For a lot of people, installing security apps on their devices happens without a second thought. Whether it's a third-party antivirus on Windows or a browser security extension, it's easy to think that installing these apps is a vital way to keep yourself safer.

But what about your iPhone? Do you really need third-party security software on an iPhone or iPad? Let's find out.

Do iPhones Get Viruses?

Before we look at security apps themselves, we should consider the dangers that these apps ostensibly protect against. We've examined whether iPhones can pick up malware before, so have a look at that for a background understanding.

In summary, iOS (the operating system that your iPhone runs) has several built-in security features to protect you from malware threats. There have been instances of iPhone security breaches, but most of these happened due to pirated software or jailbreaking. As long as you exercise caution about the apps you install and keep your device updated, you shouldn't fall victim to any iPhone security issues.

Knowing this, should you install third-party security suites on your iPhone to increase your security against potential threats in the future?

Examining iPhone Security Apps

Let's take a look at what iPhone security apps actually offer. We'll list features from the most popular offerings in the App Store, then see if these are actually features you need.

Keep in mind that iPhone security apps cannot act as traditional "antivirus" scanners. Since iPhone apps are sandboxed, an app can't access the data for another app. As a result, you won't find any iPhone offerings that can scan your device for malware. These apps can't protect you from other threats, like phishing emails disguised as Apple ID alerts, either.

McAfee Security

McAfee's app has a 4.7-star average out of 5, which is difficult for apps to achieve. The app is free to download and includes a 30-day free trial, but you must subscribe to continue using it afterward.

The app includes a Wi-Fi VPN, which is a tool that can protect you from some attacks on public Wi-Fi. A companion feature, Wi-Fi Scan, lets you know when you're connecting to an unsafe network.

It also includes dark web monitoring, which alerts you if your email address, ID number, passport number, or bank card was found compromised on the dark web. The "safe browsing" blocks malicious sites no matter which browser you use, and alerts you to phishing and other dangerous pages.

Finally, System Scan lets you know when there's an iOS update available. The service ranges from $29.99/year to $79.99/ year, depending on your level of subscription.

Download: McAfee Security (Subscription required, free trial available)

Avast Security & Privacy

Avast is another long-time favorite in the security sphere, and its iPhone app enjoys similarly high reviews. Does it offer anything different compared to McAfee?

The free offering (which doesn't require an account) includes a threat scan, which lets you know if any vulnerabilities are found on your phone. It also includes a malicious website blocker in all browsers, plus notifications about unsafe Wi-Fi networks.

Also in the free plan, Avast offers storage for 40 photos in a photo vault, allowing you to secure pictures with a PIN or Touch/Face ID. You can also check one account against Avast's identity protection service and get security and privacy tips.

Upgrading to the premium plan gets you unlimited photo backup and identity protection scans, plus a VPN. This service is $19.99/year or $4.99/month.

Download: Avast (Free, subscription available)

Norton 360

Let's consider one more iPhone antivirus app: Norton 360, from the famous PC security company. Like the two above, it boasts high ratings.

A unique feature of this app, compared to McAfee and Avast, is that it has an SMS security feature to filter phishing SMS schemes. It also provides a "report card" with an analysis of recent Wi-Fi networks, risky apps, and similar.

You'll get notified about compromised Wi-Fi networks, in addition to the usual VPN, browser security, and dark web monitoring. Norton also includes the following vague benefit: "protection against vulnerabilities cybercriminals may use to take control of your device or steal your personal information."

The app requires a subscription and costs between $14.99 and $104.99 per year.

Download: Norton 360 (Subscription required, free trial available)

Are iPhone Security Apps Necessary?

Now that we've listed the features that these apps include, let's look at whether you actually need them. Since most of these apps offer similar functionality, we can group them together.

Browser Security

First, the browsing protection that these apps offer is largely unnecessary. Every major browser already has protection against dangerous websites built-in; you can find this option for Safari at Settings > Safari > Fraudulent Website Warning.

There's a chance that the third-party app could catch something your browser doesn't, but being able to spot and avoid fake websites yourself in the first place is more important. Plus, turning on this protection requires enabling a VPN, preventing you from using another one you might subscribe to.

SMS phishing protection is a bit more useful, but not worth paying for on its own. Some common sense will go a long way there.

Dark Web Monitoring/Identity Protection

Next to discuss is dark web monitoring. Due to the way this part of the internet works, these services can't actually scan the entire dark web for your information. Instead, they scan dumps of breached information and check for your information in them.

Read more: The Experian Dark Web Scan: Do You Need It and Can You Trust It?

As it turns out, you can do this yourself at websites like Have I Been Pwned? Simply enter your email address, and you can sign up to receive a message anytime your email appears in a list of compromised info. You can also enter a password and see if it appears in any data breaches.

Wi-Fi Network Security

Next, apps can't truly know whether a Wi-Fi network is secure or not. They can tell you if the network is open (meaning it doesn't require a password) or if the security protocol used for the network is outdated.

But your iPhone already does both of these at Settings > Wi-Fi. It shows if the network is using weak security, and you'll know if it's protected by the lock icon.

Also, just because a network lacks a password doesn't mean it's necessarily insecure, and a network having a password doesn't mean it's necessarily safe. The apps can't detect a man-in-the-middle attack on the network, for instance.

Miscellaneous Features

Avast's app warns you when you don't have its safe browsing enabled, as well as if your iPhone lacks a passcode. You probably already know that using a passcode protects your device, so you don't need an app to tell you this.

Related: How to Change Your iPhone Passcode

The "device update scan" is ridiculous. You don't need a third-party app to tell you when there's an update available for your iPhone; your device already does this.

Finally, the photo vault feature is nice, but not essential. Your iPhone is likely already locked with a PIN and Face/Touch ID. You don't need to pay for another app to lock it again; just don't leave your phone sitting around unlocked and people won't snoop on your photos.

The iPhone Security Apps You Should Actually Use

There are two kinds of security apps you should consider using and that are potentially worth paying for: VPNs and password managers.

Password managers let you create complex passwords for every site that you don't have to remember, then lock them behind one strong master password. They're one of the best ways to boost your online security; see how to get started with a password manager for a complete guide.

VPNs are also useful, in some cases. While public Wi-Fi isn't always the danger zone that these companies make it out to be, VPNs can be useful as an extra layer of obfuscation for your browsing activity, plus they make it possible to access some region-specific content. But you don't need to use one every time you use the coffee shop Wi-Fi to check Twitter.

If you choose to subscribe to a VPN, our guide to using a VPN on iPhone offers some better alternatives.

iPhone Security Apps: Questionable at Best

As we've seen, your iPhone really doesn't need third-party security apps. Most of the features they provide duplicate functions already present on your iPhone, are accessible through free alternative methods, or aren't that useful to begin with. While they aren't totally useless, the price is not worth what's on offer.

I would certainly never pay to use one of these apps on my phone. Meanwhile, there are plenty of ways to secure your iPhone on your own.