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Google Play Protect is the right starting point for almost every Android phone. It is enabled by default, checks apps before download, scans periodically, and can warn about, disable, or remove harmful apps. If you want a separate security app, six products—Avast Antivirus & Security, AVG Antivirus Free, Avira Antivirus Security, Bitdefender Mobile Security, Google Play Protect, and Sophos Intercept X for Mobile—each scored the maximum 6/6/6 in AV-TEST’s July 2026 Android round.
That tie does not prove that all six have the same free features, advertisements, permissions, regional availability, or scanning controls. The practical choice is therefore: keep Play Protect on, then select a third-party app only after checking its current Google Play listing and free-tier limits. The available sources also do not verify that Hazel Shaw personally performed the testing implied by the original headline.
Is Google Play Protect enough for an Android phone?
For many people, yes. Play Protect supplies a built-in malware check without another installation, subscription, or separate account. Google says it “checks your apps and devices for harmful behavior,” including apps obtained from outside Google Play.
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What Play Protect does
- Checks apps before you download them from Google Play.
- Periodically scans apps already installed on the device.
- Checks for potentially harmful applications from other sources.
- Can warn you about an app, disable it, or remove it when Google identifies harmful behavior.
- Runs by default, although a user can turn scanning off.
Google’s current instructions are in its Play Protect help documentation. Leaving the service enabled gives every Android user a baseline layer, even if no additional security app is installed.
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When another app can make sense
A separate app may be useful if you specifically want a different scanning workflow, extra web or scam checks, a second opinion, or controls that Play Protect does not expose. Those features are product- and plan-specific. A high laboratory score alone does not establish that a feature is included at no cost, that scanning is continuous rather than manual, or that the app is offered in your country.
What did the July 2026 AV-TEST results actually measure?
AV-TEST’s July 2026 Android consumer evaluation covered 12 mobile-security products using current versions and default settings. It scored protection, performance, and usability separately, with up to six points in each category and 18 points overall. The results below are a dated laboratory snapshot, not a permanent ranking.
| Product | Version shown by AV-TEST | Protection | Performance | Usability | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avast Antivirus & Security | 26.11 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| AVG Antivirus Free | 26.6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| Avira Antivirus Security | 7.32 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| Bitdefender Mobile Security | 3.3 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| Google Play Protect | 46.8 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
| Sophos Intercept X for Mobile | 9.8 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 6/6 | 18/18 |
A perfect 18/18 means that a product met the lab’s thresholds in this round under the stated conditions. It does not show which functions are free, how many advertisements appear, what permissions an app requests, or how the app behaves on every Android version and device. Versions and results can change in a later round, so check the date whenever you use this table.
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The six names below are included because they appear in the July 2026 AV-TEST table with 6/6/6 results. Inclusion is not a claim that every feature is free or that one app is best for every user.
Google Play Protect
Play Protect is integrated into Google Play rather than being a conventional standalone download. It is the simplest baseline: enabled by default, tied to the Google Play ecosystem, and able to check apps from other sources as well as Play downloads. Start here before adding anything else.
Avast Antivirus & Security
AV-TEST lists version 26.11 with full marks in all three categories. The laboratory result establishes performance in that test; it does not establish which scanning, web, or privacy functions are available without payment in your region. Read the current store description and in-app paywall before relying on it as a free replacement for Play Protect.
AVG Antivirus Free
Version 26.6 also received 6/6/6. The word “Free” is part of the product name, but a product can still contain advertising, optional upgrades, trials, or paid features. Confirm what the current release allows you to scan and whether any trial automatically changes into a paid plan.
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Avira Antivirus Security
AV-TEST recorded version 7.32 at 6/6/6. A June 2026 comparison by Techlicious described Avira as a free option, but store listings and feature gates are volatile. Treat that description as a starting point and verify the current listing for your country.
