The Internet has no doubt gotten us closer, but these days, tracking mobile, accessing its camera & microphone, and stealing the images & data in it can be done by sitting at home. So, using Anti-spyware for Android & iOS is best to keep you and your family safe from all threats. In this writing, we will cover the 7 famous Anti-spyware apps, their features, and much more. Keep on reading!
4 reasons to download anti-spyware apps for Android
Anti-spyware app is very important, especially for Android mobiles, because it allows the installation of all kinds of apps, unlike iPhone. These spyware apps may work completely hidden in the background and share your messages, screen, camera, microphone, and everything else with the hackers. Also, these apps are official and can be purchased for just a few dollars, so everyone can easily access them. Read on to know why you need anti-spy apps.
i) Avoid Online Scams: It is easy to steal information with certain spy apps. So, the first and foremost thing you should be worried about is OTPs, bank account passwords, ATM card details, and other online money-related stuff that scammers can use to steal your money.
ii) Keep your Freedom: If someone, whether a stranger or your lover, has installed spyware on your phone to spy on you, then believe me, it is a bad feeling, even if you are not doing anything that needs to be hidden.
iii) Protect your personal information: Unfortunately, sometimes hackers steal our data (personal photos, texts, etc.) and use it to blackmail us or leak this data on the internet; both of these scenarios are quite scary.
iv) Stop thieves from tracking: Lastly, if you are a business or someone involved in the money business, then your mobile is a kind of tracking device that thieves can easily track, learn your routine, and steal from you at your weakest point.
7 best anti-spyware apps for Android phones
Norton
Who doesn’t know about Norton? It is a world-famous brand even in Asian countries. According to their data, they service 80+ million customers in over 150 countries.
With the help of Norton Anti-spyware, you can remove all the lingering hidden spying apps and malware from your PC in just an hour. It has a 9-level threat detection standard, which ensures nothing is left behind. And above all, it is designed for diverse operating systems like Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows.
- Limitations
– Norton anti-spyware service is very costly, like $106, and it is for 1-time use only, which means when you paid for the service, they will clean your computer one-time only; if you need to clean it again after a day or a month, you have to pay for it again.
– For it to work, you must have a:
- Windows XP SP3 or higher, Vista, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11n ( does work with Windows in S mode or if it’s working on an ARM processor ).
- In the case of Apple, you must have a Mac OS X 10.5 or later and iOS version 7 or later.
- For Android, it works with 6.x or later versions.
– It only removes spyware and doesn’t give any advanced protection like real-time Anti-tracking, hacking prevention, etc.
Cyber Tor
Cyber Tor was released in 2018 and is another great software specially designed for anti-spyware uses. You can easily download & install it from the Play Store for your Android mobile, with over 500+k downloads.
Cyber Tor is very advanced software that can detect hidden spying apps and show them so you can delete them. It also provides real-time protection against hacking and other high-risk apps. Besides that, it also includes an Anti-tracking feature,. As an additional feature, you can also use its Remove Ads feature to block all kinds of ads while searching the web.
- Limitations
– It is only available for Android phones, not Apple products or Windows PCs.
– The company is pretty new and basically in its starting phase.- For its advanced features, you will have to pay.
Malwarebytes
As the name suggests, Malwarebytes is another world-famous app for anti spyware and malicious malware. It supports Android, Windows, iOS, Mac OS, and Chrome OS operating systems. You can download it from Play Store, App Store, or their official website.
Malwarebytes offers 3-main features:
- First is real-time protection against hidden spying apps and risky software.
- Second, it offers a Browser Guard function, which acts as a shield against online ads, malicious links, etc.
- Lastly, it offers a VPN, in which you don’t need to log-in, which keeps your identity hidden.
- As an additional feature, Malwarebytes also offers a brute force removal feature that can easily remove hard-to-delete apps.
- Limitations
– It doesn’t offer any protection against tracking threats.
– Online chat and support are only available for Team packages, not personnel plans.
– You will have to pay for it to use it, like $5 ~ $8.33 per month, and as it only accepts annual payments, you will have to bear a cost of at least $60 for the first-time use.
AVG Anti-Virus
AVG Anti-Virus is the most advanced Anti-spying app for Android on this list. It is designed as the first defense against hackers and malicious viruses. And above all, it works well with Android, iOS, Mac OS, Windows, and other operating systems.
It offers many basic and advanced features, like real-time protection against spying & malware, blocking of suspicious links & emails, 24/7 safety against hackers, protected online transactions, detection of phishing emails and SMS, and 24/7 customer help. With all these features, you can ensure your devices are safe from all threats.
- Limitations
– It doesn’t provide a VPN service.
