7 Best (REALLY FREE) iPad & iPhone Antivirus Apps in 2022

Short on time? Here’s the best free iOS antivirus in 2022:

🥇Norton Mobile Security : Provides web protection, phishing prevention, advanced identity theft monitoring and SMS message filtering. Unsecure Wi-Fi network scanning is also included. Although it is not free, you can test it risk-free for two months and see if you like it.

The iOS “antivirus” app doesn’t offer traditional antivirus scanning. Instead, the iPhones and iPads use an advanced security feature called “sandboxing”, that prevents apps making changes to other apps, files or processes on your device.

When people refer to “antivirus for iOS”, most people mean “internet safety for iOS”. This covers a wide variety of features that protect iPhones and iPads, such as anti-phishing and protection from scam SMS messages.

I was able find 7 iOS security apps with free or extended free trials of premium features.

There isn’t one iOS security app that’s free. If you are aware that your data and privacy are valuable, Norton’s low-cost iOS app might be a good choice.

Quick summary of the best free iOS antivirus apps for 2022:

• 1.🥇 Norton Mobile Security — Best overall iOS security app in 2022. Secure, intuitive & cheap.
• 2.🥈 McAfee Mobile Security — Easy-to-use with strong security features.
• 3.🥉 Avira Mobile Security — Excellent iOS privacy features + decent VPN.
• 4. TotalAV Mobile Security — Secure browser, data breach scanner, anti-theft & more.
• 5. Kaspersky Security Cloud — Convenient password manager & data breach scanning.
• 6. Lookout Personal for iOS — Email breach scanning, device locator & app update scanner.
• 7. Panda Dome for iOS — Decent anti-theft tools and free (but limited) VPN.

1.🥇 Norton Mobile Security — Best Premium Antivirus App for iOS

Norton mobile Security is my favourite iOS security app of 2022.

Norton is the most trusted security provider for iOS.

• Protections against Phishing.
• Malicious SMS message protection.
• Scam iOS calendar invites protection.
• VPN (with unlimited bandwidth).
• Wi Fi security scanning.
• Advanced Identity theft monitoring using Norton’s LifeLock technology.
• and more…

Norton offers the best phishing protection available. detects more dangerous, fake and malicious sites than any other iOS app. Its web protection not only protects you while browsing but also scans your emails, messages, and calendar invites, stopping you from visiting any sites or clicking on links that could put your device and data at risk.

I love Norton’s VPN. It has top-notch security features and speeds. You can stream video without lag thanks to the fast speeds.

Norton’s identity-theft monitoring is superior to similar features offered by other apps. It can even scan for your mother’s maiden names, which are often used as verification.

Norton Mobile Security is a great deal and costs less than other premium iOS security apps. However, it covers only one device. Norton 360 Deluxe (499.99/year) covers up 5 devices, including Android devices and Macs. The LifeLock plan, which starts at $99.99/year and includes $1 million in insurance, is also recommended for US users. All Norton plans include a generous 60-day guarantee of money back.

The bottom line:

Norton’s iOS security app is my top choice for iPhones/iPads in 2022. This offers advanced security features such as web protection and identity theft scanning tools. Norton does not offer a free plan but offers a 60-day money back guarantee. This means you can test it risk-free for two whole months.

2.🥈 McAfee Mobile Security for iOS — User-Friendly iOS App With High-End Security Features

McAfee Mobile Security offers an intuitive app with a wide range of iOS security features.

McAfee’s Web Protection impressed me. It prevented me access to multiple verified phishing websites, including fake banking login page pages. Although it isn’t as sophisticated as Norton’s web protection, it is still superior to most iOS security apps.

McAfee’s iOS App also contains:

• Wi-Fi scanner.
• VPN (with unlimited bandwidth).
• Data breach alerts.
• Identity monitoring.
• System scan (automatically detects new updates).

McAfee has a Wi-Fi scanner that is quite good. It’s an on demand scanner that will alert you if you are using an unsafe Wi Fi network. It alerted me when I used the public Wi-Fi at my local coffee shop, which is not a secure network.

I like the VPN. It is easy to set up and it chooses the closest server to me. A VPN with more advanced features and a variety of servers is recommended if you are looking for a better VPN.

McAfee offers a paid mobile plan starting at $49.99/year.

Bottom line:

McAfee’s iOS security app is simple to set up and uses and provides effective protection against malware, identity monitoring, and system updates. It can be purchased as part of McAfee’s budget-friendly Total Protection plans. McAfee doesn’t offer 100% protection, but there is a 30-day money back guarantee.

3.🥉 Avira Free Mobile Security for iOS — Excellent iOS Privacy Features + VPN

Avira Mobile Security for iOS offers more features than any other iOS app — all its features are intuitive and useful and add an extra layer of protection to iPhones and iPads.

The Privacy Manager feature in Avira’s iOS App is my favorite. This profile, which can be downloaded from the iOS store, prevents Siri’s sharing of your data with Apple – once installed, it prevents Siri’s logging of commands on Apple’s servers. This profile is great if the goal is to reduce the amount of personal information that big companies can gather.

Avira Mobile Security also offers many additional security features such as:

• VPN (100MB daily limit).
• Anti-theft protection.
• Network scanner.
• Device analyser.
• Photo storage manager.
• Contacts backup.
• iOS updater.
• Call blocking.

Avira’s VPN is a great choice. It provides encrypted internet access and a no-logs guarantee, so you can keep your browsing history private. The VPN only allows you to connect to one server and has a daily limit at 100 MB. Upgrade to Avira PhantomVPN Pro for $4.08 per month and get unlimited data and access to a wide range of global server locations.

