Android Protects You from Scams Better Than iPhone: Study

Despite Apple’s longstanding claim that its closed ecosystem offers superior security, new research suggests Android devices may do a better job protecting users from mobile scams.

The findings come from a YouGov survey of 5,000 smartphone users across the United States, India, and Brazil, conducted in collaboration with Google. According to the report, iPhone users were 65% more likely than Android users to report receiving three or more scam messages in a single week. In contrast, Android users were 58% more likely to say they had not received any scam texts during the same period.

Google Pixel Safer Than Others

When asked about the effectiveness of their device’s scam protection tools, Android users were 20% more likely than iPhone users to describe them as “very effective” or “extremely effective.” The difference became even more noticeable among Google Pixel owners, who were 96% more likely than iPhone users to say they received no scam texts at all.

In comparison, iPhone users were 136% more likely than Pixel users to report receiving a large number of scam messages and 150% more likely to say their device provided no real protection against mobile fraud.

iPhone Lags Behind Several Android Devices

The survey also included a separate evaluation of built-in scam protection features across four flagship devices: the Google Pixel 10 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, and Motorola Razr+ 2025. According to the report, the iPhone came in last in terms of the number and strength of its anti-scam features.

Researchers pointed to Android’s built-in tools, such as call screening, real-time scam detection, and AI-based message analysis, as key advantages. On Pixel devices, Google Messages can identify suspicious messages from unknown senders and block links flagged as fraudulent. Meanwhile, the Phone app by Google automatically blocks known spam calls and uses on-device AI to detect suspicious conversations in real time.

In some markets, Call Screen can answer calls on the user’s behalf to filter out potential scams. If the call is picked up, the system can still warn users of risky behavior and block actions like installing untrusted apps or changing critical device settings.