5 Best Anti-Spyware Apps To Remove Stalkerware From Phone 2023

More than 500,000 users had a Stalking App installed on their smartphone without even knowing about it – Kaspersky.
  1. Hollywood has us believing that a spyware app is only used by secret-agents and hackers.
  2. But in reality, anyone can get their hands on a professional spying app sold online for as little as a few tens of dollars.
  3. A commercial spyware app, also called Stalkerware or Spouseware, is designed to stay secretive, keep tabs on everything you do on your phone, and then report it back to whoever decided to spy on you.

5 Best Free Apps To Remove Stalkerware Or Spouseware

Contents

1. Kaspersky Internet Security For Mobile
2. Malwarebytes Mobile Security
3. Avira Antivirus Security
4. McAfee Mobile Security
5. Avast Mobile Security

A Stalkerware can 1. track your location 2. activate the camera or microphone 3. record your voice and video calls 4. access SMS and social media chats from applications like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Viber, Telegram, etc. 5. access emails and files on the device 6. view your photo gallery and browser history 7.steal passwords and much more.

Some of the known stalkerware apps include PhoneSheriff, MobileSpy, Retina-X, TeenShield, TheTruthSpy, iSpyoo, mSpy, PhoneSpector, MobileTracker, Spyera, iKeyMonitor, Mobistealth, Cerberus, MonitorMinor, etc.

How We Tested? We evaluated all the top security apps for both Android and iOS in terms of security, reliability, ease-of-use, and performance on our test device. We then obtained the data from trusted sources to come up with the best anti-spyware apps to remove stalkerware.

1. Kaspersky Internet Security For Mobile

Kaspersky Mobile Security

This app from the cyber-security giant Kaspersky is a comprehensive protection tool that provides everything you need to feel secure.

  • The app has 100% malware detection rates as per the recent lab reports.
  • Kaspersky is one of the founding members of the Coalition Against Stalkerware group.
  • Their anti-malware engine has significantly improved its stalkerware detection rates of late.
  • It can scan downloaded apps for malware, ransomware, stalkerware, and other security threats.
  • An exclusive Privacy Alert function notifies the users about any stalking app as soon as it is detected.
  • It can locate, lock, and wipe your phone if it is lost or stolen.
  • Kaspersky Internet Security for Mobile has no annoying ads, and its call-blocking feature works well.
  • Kaspersky’s full scan can be slow. The free version has limited features available.
Android iOS

2. Malwarebytes Mobile Security

Malwarebytes Mobile Security

Malwarebytes detects and blocks tens of millions of cyber threats every day.

  • Malwarebytes highly values user privacy and is a founding partner of the Coalition Against Stalkerware group.
  • It continually updates its stalkerware database to include the latest and emerging stalking apps on the Internet.
  • It searches all files and apps quickly and effectively for malware, stalkerware, and other potentially unwanted programs.
  • Malwarebytes conducts a privacy audit of your installed apps and identifies the access privileges of each app.
  • It keeps a tab on which apps can track your location, monitor your calls, or cost you extra in hidden fees.
  • Features are limited in the free version.
Android iOS

3. Avira Antivirus Security

Avira Antivirus Security

Avira Antivirus Security provides plenty of privacy features along with solid antivirus protection.

  • Avira has joined the Coalition Against Stalkerware to beat back the threat to user security and privacy.
  • It provides on-demand and real-time malware protection for your device.
  • The installed apps are rated using a privacy scale to help you decide how much they can be trusted with your data.
  • All apps and files are automatically checked for any adware, spyware, stalkerware, or other malware types.
  • Even the updated apps are re-scanned when they’re finished updating to ensure that no new files aren’t infected.
  • It includes tools to protect your phone against loss and theft.
  • However, it can be a little overwhelming for beginners.
Android iOS

4. McAfee Mobile Security

McAfee Mobile Security

McAfee gives you the power to protect your personal information and help keep your private data away from prying eyes.

  • McAfee scans your phone for malicious code from files, apps, and Internet downloads.
  • It scores highly in the independent lab tests on mobile cyber-threats.
  • The App Privacy Check feature lets you know which apps may put your personal data privacy at risk.
  • McAfee will alert you about any commercial spyware like stalkerware or surveillanceware if present on your device.
  • It has a solid collection of anti-theft features to remotely trigger an alarm, lock, locate, take pictures with the Thief Cam and even wipe the device.
  • The app is ad-supported and detects a few false positives.
Android iOS

5. Avast Mobile Security

Avast Mobile Security

Avast Mobile Security is one of the top downloaded and highly rated free antivirus apps.

  • Avast has been at the forefront in the fight against stalking apps.
  • It can perform regular scans to detect different kinds of malware, including spyware, Trojans, and more.
  • Avast can scan and detect malicious apps even before you install them.
  • It allows you to easily check app permissions to understand how each app accesses your phone.
  • No matter which browser you’re using, Avast will protect you against fake and malicious websites.
  • It has many performance enhancement tools and built-in anti-theft capabilities.
  • Avast has had data privacy concerns in the past. The ads are unbearable in the free version.
Android iOS

Danger Hiding In Plain Sight

Stalkerware hides in plain sight and spies on the most intimate and personal details of your life.

In recent years, the number of such apps has increased exponentially. So have the number of incidents where partners have used stalkerware to harass, threaten, or even physically assault partners.

Installing one of the above mentioned anti-stalkerware apps should bring you some much-needed relief and peace of mind.

In case you need more assistance in this regard, please contact the Coalition Against Stalkerware, formed by not-for-profit groups and major cybersecurity organizations.

Author: Nik is an experienced author with 14 years in software and tech, holding an IT Engineering degree and a Data Science Master's from Liverpool University. Disclaimer: This website's content is created by humans and refined by AI for better grammar, flow, and clarity.

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