Best free antivirus for iPhone & iPad

iPhone and iPad antivirus apps differ from traditional malware scanning tools because iOS uses sandboxing – an advanced security measure – to prevent apps from accessing system files or other apps. Instead, these apps work as comprehensive security tools to protect you from phishing, SMS scams, or insecure Wi-Fi networks.

Naturally, free iOS antivirus apps are limited in features compared to paid tools. Still, some of them offer identity protection with data breach scanning, block malicious websites, or even include a VPN with limited data.

So, I hand-picked 5 free antivirus for iPhone and iPad devices that offer the best tools without costing a thing. Read to learn which apps are most valuable for your security and privacy and why.

TL;DR

My tests showed that TotalAV is the best free antivirus for iPhone devices because it offers smart scans to review your device security. Plus, it gives you free tools like data breach monitoring, so you can quickly take the necessary precautions if your email ends up in any new breaches.

Best free iPad & iPhone antivirus apps

1. 1. TotalAV – best free iPhone antivirus overall
2. 2. Bitdefender – free iPhone antivirus for daily use
3. 3. Avast – feature-loaded and free iPhone antivirus
4. 4. Avira – free antivirus and a limited VPN bundle
5. 5. AVG – trustworthy free antivirus for iPhone and iPad

 

Should I use a free or paid iPhone antivirus?

A paid iPhone antivirus comes with advanced security features, but using a free antivirus with its limited features is better than using none. If your budget allows, I’d recommend opting for a premium iPhone antivirus. Here’s why:

• Higher identity protection limits – free antiviruses usually allow you to monitor data breaches of one account only, while premium apps can let you analyze data breaches for multiple accounts.
• Unlimited VPN – not many free antivirus apps for iPhone offer a VPN, and if they do, it’s limited to 100-200 MB per day, which isn’t ideal for daily use. Paid antiviruses offer VPNs with unlimited data and servers in dozens or hundreds of countries.
• SPAM text security – a paid antivirus can offer an advanced feature for scanning your SMS for malicious links.
• QR checker – some premium antivirus apps scan QR codes for malicious links or phishing attempts. None of the antiviruses I tested included this feature for free.
• Customer support – free users usually rely on knowledge bases or FAQs, while premium users can receive fast human support through live chat or email.

Protect your iPhone with TotalAV, now 80% off

TotalAV is the best antivirus for iPhone devices, offering smart device scans, data breach monitoring, and device cleanup tools for free. If you decide to upgrade, you'll get to ensure all-rounded security and privacy with a VPN, spam checker, and QR checker from $19.00/year only.

9.7

/10

1

• Free plan available
• Unlimited VPN
• Spam & QR checker

Get TotalAV

Best free iPhone antivirus apps

I spent a few days testing over a dozen free antivirus apps for iPhone and iPad devices that I found on the Apple App Store. After installing each app, I reviewed its device scanner capabilities and free features. You can find detailed reviews of each antivirus below.

1. TotalAV – best free antivirus for iPhone in 2025

TotalAV

1

9.7

/10

Visit TotalAV

Pros & cons

• Free plan available
• Free data breach scanner
• Free device cleanup tools

• No way to cancel a scan

TotalAV is the best free iPhone antivirus thanks to its exceptional protection rates and a range of features. During my free test scan, I found that TotalAV checks the passcode status, face ID status, and pending iOS security updates.

In terms of features, I appreciate that TotalAV offers a data breach scanner at no cost. Once I inserted my email address, it showed me 4 data breaches and what exactly was compromised. It also provided me with detailed information about the breach, including when it happened and what I should do to secure my account.

There are also free tools for cleaning up your photos and videos. Based on my testing, I found that these tools identify duplicate or very similar items and suggest which ones to delete. So, it took me just a few seconds to clear what I don’t need and save storage.

You can also use free contact and calendar cleanup tools. Contact cleanup can detect and merge duplicate contacts, while the calendar cleanup tool ensures there are no rogue events in your list with annoying notifications.

