If you own an iPhone or iPad, you might know that iOS is one of the most secure mainstream operating systems on the market, rivaled only by Linux. However, viruses and malware for iOS do exist, which is why you need to use an antivirus.
Since iPhones and iPads are often targeted by phishing emails, malicious ads, and other threats, an antivirus can help keep your data safe.
Keep on reading to find all of the best antivirus for iPhone and iPad. Keep in mind that these apps aren’t just virus scanners. They offer lots of useful features that will help you stay safe online, such as public wifi protection to integrated VPNs.
Best iPhone antivirus apps:
TotalAV – best antivirus for iPhone in 2022 with real-time protection
Norton 360 – secure antivirus with main functions and VPN
Avira Antivirus – great antivirus with a feature-packed free plan
Bitdefender Antivirus – extensive and feature-loaded solution
McAfee – excellent security tool for malware removal
Best antiviruses for iPhone – our detailed list:
If you’ve finally decided to get an antivirus tool for your iPhone but are having a hard time choosing the right one, check the list below.
1. TotalAV – the best antivirus for iPhone
TotalAV is an amazing antivirus option for iPhone and iPad. It keeps your device fast, offers excellent security features, and includes additional tools – it’s a perfect all-in-one package.
Features like Data Breach Check, available for free, will inspect whether your emails or personal data has leaked – protecting you from possible identity theft. System Security features will ensure your security practices are up to par, making the device fully locked from someone else accessing it.
There are tools for device location, a battery monitor, and a Photo Manager. The latter will remove unwanted screenshots, bursts, and duplicate photos, freeing up your disk space and speeding up your phone.
An affordable premium option goes even further. It includes WebShield, which protects your device in real-time, blocking harmful websites and preventing various social engineering attacks. It works across all apps on your web browser, letting you can surf more comfortably.
Regarding better surfing, premium TotalAV also includes a solid VPN to protect your browsing data, such as an IP address, protecting your browsing from spying. Together, these features make TotalAV premium a top option.Especially if you have devices other than your iPhone and iPad – TotalAV premium offers for desktop devices as well.
If you’d like to try out the TotalAV antivirus premium package, you can get it for $19.00/year. And if you are dissatisfied with it, TotalAV offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, ensuring no instant long-term commitments.
Pros
Data breach checker
VPN included
Device locator
Battery monitoring
Free version
Cons
Frequent false-positives
Browser extensions could be better
2. Norton 360 – antivirus for privacy and real-time protection
Norton is one of the big shots in the mobile security market for iPhones, and it comes as no surprise. Well, there’s a good reason for it: it’s a really good antimalware suite, protecting just about any facet of your digital life.
But what does it offer for iPhone and iPad users specifically? For starters, the app is an easy nut to crack, even for beginners. Everything is organized in the main window, and the learning curve is effortless.
In terms of features, the Norton 360 antivirus app for iOS does lots of pretty useful stuff. For example, it filters spam text messages that may contain phishing attempts. The app also warns you against unsecured wifi networks and patches various device vulnerabilities.
In addition, the Web Protection feature will prevent you from visiting infected websites. And if you’d like to be aware if any of your personal info gets leaked, use the Dark Web Monitoring feature for live alerts.
Moreover, the Norton antivirus app for iPhone and iPad lets you enable a VPN (unfortunately, this feature is unavailable in some countries).
If Norton caught your eye, you’ll be pleased to know that its pricing starts from $9.99/year. Plus, since there’s a free 7-day trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee, you basically get 67 free days!
Pros
Spam filter
Real-time protection
Integrated VPN
Data breach checker
14-day trial version
Cons
No unlimited free version
Quite expensive
3. Avira – lightweight security app for iPhone with a free plan
Avira is a great lightweight all-rounder tool for iOS devices. While not as feature-heavy, it’s still a very reliable and solid app.
And how does it appeal to Apple users? The app itself is very minimalistic, clean, and easy to navigate. Plus, it’s butter smooth to use, which is always a big plus.
Additionally, the features Avira Mobile Security offers are a great addition to iOS protection. My favorite feature is the one that prevents Siri from logging your Siri commands onto Apple’s servers.
Also, the app comes with the Avira Phantom VPN (100 MB a day) so you can also protect the unsecured network you connect to and detect other smart devices using your home network.
In addition, the application will update your software regularly, create a backup of your files, and help you recover your lost or stolen iOS device.
If you’re interested in Avira’s top security features, you can get a subscription for $30.99/year, and you’ll also get a 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, a single Avira account can be used on multiple devices, so you can easily protect all the phones and computers you own.
Pros
Unique privacy features
Free version
Public wifi protection
Software updater
File backup
Cons
Free VPN very limited (100 MB/day)
Might report false positives
4. Bitdefender – all-around cybersecurity package for iOS
If you’re looking for an excellent antimalware solution for your iPhone, Bitdefender can be an excellent solution. It’s a well-rounded security suite with useful features
So, how does Bitdefender cater to Apple fans? Well, for one, the apps are convenient – everything (from features to support) is displayed at the bottom of the window.