Avira Mobile Security for iOS is a great free app. However, Avira’s paid plans provide a lot more. Avira Security Pro iOS includes anti-phishing and data breach monitoring. You can add unlimited VPN data to Avira and Avira’s premium password manager to your Avira Prime package ($59.99/year). This package includes all Avira features and coverage for up 5 devices including iOS, macOS and Windows. Avira Prime includes a 60-day money back guarantee that allows you to test the app before you decide whether you love it.

Bottom line:

Avira is a free antivirus app that works on iPhones and iPads. Its Privacy Monitor feature allows you to use Siri with no Apple data. The anti-theft tools and call blocker are excellent. If you need web protections and a VPN that doesn’t limit your data, as well as a password manager, then you will need to upgrade to Avira Prime Mobile, which is available either for a monthly subscription, or as part the larger Avira Primeantivirus pack.

4. TotalAV Mobile Security — Good Range of Free Features for iOS

TotalAV Mobile Security offers a secure web browser that is free from tracking and targeted advertising. (DuckDuckGo is our top choice for the most secure web-browser in 2022).

TotalAV’s vulnerability scanning feature scans email databases for compromised emails. I was relieved that my test Gmail account was still secure. However, I wasn’t surprised that my Hotmail account that I had created in 2005 had been affected by numerous data breaches over the past few years. However, Norton’s data breach monitoring function still appeals to me. It searches for information such as stolen credit card numbers and driving licenses.

TotalAV offers a few additional features for no cost, such as:

• Device locator.
• Photo cleanup.
• Battery manager.
• System security.

TotalAV’s device locater is a simple anti-theft tool that allows you to locate your iPhone in case it gets lost. However, it’s completely free and you can upgrade to be able to track it if it does get lost.

The TotalAV Mobile Safety Premium upgrade gives you anti-phishing protection as well as a VPN without limitations. In my tests, TotalAV’s virtual private network (VPN) was fast and reliable. It can also access streaming content from Netflix. TotalAV’s VPN is the best antivirus-bundled VPNs available.

TotalAV Mobile Security Premium comes with TotalAV’s antivirus plans, which start at $19.00/year and cover up 6 devices on all operating systems.

Bottom line:

TotalAV Mobile Security offers many free features, such as a secure browser or a data breach scanner. Other features, such as a device locator and duplicate photo cleanup, are also included for free. TotalAV Mobile Safety Premium offers unlimited VPN use and anti-phishing protection. All TotalAV premium plans come with a 30-day guarantee.

5. Kaspersky Security Cloud Free for iOS — VPN, Password Manager & Security Breach Scan

Kaspersky Security Cloud a free, minimal iOS security app comes with a VPN and a security breach scanner but these features are very limited.

While the VPN is quite good, it is limited to 300MB per day and one server location. However, this is still not enough to stream HD video. You won’t have access to streaming services from your home country because you are automatically connected to a local servers. Upgrade to gain unlimited data and server access around the world.

Kaspersky’s vulnerability scanning is almost identical to TotalAV’s breach scanner. Simply enter your email address and Kaspersky will compare it with a large database of compromised logins.

Kaspersky also offers a free password manager application. The app allows for convenient auto-filling and password generation, as well as 256-bit AES encryption. However, the free version can only store 15 passwords. This is a disadvantage compared to other free password management apps.

Kaspersky’s iOS paid plans offer anti-phishing protection, unlimited password storage across desktops and mobile devices. However, Kaspersky multi-device plans start at $17.99/year and provide unlimited VPN data as well as protection for multiple devices including iOS and Mac.

Bottom Line:

Kaspersky’s iOS app is free and offers a VPN, password manager and data breach scanner. However, the app’s features are limited.

6. Lookout Personal for iOS — Good Breach Monitoring & Anti-Theft Tools

Lookout Personal iOS offers an app update scanner, basic data breaches monitoring, and missing device location tool for free. This is only useful if iOS’s persistent updates notifications are ignored.

But, Lookout’s Locate Tools are quite good — you can log on to the website to track your device on a map or issue a remote alarm. You can also display a message to let good Samaritans know that you lost your device. Lookout can even save your last location before it dies, which is an extremely helpful feature!

Lookout’s last feature is an on demand data breach scanner. It’s nearly identical to TotalAV. Enter your email address and Lookout will inform you if any logins were compromised.

Lookout’s iOS protection is good, but the paid version Premium includes real-time data breaches updates, Wi-Fi network scanner and anti-phishing protection. Lookout offers identity theft protections to Premium users.

Bottom line:

Lookout Personal for iOS offers decent phone protections, data scanning, and iOS updates notifications. The remote alarm feature, which can detect and deter theft, is something I love. But, I think Lookout users who enjoy Lookout’s iOS security tools, such as anti-phishing protection and Wi-Fi scanning should upgrade to the premium version. This includes data breach reports and identity theft tools.

7. Panda Dome for iOS — Precise GPS Tracking & Decent Free VPN

Panda Dome iOS offers decent anti-theft features — The GPS tracker, which is extremely accurate, makes it easy to find a lost or stolen device. Parents can also use this tool to track their children.

Panda includes a VPN with one server and a 150MB daily data limit,. This is better than Avira’s 100MB per day data limit, but not enough for most users.

This is the extent of Panda’s no-cost features, which makes it seem a bit lacking in comparison to other antiviruses. Panda Dome is not recommended if you are looking for an easy-to-use security app for your iPhone or iPad.

You can upgrade to Panda’s Premium Plans for as low as $28.49/year and get coverage up to 5 devices. There are also tons of additional features such extra server locations, unlimited traffic on your VPN and advanced parental controls that allow you to monitor and limit the device usage of your children.

Bottom line:

Panda Dome iOS includes a free VPN and a device locator that helps you prevent theft and keep track of your children’s movements. Panda’s paid plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee. This allows you to try its paid features risk-free, such as advanced parental controls or unlimited VPN.