Comparison

Malwarebytes vs AVG Mobile Security

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Malwarebytes

This app offers comprehensive mobile security and privacy protection for Apple devices. It includes features like ad blocking, scam text filtering, and identity protection. A free trial is available, with ongoing free protection and optional premium subscription features.

Highlights
  • Ad Blocking for Safari
  • Text Message Filtering
  • Digital Footprint Scanner
  • Identity Protection
  • Secure VPN
  • Web Protection
  • Call Protection
Features
Read full description

Malwarebytes delivers mobile security and digital protection beyond your device. We help protect you against online scams, harmful websites, annoying ads, sketchy calls, identity risks, and more. From banking to personal accounts, your phone carries some of your most important information. Malwarebytes keeps you safe with simple, smart security. Malwarebytes is designed for everybody: professionals, families, and first-time smartphone users. No complicated setup. No IT expertise needed. Just easy protection that safeguards your digital life. Start your 7-day free trial to unlock all features. SCAM & CALL PROTECTION Scammers use fake calls, texts, malicious links, and websites to imitate banks, delivery services, retailers, and other trusted brands. Alongside robocall filtering, Malwarebytes helps protect against: - Suspicious text scams and phishing attempts - Malicious links and unsafe websites - Brand impersonation and social engineering attacks - Annoying spam calls SAFER BROWSING & AD BLOCKER Web Protection: Blocks phishing sites and risky links before you enter payment or personal data. Ad blocking: Reduce intrusive ads and trackers while browsing. FAST VPN FOR PRIVATE BROWSING Incognito alone does not hide all of your online activity. Malwarebytes VPN helps protect your privacy on public Wi-Fi or while traveling. Encrypt your internet connection for added privacy Shield your IP address from trackers and advertisers Browse more safely on public Wi-Fi IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION Your email addresses, passwords, and personal information may be exposed in data breaches without you knowing. Digital Footprint Scanner: Run an email scan and check where your personal information may have been leaked. Data breach insights: See where your information may have been exposed and review steps to help secure affected accounts. 24/7 monitoring: Get real-time support and up to $2 million in identity theft insurance WHY CHOOSE MALWAREBYTES? - Mobile security against scams, spam calls, sketchy websites, and more privacy risks. - Built by Malwarebytes, with 17+ years as a trusted name in antivirus and cybersecurity. - Secure VPN and digital footprint tools for added privacy - Simple protection without complicated setup - No third-party ads in the Malwarebytes app - 4 million daily threats blocked Malwarebytes for iOS FAQs: - Can Malwarebytes help protect my iPhone from scam texts and phishing links? Malwarebytes helps detect suspicious text scams, phishing attempts, malicious links, and brand impersonation. - Can Malwarebytes protect me on public Wi-Fi? Malwarebytes VPN encrypts your internet connection, protects your privacy on public Wi-Fi, and alerts you to turn on VPN whenever you join an unsecure network. - Can Malwarebytes check whether my information was exposed in a data breach? The Digital Footprint Scanner checks your email against known data breaches and shows you how to secure your accounts. - Does Malwarebytes scan iPhones for viruses? Because of iOS platform restrictions, Malwarebytes does not perform traditional malware-file scans on iPhone. Instead, it focuses on proactive protection against phishing sites, scam texts, spam calls, malicious links, and unsafe websites. TRIAL & DEVICE INFORMATION 7-day free trial: Unlock device protection features during the trial (Identity Theft Protection not included). Premium features require a subscription after the trial unless canceled. Manage your subscription in Apple ID settings. Family Sharing: Premium subscription features are not eligible for Family Sharing. Compatible with iOS 18 or later with an active internet connection. iPad users can benefit from Web Protection (Premium) and Ad Blocking (Included) for safer Safari browsing. Identity Protection features vary by region. Terms: https://www.malwarebytes.com/tos EULA: https://www.malwarebytes.com/eula

About

AVG Mobile Security

Safeguard your digital life with features like identity protection, a secure photo vault, and Wi-Fi scanning. Get instant alerts for leaked passwords and browse privately with a built-in VPN. Protect your sensitive information from online threats.

