20 best security apps for iPhone and Android

Games, productivity apps and messengers are the download champions on most users' smartphones. However, it is worth considering that an iPhone or Android is equivalent to a computer today, with sensitive information and data that can harm the user if someone steals it. So it's worth investing a little of your smartphone storage in security apps or password management apps. Check out 20 of the best options below that you can start using right away, but also remember to learn how to disable the installation of external apps on Android!

Also read on AppTuts: 7 tips for using Facebook safely

1. Room

Developed with the purpose of helping parents to control their children's access to devices such as smartphones, tablets and computers, Qustodio is one of the best security apps. In addition to monitoring children's activities, you can filter websites and apps that may contain adult content or even prevent against websites that try to steal data, for example.

Qustodio offers its new users 30 days of free trials of the platform, which can also be used in schools and businesses.

Click on the link to get started now!

2. Applock

One of the best solutions to restrict third party access to certain applications. Applock allows you to create a PIN code for each app on your smartphone, requiring this password to be broken to access it.

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It is an interesting option to prevent children from accessing violent games on your cell phone or protect information contained in a cloud storage application. Applock is free with in-app ads and is available for Android.

3. Find My iPhone

An app for iPhone, Mac and iPad, Find My iPhone is a service to track and remotely access your device. It can be used either to locate your lost smartphone or remotely erase all your information, very useful in case your cell phone is stolen, as indicated in this article.

4. Find my device (Google)

Google's device manager changed its name and started to present a solution more similar to what we see in Find my iPhone. Find My Device is an app made by Google itself to help track, lock or wipe your Android data remotely. Its operation is similar to what we see in the Apple app. Click on the link to download it to your device.

5. 1Password

1Password is ideal for those who have problems saving passwords on different services. 1Password allows you to generate random passwords for these services and store them for automatic login, you only need to create a master password to access the app.

That is, it changes the need to memorize several passwords so that you have to remember only one, which will give access to all its services. 1Password is available for both Android and iPhone.

6. Dashlane

Another service whose purpose is to take the mental burden of memorizing multiple passwords. However, unlike 1Password, Dashlane does not necessarily use a master password, but exchanges that password for your fingerprints, using the iPhone's TouchID or the biometric recognizer on Android devices that support the functionality.

It also allows use on many devices, but charges for it. The free version only allows the use of Dashlane on one device. Click the link to download it on iPhone or download it on Android.

7. DuckDuckGo

An ideal mobile browser for those who want to browse in privacy. DuckDuckGo also has a search engine that does not record your search history, that is, what you search for DuckDuckGo will not appear as an advertisement on Facebook for example. However, it still has its own ads, shown only when viewing the app.

Apart from this detail, DuckDuckGo works like any other mobile browser. It also requires greater protection measures for websites so that they appear in your searches, that is, websites shown in a browser search are usually safer than those searched on Google, for example. DuckDuckGo can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store.

Tip: Discover other safe browsers to use on your Android with more peace of mind!

8. Avira

One of the security apps available on Android or iPhone that serves a more general purpose. It brings together features such as Find My iPhone, but also detects possible attempts to attack your smartphone's data, in addition to optimizing the performance of the phone's battery and memory. Avira can also detect if an email from you has been leaked and allows you to track and locate your lost cell phone.

9. Signal

A messenger that can also be considered as one of the security applications on that list. Maintained by a non-profit organization and that survives on donations – that is, it does not sell its information for advertisements – Signal allows you to exchange messages and files with your contacts, but it protects these conversations through encryption.

It also allows for voice calls and group conversations, but the data and files exchanged by the application are not stored on servers. Signal is available for iPhone and Android.

10. Resilio Sync

An app that must be used in conjunction with the computer. On your desktop or notebook, Resilio Sunc creates a kind of “server in the cloud”, but it can only be accessed locally and is actually stored on your computer. On your mobile, you open the app and sync your files between both devices.