Bitdefender Mobile Security
Version 3.3 achieved full marks in the July round. Techlicious characterized Bitdefender as a paid option in its June 2026 comparison, which is a useful warning not to assume that a 6/6/6 result represents a permanently free tier. Check whether the installation offers only a trial, which functions remain after it ends, and whether payment is required for real-time or web protection.
Sophos Intercept X for Mobile
Version 9.8 received 6/6/6. The AV-TEST entry supports its laboratory performance, but does not provide a feature-by-feature description of its no-cost offering, advertising policy, or country coverage. Those details must come from the current app listing and the screens shown during setup.
Are these antivirus apps actually free?
The available evidence does not verify a complete, current free-feature comparison for all six products. “Free” can mean a permanently usable basic scanner, an ad-supported app, a limited feature set, or a time-limited trial that later requires payment. AV-TEST scores do not distinguish among those models.
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Check the listing before installing
- Open the app’s Google Play page while signed into the account and country where you will use it.
- Look for the labels “Contains ads” and “In-app purchases,” then read the subscription or trial language.
- Compare the features named in the free description with the features shown behind a premium prompt after installation.
- Confirm whether real-time scanning, scheduled scans, web or scam protection, and remediation are included or reserved for payment.
- Record the app version and the date you checked. A later update can change limits, pricing, or permissions.
Do not infer a free tier from an app’s name, a review headline, or its AV-TEST score. Regional listings can also differ, so a feature described in one country may not appear in another.
How do I scan an Android phone for malware?
Use Play Protect first, then use a reputable third-party scanner only if you have a reason to seek a second opinion. The exact labels inside third-party apps vary by release, so follow the scan control shown by the installed version rather than an old screenshot.
Run a Play Protect scan
- Open the Google Play Store.
- Tap your profile icon.
- Choose Play Protect.
- Review the result and start the scan if the screen offers a manual scan action.
- Tap the settings control on the Play Protect page and leave app-scanning options enabled.
Google’s help page, https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2812853, is the authoritative reference if your menu wording differs.
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Run a scan in a third-party app
- Install the app only from a trusted, official app listing and check its developer name.
- Read the requested permissions before accepting them. A scanner should explain why it needs each sensitive permission.
- Open the app and choose its clearly labelled scan action.
- Let the scan finish before interpreting a warning; interrupted scans can leave the result incomplete.
- For a detection, use the app’s quarantine or removal instruction and then run Play Protect again.
A scanner result is not proof that a phone is clean forever. Keep Android and installed apps updated, remove software you no longer trust, and investigate unexpected pop-ups, battery drain, or account alerts rather than dismissing them as harmless.
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AV-TEST’s result is useful for comparing protection, performance, and usability under one controlled methodology. It is not a promise of identical results on your handset, nor a description of each product’s free plan.
Laboratory evidence
The institute says it evaluated 12 Android mobile-security products in July 2026 using their default settings. Because all six shortlisted products received 6/6/6, the table cannot by itself separate them into first, second, and third place. Your decision must therefore use factors the lab table does not measure, such as cost, advertising, permissions, automation, and regional availability.
The one-phone EICAR demonstration
A separate article at DailytechHub describes an EICAR test on one Samsung Galaxy A31 running Android 12 in Indonesia. EICAR is a harmless test file, and that single-device exercise does not establish detection against real malware or generalize to all Android phones. It should not be presented as an independent malware-detection ranking.
The original “tested by Hazel Shaw” wording
The sources available for this comparison do not establish Hazel Shaw’s device, Android version, region, app builds, test dates, or methodology. They support an AV-TEST laboratory round and the separate one-phone EICAR demonstration, not a personal hands-on test by the named author. Any publication that keeps a personal-testing claim should supply those records or revise the wording.
How should you choose between the six options?
Choose based on the job you need done, not on a tie in the laboratory score.
If you want the least maintenance
Keep Play Protect enabled and avoid installing another scanner merely because it has a security badge. The built-in service already checks downloads and performs periodic scans.
