Avast has been one of the most widely used free antivirus apps on Android for over a decade. In 2020, Avast’s data scandal — selling user browsing data through a subsidiary called Jumpshot — resulted in a $16.5 million FTC settlement in 2024. That history is the context in which this Avast antivirus for Android review runs. The question is whether the current product has meaningfully changed since the practices that led to that settlement.
Table of Contents
What This Review Covers
This review is based on Avast’s published feature and pricing documentation, its track record in independent testing from AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives, and a review of its post-settlement privacy policy and data practices. Independent lab scores shift between test cycles, so check each lab’s site directly for the current numbers.
Detection on Android
Avast Mobile Security has consistently scored well in AV-TEST’s and AV-Comparatives’ Android evaluation rounds, generally landing near the top of the field alongside Bitdefender and Kaspersky. The current product’s malware-detection capability is not the issue with Avast — the independent-lab record shows a genuinely strong mobile antivirus. The issue is the privacy practices and data-collection history, which this review addresses directly rather than minimizing.
The Privacy Problem: What Changed After the FTC Settlement
The Jumpshot scandal involved Avast collecting detailed browsing data from users who had consented to “share anonymous analytics” — data that was then sold to third-party companies in a form that allowed individual re-identification. The FTC settlement required Avast to delete all Jumpshot data, implement a mandatory data deletion process, and provide clear and conspicuous data consent before collecting analytics. Jumpshot was dissolved in 2020.
Avast’s current, post-settlement privacy policy explicitly prohibits selling browsing data to third parties and requires opt-in consent for enhanced analytics. This review can’t independently certify every internal data-handling practice, but the published policy language is a real, enforceable change from the pre-settlement era — it’s not just a promise, it’s the term of a binding FTC order.
Avast has not undergone an independent privacy audit of the kind Bitdefender or Norton operate under via GDPR compliance review. For users who want the strongest available privacy assurances in a mobile antivirus, Bitdefender Mobile Security (available standalone or as part of a multi-device plan covering Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS) is a reasonable alternative to weigh. This review presents both options rather than dismissing Avast outright after its 2024 compliance changes, but also doesn’t pretend the history doesn’t exist.
Features: What Avast Mobile Security Includes
Avast Mobile Security Premium for Android includes: real-time malware scanning, web shield (blocks malicious URLs in any browser), app lock (PIN/fingerprint lock for individual apps), photo vault (encrypted photo storage), Wi-Fi security scanner, a bundled VPN (built on HMA’s infrastructure, included on higher tiers), junk cleaner, and RAM booster. This feature set is broader than several competing mobile antivirus tools — Bitdefender Mobile Security, for instance, includes real-time protection, web protection, and anti-theft, but not app lock or a photo vault. For users who want the widest feature set on Android specifically, Avast delivers more than many competing products.
The junk cleaner and RAM booster are largely marketing features on modern Android — recent Android versions handle memory management aggressively at the OS level, and third-party RAM boosters generally have no measurable positive effect and can sometimes reduce performance by interrupting background processes. This review recommends treating Avast for its actual value — malware detection, web protection, app lock, and photo vault — rather than the cleaner/booster tools.
Performance and Battery Impact
Avast Mobile Security’s background resource use on Android is generally reported as light-to-moderate, broadly in line with comparable mobile security apps like Bitdefender Mobile Security and Norton Mobile Security. Full-device scans typically finish within a few minutes on current hardware; quick scans finish in well under a minute. In everyday use, the app’s footprint is not something most users on modern phones will notice.
Avast Mobile Security Pricing
Avast Mobile Security Free: no real-time protection, basic scan-on-demand, ad-supported. Avast Mobile Security Premium: roughly $2–3/month or around $20/year for one device, though pricing and promotions change — check Avast’s current pricing page. The free tier is ad-supported, with ads appearing inside the app interface, which is worth weighing given the company’s advertising-data history. The Premium plan removes ads and enables real-time protection. For multi-device coverage across platforms, a suite like Bitdefender Total Security’s 5-device plan is generally better per-device value than paying separately for Avast on each device.
Final Verdict: Is Avast Antivirus for Android Worth It?