If free features aren’t enough, TotalAV comes with a VPN, WebShield for safe browsing, a spam text checker, and a QR checker. Its prices start from $19.00/year.

Learn more in our TotalAV review.

2. Bitdefender – free iPhone antivirus for daily scans and a VPN

Bitdefender

1

9.6

/10

Visit Bitdefender

Pros & cons

• Forever free plan available
• Includes a limited VPN for free
• Scans are very quick

• No additional features

Bitdefender is a great free antivirus for iPhone & iPad users who are also looking for a free VPN. The free app lets you check if your iOS software is up to date, device access security, and Wi-Fi security.

As for features other than daily scans, you get a free limited VPN with 200 MB per day, which lets you connect to a server and encrypts your data so that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can’t check what you’re up to.

More features are available on the premium plans, but Bitdefender is one of the few antivirus apps that also includes a free VPN, ensuring all-round security. While it’s limited, I was still able to make a few transactions or browse securely while connected to public Wi-Fi.

The premium plans also offer web protection, scam alerts, and unlimited VPN traffic with the ability to choose servers in 100+ countries. You can get Bitdefender starting from $34.99/year.

Find out more in our Bitdefender review.

3. Avast – feature-loaded free Android antivirus

Avast

1

9.3

/10

Visit Avast

Pros & cons

• Free forever plan
• Comprehensive iPhone scans
• Free malicious website blocker

• Initially shows premium plan ads

Avast is an iPhone antivirus app that offers a range of free tools to ensure privacy and security. I found out that the scan is quite comprehensive – it checked for security alerts, iOS version, WebGuard status, if my photos are in a vault, Wi-Fi security, and more.

Avast includes a free malicious website blocker that protects you from suspicious sites. You can also check one account for free using identity protection. During my test, it detected 6 data breaches, providing details such as when and where they occurred.

There’s also a photo vault you can use to add 40 photos for free. It’s an encrypted folder that you can secure with a PIN code or biometrics to ensure no one else can access it.

What I found unique was the Avast assistant, powered by AI, which lets you ask simple cybersecurity-related questions, such as what a scam is or how to identify phishing emails. It provided me with straightforward answers, explaining difficult topics in simple words. However, there was an instant when it gave me an answer with an incomplete sentence.

If you decide to upgrade, the premium plans offer a VPN, identity protection for additional accounts, a photo vault with higher limits, and email guard for securing up to 5 accounts from scams and malware. You can get it starting from $39.99/year.

4. Avira – free antivirus for Android with a VPN

Avira

1

9.0

/10

Visit Avira

Pros & cons

• Free plan available
• Useful device analyzer
• Comes with a VPN (100 MB/day)

• Data breach scanner isn’t free

I found that Avira is a free iPhone antivirus that’s great for all-around security because it offers a limited VPN. Its Smart Scan checks for the latest iOS updates, web protection status, email breaches, network traffic protection, and if there’s any space that can be freed up.

I haven’t received a notification from my phone to update to the new iOS version, so I was surprised to find that Avira’s free iOS Updater already showed me that it’s time for an upgrade.

I also appreciate that Avira includes a free VPN with up to 100 MB per day, yet the limit is even lower than Bitdefender’s 200 MB. Still, you can use it for cases when you need extra privacy, like making transactions. And you also get a Privacy Manager to keep your Siri searches private.

What I didn’t like was that free identity protection isn’t available for even one account, unlike other free antiviruses such as TotalAV. Yet, the app still offers a free photo cleaner to find and clear duplicate or similar photos, as well as a device analyzer to monitor free storage and free memory.

With the premium plans, you get an unlimited VPN, identity protection, a password manager, web protection, and contacts backup. The prices of paid plans start from $59.99/year.

