a spyware scanner check my online accounts too?
Not necessarily. A phone scan may examine software on the device, but it cannot by itself rule out monitoring through an account someone can access. The test figures here do not measure account security.
Does the 2025 Android test tell me which app is best for an iPhone?
No. The benchmark described here tested Android security products and Android samples; it does not establish comparative iPhone detection.
If a scanner finds an app, does that prove who installed it?
No. A detection result can flag software, but the test does not show that a scanner identifies who installed an app or their intent. Avoid treating a generic alert as proof about a specific person.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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