Rank #4
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If you want a second scanner
Pick one third-party app whose current listing clearly explains its no-cost scan and whose permissions you understand. Installing several overlapping scanners can create duplicate alerts and make it harder to tell which app acted on a detection.
If web or scam protection matters
Verify that the specific protection is included in the free tier. Do not assume that a product with a strong malware score includes browser, link, identity, or scam features without payment.
If battery and performance are priorities
AV-TEST’s performance category is a useful reference, but your phone’s age, manufacturer software, storage, and notification settings still affect the experience. Check whether the app offers scheduled or manual scans and whether continuous monitoring can be disabled without disabling the protection you actually want.
If you dislike advertising or subscriptions
Read the paywall and subscription screen before granting broad permissions. An app can be free to install while using ads or presenting a trial-to-paid transition; neither condition is visible from the 6/6/6 score.
What permissions and privacy checks should you make?
Android displays permission requests during setup and when a feature is first used. Treat each request as a decision, not as an automatic part of antivirus installation.
- Ask why the app needs access to files, notifications, accessibility controls, device administration, or other sensitive areas.
- Deny an optional permission if the app explains that the core scan works without it.
- Review permissions later in Android Settings if the app’s behavior changes after an update.
- Check the developer’s privacy disclosure and data-safety section on Google Play before entering an account or payment details.
- Uninstall a scanner you no longer use; leaving several dormant security apps installed increases clutter and may leave unwanted notifications.
These checks are especially important when a free app’s business model is advertising or an upgrade funnel. “No-cost” does not mean “no data collection” or “no optional permissions.”
What are the common mistakes when installing Android antivirus?
Turning off Play Protect
Do not disable the built-in scanner simply because you install another product. Play Protect is an independent baseline and may check apps obtained from outside Google Play.
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Confusing a trial with a free plan
Note the trial end date and the payment screen before accepting. If the app asks for a card, determine whether cancellation is required to prevent a renewal.
Using an old comparison as a current feature list
App versions, country availability, and free-tier boundaries change. The July 2026 AV-TEST scores identify the tested builds, not every later release.
Believing one clean scan proves safety
Malware can arrive after the scan, and a harmless test file cannot model every threat. Continue installing updates, review unexpected permissions, and respond to account-security warnings promptly.
Installing an app from an unverified source
Use the official Google Play listing whenever it is available. A copycat package can imitate a well-known name while requesting unrelated permissions or displaying misleading results.
Which free Android antivirus should you choose in 2026?
For a general Android user, leave Google Play Protect enabled and treat it as the default answer. If you need a separate scanner, the July 2026 AV-TEST round gives Avast Antivirus & Security, AVG Antivirus Free, Avira Antivirus Security, Bitdefender Mobile Security, and Sophos Intercept X for Mobile the same laboratory result as Play Protect: 6/6/6. Since the evidence does not establish identical free tiers, choose among them only after checking the current listing, permissions, advertising, scan automation, and trial terms for your country.
The responsible conclusion is not that one tied product is universally “the best.” It is that Play Protect supplies a strong baseline, the six named products demonstrated top scores in one dated independent round, and the details that decide a real-world choice—what remains free and how the app behaves on your phone—must be verified at installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an Android phone use Play Protect without installing another antivirus app?
Yes. Play Protect is part of Google Play and is enabled by default on supported Android devices. You can review its status from the Play Store profile menu without adding a separate security application.
Do AV-TEST scores tell me which app has the fewest advertisements?
No. The July 2026 test categories are protection, performance, and usability. Advertising, subscription prompts, and free-tier limits are separate product details that must be checked in the current store listing.
Why might an antivirus app be unavailable in my country?
Google Play listings and feature entitlements can vary by account country and release. Check the listing while signed into the account you will use instead of relying on a review written for another market.
What should I save if I want to reproduce an antivirus comparison later?
Record the device model, Android version, country, app version, test date, default settings, scan type, and the exact sample used. Without those details, a result cannot be meaningfully compared with a laboratory evaluation or another phone.
Quick Recap
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