Avast antivirus for Android has a strong independent-lab detection record, a broad feature set including app lock and photo vault, and a current product build governed by a binding FTC settlement that prohibits the specific data-selling behavior from the Jumpshot era. For users who specifically want app lock and photo vault alongside malware protection, Avast is a strong option in the category. For users who want the best detection-to-privacy-trust ratio without the FTC settlement history attached, Bitdefender Mobile Security delivers comparable detection with a cleaner privacy record. For multi-device households, Bitdefender Total Security‘s multi-device plan covers all platforms at a lower per-device cost. For Android-only users who want a wide feature set at an affordable price and are comfortable with the post-settlement Avast, this review finds it a functional, reasonably privacy-compliant choice in its current form. Full comparison in our best antivirus roundup.
Avast Antivirus for Android: Your Questions Answered
Is Avast safe to use after the Jumpshot scandal?
Avast’s current privacy policy explicitly prohibits selling browsing data to third parties. Jumpshot was dissolved in 2020, and the 2024 FTC settlement requires mandatory data deletion and opt-in consent for analytics going forward. Avast has not undergone an independent privacy audit confirming these changes in the way some competitors have under GDPR. Users who want audit-confirmed data practices should consider Bitdefender as an alternative. Users who accept the FTC settlement’s binding terms as sufficient will find the current product a reasonably safe choice.
Does Avast free Android detect viruses?
The free tier of Avast antivirus for Android does not include real-time protection — it only scans on demand when you manually trigger a scan. Real-time blocking (catching malware the moment it’s installed or accessed) requires the Premium subscription. Avast’s strong AV-TEST scores reflect the Premium version with real-time scanning enabled, not the free on-demand scanner.
Is Avast better than Bitdefender on Android?
Both generally score near the top of AV-TEST’s Android protection benchmarks. Avast tends to win on features: app lock, photo vault, junk cleaner, and a Wi-Fi scanner that Bitdefender Mobile Security doesn’t include. Bitdefender tends to win on privacy credentials (GDPR compliance, no FTC settlement history) and multi-device value. For a standalone Android-only purchase, Avast has more features. For a household with Windows, Mac, and Android devices, Bitdefender’s multi-device plan usually wins on value.
Does Avast Android slow your phone?
Generally no — Avast’s background resource use on modern Android hardware is light enough that most users won’t notice it in daily use. On older Android devices with limited RAM, any security app’s background footprint is more noticeable proportionally. The junk cleaner and RAM booster features within Avast don’t meaningfully improve performance on current Android versions — they’re largely marketing features that the OS’s own memory management already handles.
How to Get the Most from Avast on Android
To maximize protection, run a full scan after installation and enable the Web Shield to block phishing links in real time. Schedule automatic scans and keep the app updated through the Play Store. If you enable the Wi-Fi inspector, it will alert you whenever you connect to a network with weak encryption. For users on the Premium plan, the built-in VPN is useful on public networks, though a dedicated VPN like NordVPN or ExpressVPN generally offers more server locations and faster speeds for streaming.
Avast Antivirus for Android vs Alternatives
Before installing Avast antivirus for Android, it’s worth comparing it to a few alternatives. Bitdefender Mobile Security: a stronger privacy reputation, comparable detection rates, and a better choice if Avast’s data practices concern you, though it lacks Avast’s app lock and photo vault. Malwarebytes for Android: a free tier that covers PUP and adware removal Avast’s free tier may miss, with a lighter footprint and no ads. Norton 360 for Mobile: adds unlimited VPN and identity monitoring, which can be better value than Avast Premium depending on your needs. Avast remains a strong choice specifically when detection rate and free-tier coverage matter more to you than privacy track record or maximum feature density per dollar.
Disclosure: SecureGuides may earn a commission via affiliate links. This review reflects independent evaluation and is not sponsored by Gen Digital.
Sources & References
Related Android Security Guides
- Best Antivirus 2026 — Avast’s Android rankings vs top competitors
- Best Password Managers 2026 — pair with Avast for full Android security
- Is Your Antivirus Working? — how to verify Avast’s real-time protection on Android