Independent reviews. Real tests. Smarter security decisions.
Price captures verified 2026-08-09; overall scores unpublished
Android phones earn paid AV only after Google Play Protect, OS and app updates, Play Store installs, and MFA on Google and email are in place. SecurityChecklist prefers locking down unknown-source installs before any scanner subscription. Paid pack options then split by leftover job: Bitdefender when the phone sits in a multi-device suite (Total Security covers Android among other platforms per vendor copy; US Individual first-year $59.99 / 5 devices on 2026-08-09 capture; Antivirus Plus from $24.99/yr the same day), Malwarebytes when you need cleanup after a suspicious APK (Standard from $59.99/yr capture; confirm Android seats), and Surfshark only when a VPN-plus security bundle is already the purchase (US/USD; US/USD plans API 2026-08-09). Scores stay N/Pub. Who should not buy: anyone with Play Protect off and unknown APKs as the default install path, anyone whose real gap is account takeover, or anyone waiting on published Android detection rates.
Ledger-verified starting prices show below when captured; otherwise cards stay confirm-live or pending. Overall scores stay unpublished (N/Pub). Never invent dollar amounts.
Direct verdict
Qualitative shortlist only. Overall scores stay unpublished (N/Pub). Affiliate payout never sets order.
Android + multi-device shortlist
From $24.99/yr Antivirus Plus (1 device, first year)
Verified 2026-08-09, bitdefender.json#bitdefender-starting-price; Total Security Individual from $59.99/yr; renewals may differ
30-day money-back advertised (bitdefender.com, 2026-08-09)
Android cleanup / second opinion
From $59.99/yr Standard (3 devices)
Verified 2026-08-09, malwarebytes.json#malwarebytes-starting-price (malwarebytes.com/windows); Plus $79.99 / Ultimate $139.99 promo
60-day money-back advertised on Premium plans (vendor page, 2026-08-09)
Bundle if VPN is the job
From $2.49/mo Starter (24-mo plan)
Verified 2026-08-09, surfshark.json#surfshark-starting-price; US/USD via api.surfshark.com/v2/payment/plans?country=US¤cy=USD (HTML /pricing still geo-AUD from AU egress)
30-day money-back advertised (surfshark.com, 2026-08-09); US/USD via plans API; AUD HTML geo labeled only (no invented USD)
Decision support
Qualitative fit only. We do not invent lab results, broker counts, or prices to close a shortlist.
Start with Play Protect, updates, and careful installs. No scored Android antivirus winner yet, overall score not yet published; see the verification register. After hygiene, Bitdefender is the pack suite shortlist for phones inside multi-device households; Malwarebytes is the cleanup/second-opinion shortlist; Surfshark fits only when VPN-plus security is already the job.
Many Android compromises start as shady APKs, fake cleaner apps, or phishing SMS, not as exotic kernel rootkits. If you still install from unknown websites, a paid scanner is secondary to changing that habit. Prefer Play Store publishers you recognize.
If Gmail or Google Account MFA is weak, thieves can reach mail, Drive, and device find tools without a clever Android exploit. Fix account security free before comparing paid mobile AV feature lists.
A careful Android-only user may never need a paid suite. Add Windows PCs, tablets, and shared family devices, and one vendor's multi-OS license becomes practical. Bitdefender Total Security marketing lists Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS; confirm Android feature parity before assuming identical desktop shields.
We cite Bitdefender Antivirus Plus from $24.99/yr and Total Security Individual $59.99 (5 devices) from the 2026-08-09 US capture as mixed-home price points, not Android-exclusive SKUs. Malwarebytes Windows Individual Standard showed $59.99/yr the same day; confirm Android seat packaging at checkout because Malwarebytes pages disagree on device counts. Surfshark Starter from $2.49/mo on a 24-mo US/USD plans API capture (2026-08-09); confirm live checkout.
If device mix, cleanup needs, and VPN bundles all matter, use /tools/antivirus-finder/ after free hygiene. The tool routes by answers, not by affiliate payout.
No scored champion for antivirus android. After free controls, pick by leftover job on this page only. Overall scores stay unpublished (N/Pub); re-check ledger USD same-day.
The top card on this antivirus android shortlist is a qualitative anchor for the named leftover job, not a lab ranking. Confirm live plan terms and who-should-not-buy before any purchase.
The runner-up exists when the primary antivirus android job fit is wrong. Comparison-only rows may omit View Deal on purpose when affiliate terms are missing.
Only open this antivirus android shortlist after MFA, updates, and free remedies for the same job. Buying earlier usually wastes money without reducing the actual leftover risk.
If your leftover job is not antivirus android, leave for the matching hub, guide, or finder. Forcing a purchase from the wrong cluster is how affiliate-shaped shortlists mislead.
No scored Android antivirus champion. After Play Protect and OS updates: Bitdefender when multi-device suite seats include Android; Malwarebytes when cleanup is the leftover job. Overall score and detection rates remain unpublished (N/Pub). Re-check ledger USD same-day. Commissions never set the shortlist.
Qualitative fit only until scores and prices are verified. View Deal always routes through first-party tracking.
Pack shortlist
Broad consumer device protection
Platforms
android
From $24.99/yr Antivirus Plus (1 device, first year)
Free plan: See review · Verified 2026-08-09, bitdefender.json#bitdefender-starting-price; Total Security Individual from $59.99/yr; renewals may differ
Cleanup-focused shortlist
Cleanup and second-opinion scans
Platforms
android
From $59.99/yr Standard (3 devices)
Free plan: Yes · Verified 2026-08-09, malwarebytes.json#malwarebytes-starting-price (malwarebytes.com/windows); Plus $79.99 / Ultimate $139.99 promo
Bundle antivirus add-on
Privacy bundles with antivirus
Platforms
android
From $2.49/mo Starter (24-mo plan)
Free plan: No · Verified 2026-08-09, surfshark.json#surfshark-starting-price; US/USD via api.surfshark.com/v2/payment/plans?country=US¤cy=USD (HTML /pricing still geo-AUD from AU egress)
Affiliate payout never sets ranking. Free remedies still come first in related guides.
Protection claims cited only from approved sources, no invented lab scores or detection rates.
Setup friction, scanning clarity, and day-to-day impact on normal use.
Real-time protection, cleanup tools, web shields, and suite extras that change buy/no-buy outcomes.
Resource impact and reliability notes publish only when a test record exists.
Plan fit versus free built-in protection. Starting prices publish from claim ledgers; scores stay N/Pub until test records exist.
Cells marked Pending mean the claim is not verified for publication yet.
| Feature | Bitdefender | Malwarebytes | Surfshark Antivirus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android support (pack claim) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Published Android detection rate here | Pending | Pending | Pending |
| Affiliate CTA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Answers stay claim-safe. Prices are ledger captures with checked dates; overall product scores remain unpublished (N/Pub).
Price captures verified 2026-08-09; overall scores unpublished. Re-verify volatile prices and plan names before purchase. This page stays intentionally noindex until research and QA publish gates clear.
Internal links
Hub, tools, and related pages from the inventory. No invented URLs.
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