19 Android Security Apps Tested: Results Vary

German research institute AV-TEST has conducted a laboratory examination of 19 security applications for the Android operating system, assessing their effectiveness for both private consumers and businesses. The tests aimed to determine how well these apps protect devices against the growing number of mobile threats, which can range from data theft to devices being exploited as part of botnets for cybercriminals.

The evaluation included three apps specifically designed for enterprise environments and 16 apps intended for private smartphones. Each application's performance was measured across three key areas: protection effectiveness, speed impact on the device, and usability. While many of the tested apps demonstrated strong capabilities, Google's native protection service, Google Play Protect, showed weaker results in comparison.

Among the security apps for private users, 12 achieved the maximum score of 18 out of 18 points. These top performers, including Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, G DATA, Norton, securiON, and Trend Micro, successfully identified all malicious apps tested. Several other applications also received very good scores, with only minor detection errors.

In the business category, Total Defense secured the highest rating with 18 out of 18 points, demonstrating 100% threat detection. Dr.Web followed with a solid 16 points, while Google Play Protect scored 14 points. The findings underscore the importance of dedicated security software for Android devices, especially in corporate settings where compromised devices can serve as entry points into wider company networks.