Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash.
Key Takeaways for “The Nine Best Mobile Security Apps in 2020”:
- AVG AntiVirus Free & Mobile Security, Photo Vault by AVG Mobile is the best mobile security app by total downloads on Google Play, having been downloaded over 100 million times, including 13.8 million times in the last year.
- Of the top nine, One Booster - Antivirus, Booster, Phone Cleaner by One Dot Mobile Limited has performed best over the last year, surpassing 78.6 million downloads since October 27th, 2019
Want to learn more about the top mobile security apps? Reach out to our team!
A few weeks ago, we published an article titled “The State of the App Economy and App Markets in 2020” that outlined a number of trends emerging in the mobile app landscape. We discussed everything from the most popular app developers across the globe to the impact of coronavirus on the tech economy. We also discussed a number of the most resilient trends in the face of global lockdowns, including the rise of remote work, decentralized entertainment, dating apps, and more.
However, when it comes to resilience, one trend seems to stand head and shoulders above the rest — mobile security. As we noted in the article, a budding “Tech Cold War” between the United States and China has led to increased scrutiny of China-based tech giants like TikTok and Huawei.
Fortunately, people aren’t defenseless. Indeed, the vulnerabilities exposed by rapacious actors and fraudulent ad networks may be frightening, but they’ve also inadvertently created an enticing market opportunity — one which promises to grow cheek by jowl with the mobile app economy. So, with this in mind, we here at 42matters thought it might be useful to examine the nine best mobile security apps of 2020.
For this article, we’ve analyzed all 3.4+ million Android apps published on Google Play. By using the 42matters Explorer to assess global app download statistics, we’ve managed to rank the top nine mobile security apps among Android device users.
Moreover, since the Explorer leverages the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s (IAB) Content Taxonomy, we’ve been able to boost the precision of our rankings. As a matter of fact, Google offers neither a ‘Mobile Security’ category nor a simple ‘Antivirus Software’ category; but IAB does! And, in total, we found that 724 apps satisfied our criteria, falling into IAB’s ‘Antivirus Software’ category.
Of those 724 apps, here are the nine best mobile security apps of 2020, based on downloads.
1. AVG AntiVirus Free & Mobile Security, Photo Vault by AVG Mobile
AVG AntiVirus was designed to protect smartphone users from harmful viruses and malware. It protects user data with a variety of security features, including App Lock, Photo Vault, Wi-Fi Security Scan, and App Permissions advisor.
The AVG AntiVirus Free & Mobile Security, Photo Vault app has been downloaded over 100 million times, with 13.8+ million downloads in the last year. Here are daily download statistics, pulled from the 42matters Explorer, from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on AVG AntiVirus Free & Mobile Security, Photo Vault, reach out to our team!
2. Avast Antivirus – Scan & Remove Virus, Cleaner by Avast Software
Avast Antivirus helps users protect their privacy by sending alerts when spyware or adware-infected apps are downloaded onto their devices. As such, it enables users to avoid phishing attacks from emails, phone calls, infected websites, or SMS messages. It also comes with a VPN that facilitates safe, private online browsing, as well as access to paid streaming services when users are traveling abroad.
Avast Antivirus – Scan & Remove Virus, Cleaner has been downloaded over 100 million times, with 31.3+ million downloads in the last year. Here are the daily download statistics from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on Avast Antivirus – Scan & Remove Virus, Cleaner, reach out to our team!
3. Anti-virus Dr.Web Light by Doctor Web, Ltd
Doctor Web is a Russian anti-malware company. First released in 1992, their flagship antivirus software suite Dr.Web was the first antivirus service in Russia. It offers file scans, the ability to neutralize ransomware lockers, Doctor Web’s unique Origins Tracing™ technology, and more.
The Anti-virus Dr.Web Light app has been downloaded over 100 million times, with 4.9+ million downloads in the last year. Here are the daily download statistics from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on Anti-virus Dr.Web Light, reach out to our team!