5. AVG – reliable iPhone antivirus with free tools

AVG

1

9.1

/10

Visit AVG

Pros & cons

• Free forever plan
• Checks if the device has been jailbroken
• Has a free photo vault

• Many ads initially

AVG is a simple antivirus for iOS devices, both iPhones and iPads, that’s great for daily scans and breach checks. Its scanner reviews the iOS version, Web Shield, Device lock status, and data breach monitoring status. What’s unique is that it also checks whether your device is jailbroken.

AVG offers a free Web Shield feature that monitors and blocks websites that attempt to steal your sensitive data, such as passwords or card information. I liked that it showed me exactly which websites it blocked and provided a report on how many threats it has already removed.

There’s also data breach monitoring, where you add your email address and get a list of breaches (if any) where your details have appeared. It showed me the date and place of each breach, as well as details about them.

To secure your media files, AVG offers a photo vault – an encrypted folder that you can protect with a PIN code, face ID, or touch ID. However, the free plan limits the vault to 40 images only.

If you outgrow the free plan, you can upgrade to a premium one starting from $59.88/year. With paid tiers, you can get a VPN, breach monitoring for 5 accounts, and higher photo vault limits.

Free iPhone antivirus apps compared

If you’re low on time and need a quick comparison of the best free iPhone antivirus apps, I prepared a table to help you compare them. Here are the results:

How I tested and selected these iPhone antiviruses

I downloaded dozens of antivirus apps onto my iPhone 15 Pro Max smartphone with the iOS 26.2 version. Then, I tested each antivirus app to evaluate its features and performance. Here are the factors I took into consideration:

• Free version (30%). My list only includes antivirus apps that actually offer a completely free plan.
• Security features (30%). I checked what features each antivirus app offers for free. I noticed that each app comes with different free tools; some offer data breach scanning or cleanup tools, while others include a limited VPN, or all of the mentioned features.
• Free scans (20%). iPhone antivirus apps can’t scan your device, like free Android antivirus software. iOS is secure by design and doesn’t allow apps to scan other apps or system files. I examined what the free scans of each antivirus cover, like checking your iOS version or reviewing whether security settings are in place.
• Ease of use (10%). I only selected free antivirus apps that don’t constantly annoy you with ads and offers to upgrade, so you can seamlessly navigate the features you need.

Does an iPhone need an antivirus?

iPhone devices require antivirus protection because, while iOS uses sandboxing to isolate apps and prevent malware from spreading, it doesn’t offer comprehensive protection. iPhone antivirus apps provide security and privacy against threats. Here’s how:

• Protects from unauthorized access. Many iPhone antivirus apps, like TotalAV, offer free data breach scanning tools. This allows you to monitor when your email experiences a data leak, so you can quickly change your password before anyone accesses your accounts without authorization.
• Ensures privacy while browsing. Some antivirus apps for iPhone and iPad devices also give you a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tool. It encrypts your data while browsing or making transactions to ensure your Internet Service Provider (ISP) can’t monitor your activities and keeps you safe on public Wi-Fi.
• Ensures you don’t miss security updates. Many antivirus apps check whether you’ve installed the latest iOS security updates, so you don’t miss important security patches.
• Secures you from malicious websites. Some iPhone antivirus tools analyze websites while you browse to protect you from scams and risky sites by blocking them.
• Inspects your Wi-Fi network security. Threat actors like to exploit insecure Wi-Fi networks. An iPhone antivirus can scan network security to ensure it’s password-protected and has strong encryption.

Final thoughts

While free iPhone antivirus apps aren’t traditional malware scanning tools, they’re essential for privacy and security. A high-quality antivirus can alert you when your email appears in a data breach, check Wi-Fi security, or help block malicious websites. Some free apps even include a VPN for safer browsing and transactions.

The best free antivirus for iPhone & iPad devices is TotalAV. My tests showed that it scans your device for pending iOS updates and checks the passcode and face ID status. You also receive a free data breach scanner and access to photo, video, contact, and calendar cleanup tools to save storage.

If TotalAV isn’t for you, there are other great free antivirus apps in my list that all come with different features. So, explore what each app offers and pick the one that suits you best.