Highlights
  • Identity Protection for leaked passwords
  • Encrypted Photo Vault
  • Wi-Fi Security Scanner
  • Secure Browsing with VPN (Premium)
  • Real-time notifications
Features
Read full description

• Identity Protection We’ll send you a notification right away if any account passwords linked to your email are leaked online, so you can change them as soon as possible. • Photo Vault Hide your photos in an encrypted vault, accessible via PIN, Touch ID, or Face ID — so your private photos stay truly private. • Wi-Fi Security Automatically scans your current wireless connection to ensure it’s safe and uncompromised — and if any trouble is detected, we’ll let you know right away. • Secure Browsing - available in Premium version A built-in VPN will ensure that your browsing remains safe and private, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. How our subscriptions work: - Trial: A year-long subscription comes with a 14-day free trial. Monthly subscriptions have a 7-day free trial. Both can be canceled within 24 hours of ending without being charged - Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account after you confirm the purchase - Auto-renewal is turned on by default. You can turn it off anytime before 24 hours of your current subscription period ending. Within 24 hours of your current subscription period ending, you will be charged for the same duration as the current subscription - You can manage your subscriptions or turn off auto-renewal via the Account Settings after purchase - During your active subscription period, you can’t cancel your subscription - Any unused time left in your free trial will be forfeited when you purchase the full subscription * VPN service is not available for use within India as a result of governmental regulations requiring the logging and saving of user data, but you can still use your VPN service when traveling outside of India. Privacy Policy available at https://www.avg.com/privacy Terms and Conditions info at https://www.avg.com/eula

Screenshots

Malwarebytes4 screens
AVG Mobile Security4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AVG Mobile Security at 4.7 against Malwarebytes's 4.5. Malwarebytes's advantage is chart position (#35 vs #163). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Malwarebytes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and AVG Mobile Security sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AVG Mobile Security holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 109K and 78K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Malwarebytes's written reviews are positive against 55% of AVG Mobile Security's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Malwarebytes versus AVG Mobile Security: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMalwarebytesAVG Mobile Security
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (109K ratings)4.7 (78K ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.6% of reviews54.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings109K — better78K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#35 — better#163
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size128 MB465 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMalwarebytesAVG eCommerce CY Limited

Customer experience

Malwarebytes

All ratings109,165 ratings
Positive88.4%
Neutral4.2%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews2,825 reviews
Positive47.6%
Neutral9.2%
Negative43.2%

AVG Mobile Security

All ratings77,920 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral3.6%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews811 reviews
Positive54.6%
Neutral7.2%
Negative38.2%

User reviews

Malwarebytes

From 109K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Keeps devices updated and protected
  • 🔒 Provides security and peace of mind
  • 👍 Easy to use and set up
  • 🚀 Excellent protection and performance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Activation and subscription issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent or non-functional features
  • 🐛 Fails to block spam calls and texts
  • 🔋 Drains battery life
  • 💰 Expensive subscription

AVG Mobile Security

From 78K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🔒 Provides basic security protection
  • 💡 Useful features like VPN and photo vault

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches after updates
  • 🔋 Slows down device performance
  • 🤔 Confusing subscription model and upselling tactics
  • ❌ Unreliable protection and detection capabilities

Bugs and requests

Malwarebytes

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Activation and subscription problems
  • Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
  • Inability to scan or detect malware on devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add bulk reporting of scam numbers
  • Improve text message filtering
  • Implement automatic updates
  • Provide more comprehensive dashboard and scanning capabilities

AVG Mobile Security

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • VPN disconnects frequently
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • Incorrect threat detection and false positives

Requested features

3 requests
  • Improve VPN reliability and connection speeds
  • Add more detailed scanning and reporting capabilities
  • Provide better customer support and communication

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Malwarebytes

Subscriptions6
  • Standard7 Days trial$2.491 Month
  • Standard7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Plus7 Days trial$44.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • Standard (3 devices)7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Plus (3 devices)7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Advanced1 Year trial$139.991 Year
19 purchases

AVG Mobile Security

Subscriptions19
  • 1 month7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • 1 Year14 Days trial$13.991 Year
  • Premium14 Days trial$15.991 Year
Show 16 more
  • Yearly subscription14 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Premium tier7 Days trial2 variants$19.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription14 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription$24.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription7 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • 1 Year14 Days trial$28.991 Year
  • Yearly subscription1 Year trial$29.991 Year
  • 1 year Ultimate14 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription$29.991 Year
  • Yearly subscription1 Year trial$34.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription14 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription7 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • 1 year Ultimate14 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription$39.991 Year
  • Ultimate subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Malwarebytes free?
Malwarebytes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AVG Mobile Security free?
AVG Mobile Security is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Malwarebytes or AVG Mobile Security?
AVG Mobile Security is rated higher. Malwarebytes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 109K ratings, while AVG Mobile Security averages 4.7 from 78K ratings.
Do Malwarebytes or AVG Mobile Security have ads?
Neither Malwarebytes nor AVG Mobile Security shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Malwarebytes or AVG Mobile Security?
Malwarebytes ships an update every 3 weeks, and AVG Mobile Security every 3 weeks. Most recently, Malwarebytes was updated on September 24, 2026 and AVG Mobile Security on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Malwarebytes or AVG Mobile Security?
Malwarebytes currently peaks at #35 in the App Store charts, and AVG Mobile Security at #163. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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