4. Mobile Security, Antivirus & Cleaner by Lookout by Lookout Mobile Security
Lookout Mobile Security and Antivirus provides premium mobile security and identity protection solutions for mobile devices. They offer the only all-in-one security and antivirus app that protects mobile devices, user data, and user identities. It enables mobile device users to stay ahead of viruses, phishing attacks, and other mobile security breaches.
Lookout’s app Mobile Security, Antivirus & Cleaner has been downloaded over 100 million times, with 30.2+ million downloads in the last year. Here are the daily download statistics from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on Mobile Security, Antivirus & Cleaner by Lookout, reach out to our team!
5. dfndr security: antivirus, anti-hacking & cleaner by PSafe
dfndr security is a leading digital security app, with hundreds of millions of downloads around the world. With dfndr, device users are protected against scams, fake websites, identity theft, Wi-Fi theft, and digital viruses.
dfndr security: antivirus, anti-hacking & cleaner has been downloaded over 100 million times, with 10.5+ million downloads in the last year. Here are the daily download statistics from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on dfndr security: antivirus, anti-hacking & cleaner, reach out to our team!
6. Safe Security - Antivirus, Booster, Phone Cleaner by Safe Security Develop
Safe Security offers an all-in-one power cleaner, smart speed booster, and antivirus app. Their products were built to optimize background apps, memory storage, junk files, and battery power — all while keeping user devices virus-free.
The Safe Security - Antivirus, Booster, Phone Cleaner app has been downloaded over 100 million times, with 4.4+ million downloads in the last year. Here are the daily download statistics from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on Safe Security - Antivirus, Booster, Phone Cleaner, reach out to our team!
7. One Booster - Antivirus, Booster, Phone Cleaner by One Dot Mobile Limited
One Dot Mobile Limited offers an effective speed booster and smart cache cleaner app that enables users to clean app caches and junk files with one click. Moreover, the Virus Remover feature enables users to keep their devices malware-free, address vulnerabilities, identify adware, and more.
One Dot Mobile Limited’s app One Booster - Antivirus, Booster, Phone Cleaner has been downloaded over 100 million times, with 78.6+ million downloads in the last year. Here are the monthly download statistics, pulled from the 42matters Explorer, from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on One Booster - Antivirus, Booster, Phone Cleaner, reach out to our team!
8. Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus: AppLock & Web Security by Kaspersky Lab Switzerland
Kaspersky Lab’s app is a free-to-download antivirus and phone security solution for Android devices. Designed especially for phones and tablets, since they tend to be more vulnerable than computers, it protects private information from online dangers.
Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus: AppLock & Web Security has been downloaded over 50 million times, with 9.6+ million downloads in the last year. Here are the daily download statistics from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus: AppLock & Web Security, reach out to our team!
9. Norton Mobile Security - Antivirus & Anti-Malware by NortonMobile
Norton Mobile Security & Antivirus is an award winning mobile security service and virus protection app. This app, a virus detector and remover, helps users protect their android devices against malware, viruses, and other threats, such as malicious apps, theft, and websites designed to steal your information and money.
The Norton Mobile Security - Antivirus & Anti-Malware app has been downloaded over 50 million times, with 2+ million downloads in the last year. Here are the daily download statistics, pulled from between October 27th, 2019 and October 26th, 2020:
For more on Norton Mobile Security - Antivirus & Anti-Malware, reach out to our team!
For more on the top mobile security apps…
Check out 42matters! We provide app insights, data, and analytics via a host of useful APIs, file dumps, and the 42matters Explorer, our flagship app market research tool.
The Explorer — which you can try free for 14 days — provides rich app market intelligence, including insight into every app, game, and publisher on both Google Play and the Apple App Store. It offers visual insights into downloads, categories, IAB categories, top charts, ratings, review analyses, SDKs, technical insights, and a whole lot more! This data can be downloaded as a CSV file and leveraged however you like — in your own algorithms, analyses, products, studies, etc.
If you would like to learn more about historical app downloads or other mobile app analytics from 42matters, schedule a free demo with one of our experts!