– Its anti-virus and spying app detection basic features are free. But for advanced features, you will have to pay in annual or quarterly installments.
– The second biggest disadvantage of AVG is that if you purchased a package for a PC, it will only work for a PC and only that PC; you will need to buy the package again for your mobile ( iOS, Android ) or another Computer.
Anti-Spy Mobile
Anti-Spy Mobile is a third-party available for Android devices. On the Google Play Store, this app has over 100+K downloads. It works by scanning all your data, including apps, documents, etc., and picking out the threatening ones so you can take action. One of its great features is that it tells about what kind of data is being collected by a certain app.
- Limitations
– It is not available for Apple phones or any PC.
– It doesn’t have any shield against location tracking.
– This app interface is not so great. It looks like a standard noob app.
– It lacks advanced features like ad blocking, VPN, phishing emails/SMS scanning, etc.- It only offers basic spyware detection and doesn’t have any feature to protect against real-time hacking threats.
Certo Mobile Security
As the name suggests, Certo Mobile Security protects iOS and Android mobile phones. When it comes to its features, it has many offerings like spyware app detection and removal software, keylogger detection, Anti-tracking protection, and an intruder feature that takes a selfie if someone tries to enter the wrong PIN & access your mobile forcibly. Moreover, it also includes a breach function that tells you what to do in case your account password gets hacked.
- Limitations
– It doesn’t work with computers ( Mac, Windows, etc. )
– Its basic spyware app detection feature is free, but you will have to purchase a subscription for advanced features.
Anti-Spyware Scanner CB
Anti-Spyware Scanner CB is another third-party hacking protection app that you can find on Google Play Store with 500+K downloads and a rating of 4.1 stars. This software works by scanning different apps one by one and gives you detailed threat reports about each of them. Its display or theme is basic and easy to use, even for old people.
- Limitations
– It doesn’t work with iOS phones or pads and also not with computers.
– Its scanning & threat protection level is pretty basic.- Doesn’t give any real-time hacking protection.
Comparison between 7 Android anti-spyware apps
| Norton | Cyber Tor | Malware -bytes | AVG Anti-Virus | Anti-Spy Mobile | Certo Mobile Security | Anti Spyware Scanner CB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supports iOS | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ | X |
| Supports Android | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Supports Mac OS | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | X | X | X |
| Supports Windows | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | X | X | X |
| Free basic features | X | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free Premium features | X | ✓ | X | X | X | X | X |
| Anti-Spyware Scanning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-time hacking protection | X | X | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ | X |
| VPN | X | X | ✓ | X | X | X | X |
| Scan emails, SMS, etc. | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ | X | X | X |
How to choose the best anti-spyware for Android?
When it comes to choosing the best Anti-spyware software, it is preferable that you consider the following factors:
i) Diverse Scanning: There are hundreds of Anti-spyware software in the market, but most of them are only basic, and they only scan the apps. However, premium software will look for malicious stuff in SMS, emails, websites, and all other forms of data.
ii) Real-time hacking protection: Most AntiSpyware apps only scan once a day or when you run it. However, this is not the case with premium apps like Malwarebytes because they keep an eye on your apps & online activity in real-time.
iii) Anti-tracking function: This feature is very rare among Anti-spyware apps, and only the best of the best offer it. With an Anti-tracking function, your mobile apps and website are always under watch, and in case some unauthorized location tracking happens, your Anti-spyware app will inform you and block it.
iv) Blocking function: In case your Anti-spyware app finds a spying app on your mobile, the next step is to delete it, but most spying programming is hidden, which makes it hard to delete. So, always choose an Anti-spyware app with a built-in removal function, which will get rid of anything suspicious very easily.
Ways to know if your Android phone has spyware
Below are some of the signs that indicate that your device has been hacked:
- Your device restarts on its own.
- Mobile get hanged more than usual.
- Data consumption is more than usual.
- A Sudden increase in battery consumption
- Some prompts pop up and disappear on their own.
- Open settings > Apps > and check for unknown apps.
- Irregular icon appears next to SIM or WiFi icons in the notification bar.
- Unusual messages appear on your SMS inbox, and noise during phone calls.
If these signs are showing on your device, then your mobile or PC is probably hacked. It is best to install reputable Anti-spyware software. Furthermore, if you want to get rid of every spying app with 100% surety, then back up your data and factory reset it.
Conclusion
You know that most hacking is done by phishing links in SMS and emails, like loan offers, prizes, discounts, etc. Please do not click on suspicious links. What’s more, make sure you get the best of the best Anti-spyware apps for yourself and your family. In case you are looking for parental control apps to keep an eye on your children’s online activity and receive notifications from their phones, then go for the FlashGet Kids app.