Even the free app scans network connections and blocks anything suspicious. In addition, it also includes a VPN with a limit of 200 MB a day. While not much, this means you won’t need to subscribe to a separate VPN service for regular browsing and occasional connections to unprotected wifi networks.
But that’s not all. Bitdefender iOS also allows you to scan your email address for potential breaches for free, letting you know your security status online.
The premium plan enables web protection, ensuring your phone is safe from online threats. And thanks to the Bitdefender Central platform, you can view the status of all the other devices under the same Bitdefender account. You can change the parental control settings here, too.
Aside from the free plan, the price of premium subscriptions starts from $17.99/year. It’s a solid option for protecting your iPhone – and there’s no risk involved. In addition to a solid free version, there’s also a free 30-day trial for all premium options.
Pros
Excellent virus detection rates
Real-time protection
VPN (200 MB/day)
Data breach checker
Free version available
Cons
A bit expensive
macOS support only with paid plans
5. McAfee – beginner-friendly tool for threat removal
If you want an all-round antivirus app for iPhone and iPad, look no further than McAfee. It keeps your devices safe while also offering advanced security features.
So, how does the iOS version of McAfee stand out from the crowd? Firstly, it’s a clean and minimalistic app with various tips and useful information. While the app took slightly longer to load, none of the features were buggy, so the overall experience was good.
In terms of security features, McAfee provides you with a real-time protection feature that will stop any online threats from entering your system. It also offers regular regular system security scans to detect wifi attacks and outdated software.
Also, McAfee iOS lets you locate a lost or stolen device by using a GPS tracker or activating a remote alarm. Aside from that, the app’s Media Vault feature will protect your personal photos and videos with a PIN code. You’ll also be able to backup your contact information automatically.
The Premium Plus version of McAfee offers an unlimited VPN that will offer reliable protection when browsing the web, even when using public wifi.
There’s also a 7-day free trial for the Premium version that you can download to your iPhone or iPad. And if you decide to purchase the service, the paid subscriptions start from $39.99/year.
Pros
7-day trial for the Premium version
Free version
Tracks lost devices
Unlimited VPN with Premium Plus plan
File and photo backup
Cons
Confusing pricing plans
No secure cloud storage
6. ESET NOD32 – antivirus protection with an extensive suite of security features
ESET is cloud-based antivirus software ideal for iOS devices, letting you easily manage ESET through a singular management platform. It provides all the data of your security system and allows you to manage all endpoint security and user activities.
Features include anti-theft capabilities, web content screening, whitelisting and blacklisting of programsDevice security is offered by ESET Mobile Device Management.
A remote program called ESET Mobile Device Management is used to set up security settings for iOS devices. What’s more, this antivirus app does not need to be set up on your iPhone. ESET can assist you remotely in protecting your iPhone. Very simply, you can control all of your devices from one consolidated dashboard.
One of the best features of ESET is its endpoint security. It offers ransomware protection, blocks and prevents targeted attacks, and prevents data breaches.
There is also really solid protection from phishing attacks, as well as email security, complete disk encryption and file server protection for an all-around safety from all possible angles.
The ESET antivirus plans allow you to cover up to 100 devices, and the price starts from $27.99/month. There is also a 30-day free trial.
Pros
File encryption
Remote device control option
Cloud-based
Easy setup
Cons
Pretty expensive
Limited customer support
7. Trend Micro – easy-to-use antivirus for iPhone
Another great antivirus software for the iPhone is Trend Micro. This provider is safe, and uses sophisticated AI technologies to identify and block any suspicious activity.
It’s an easy-to-use antivirus compatible with iOS 11.0 or later. Its functionalities include keeping your iOS device safe by automatically blocking potentially harmful websites while browsing. It blocks ads, personal information trackers, and avoids unsafe wifi networks, as well as excess data usage.
Trend Micro lets you run quick, full, or custom security scans. However, these scans are quite fixed and you can’t control much. Its Folder Shield feature acts as an anti-ransomware layer that watches all of your files, including connected drives.
Trend Micro also has features like iMessage Protection for iOS. It automatically places all iMessages that link to suspicious sites into a junk folder.
There is a free version for you to try and test out. If you’d like to get Trend Micro Maximum Security or other premium plans, they start at $19.95/year. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, in case you’re not fully satisfied with the software.
Pros
Basic free version
Robust protection
Real-time protection
Actionable insights
Cons
No firewall
Slight buffering
Limited licensing scores
Conclusion
As you might have already guessed, finding a good antivirus for iPhone isn’t all about high virus detection rates. Since, for the most part, Apple has the more traditional malware threats nailed down on iOS, antivirus providers are looking for other ways to offer value to customers. You have to take lots of things into account, especially when it comes to extra features and the tool’s compatibility with other operating systems.
And even if you only have an iPhone or an iPad, you shouldn’t overlook getting a safe antimalware tool. Remember – one virus is all it takes. Don’t let this risk ruin your day or your life.