The difference to an ordinary cloud storage service is that you know where your files are physically stored. Resilio Sync can be used on both PC and Mac, as well as Android and iPhone versions.

11. Lookout

Another security application with more general functions, Lookout is an antivirus available for Android and iPhone. It lets you track your phone, blocks attacks that can be conducted over public Wi-Fi connections, backs up your data, and alerts you when an app is out of date, among others.

12. Duo Mobile

A service that allows you to add a two-step authenticator – like the WhatsApp view – to services and apps that don't have the function natively. In other words, if you prefer to access a social network with two-step authentication, you can use Duo Mobile to create this type of secure access, preventing third parties from accessing it remotely. Duo Mobile can be downloaded from Google Play or App Store.

13. Firefox Focus

An alternative version of Firefox aimed at private browsing. Similar to DuckDuckGo, it allows you to always browse in “private mode”, meaning it doesn't track your history to show ads, erases web crawler activity and doesn't keep a browsing history for a long time. Firefox Focus is free and can be installed on Android or iPhone.

14. Wickr

Another private messenger, Wickr is also an encrypted messenger, which protects your text or voice conversations, making it safer to handle sensitive information. As with Signal, Wickr also allows the creation of group chats, and it is not necessary to provide your email or telephone number to register for the service.

Wickr allows you to record how long messages are deleted and the metadata is also not stored on external servers. Download Wickr from Android's Google Play or iPhone and iPad AppStore.

15. Proton Mail

Unlike Signal and Wrick, Proton Mail is one of the few security applications focused exclusively on email. The app also features encryption to protect the sending and receiving of messages sent by email, making it difficult for third parties to intercept them.

Your email storage is also encrypted, meaning that not even the Proton Mail team has access to your messages. It's worth noting that it's also completely free and can be used on both iPhone and Android.

16. Kaspersky Safe Kids

One of the best security apps dedicated to parental control. In other words, his specialty is to protect children from inappropriate content on cell phones. Kaspersky Safe Kids has a paid and free version, providing blocking of inappropriate websites, safe search and creating a list of blocked websites for the little ones.

The paid version brings more monitoring activities, allowing you to know the location of children and monitor their internet activity through reports. It's also not an app that's easy for kids to delete. Kaspersky Safe Kids can be downloaded from Google Play or App Store.

17. Glasswire

One of the security apps aimed at internal monitoring of your device. Glasswire shows reports of your phone's data usage, revealing which apps are sucking the most internet from your phone. That way, you can find out if some app that shouldn't suck so much data might be being used for shady activities. Click on the link to download Glasswire for your Android.

18. LastPass

1Password's main competitor among security applications that allow you to store passwords. With similar functionality to the competitor, LastPass allows you to create a master password to automatically log in to your favorite services. It also lets you generate your own passwords and is free, with a paid version that costs a dollar. LastPass is also available on Android or iPhone.

19. NoteLock

One of the most specific purpose security apps. NoteLock is solely to protect your notes or journal entries, if there is one. In addition to being able to save what you wrote through passwords or combinations, NoteLock has a feature called “bait mode”, in which it delivers automatic notes created by the app itself as if they were yours, protecting the real content. Access the link to download it to your iPhone or iPad.

20. NordVPN

This app is ideal for circumventing restrictions imposed by local internet – as a service that is not available in your country. NordVPN is one of the best in the field, allowing you to mask your access as if you came from one of the 60 different countries offered by the app.

It is also possible to block ads and protect your phone when connected to a public Wi-Fi, making hackers' attempts difficult. NordVPN is a subscription app but offers 7 days of free trial. The app can be used on both iPhone and Android.

What security apps do you use on your smartphone?

Now that we've pointed out a number of apps that you can use to remember and protect your passwords, provide restricted and secure access, or to surf smoothly without ads, is it your turn to make referrals? What security applications do you use and indicate on your Android or iPhone?

Comment with us and improve your computer's security by learning how to disable the Windows PC's GPS location!