Protectstar
Protectstar · Other
Protectstar is a German privacy-first security software maker behind apps like Antivirus AI, iShredder, and Anti Spy, all of which scan, block, or wipe data locally on your device.
About Protectstar
What Is Protectstar
Protectstar is a security software company founded in Germany in 2004 by Chris Bohn. It builds apps that protect phones, Macs, and Windows PCs against malware, spyware, and data left behind on devices you sell or hand off. The pitch is privacy: everything runs on the device itself, there are no ads and no trackers, and the company says it has never earned a cent from selling user data.
Its best-known products are Antivirus AI (malware scanning with a dual-engine setup), iShredder (certified data erasure), and Anti Spy (stalkerware and spyware detection). The apps cover Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows, and Protectstar says more than 8 million people in over 100 countries use them, including businesses and government agencies.
The limits are worth knowing before you commit. This is a specialized toolkit rather than one all-in-one suite, so each job needs its own app. Several premium features, like real-time background protection, sit behind a yearly license, and some of the company's strongest claims rest on its own marketing and third-party test certificates rather than on wide independent study. The core apps are free to try.
Getting Started
- Download the app you need from Google Play, the App Store, or the Protectstar website. Each app handles a different job, so pick Antivirus AI for malware, iShredder for erasing a device, or Anti Spy for surveillance threats.
- Open the app and run a first manual scan or erasure job. Scans start on the device itself, and file contents stay local.
- Review the results and act. Antivirus AI lets you remove or quarantine a detection, and iShredder writes an erasure report you can keep for audits.
- Upgrade to a paid license only if you want features like real-time protection or scheduled scans. The free tier has no expiration date and needs no credit card.
- Manage licenses and devices from your MY.PROTECTSTAR account, and move a license to a new phone when you switch.
Product Information
A quick look at Protectstar's pricing, supported platforms, and performance.
Best for
The users, tasks, and scenarios where this tool fits best.
Users
- Privacy-conscious phone owners
- People selling or recycling devices
- Small businesses and public agencies with compliance duties
- Users tracking down hidden surveillance
Tasks
- Scanning for malware and hidden spyware
- Erasing a device before resale
- Blocking camera and microphone snooping
- Checking whether your data leaked
Scenarios
- Preparing a work laptop for a new owner
- A journalist protecting sources
- A parent reviewing a child's phone
Key features
Dual-Engine Malware Scanning
Antivirus AI pairs two engines in one app: one matches known malware signatures, the other reads patterns and behavior to catch new or disguised threats. Both run in parallel, and Protectstar says the split closes the gap between threats that are catalogued and ones that are still emerging. According to the company, the app scored 99.8 percent against the latest Android malware and 99.9 percent against widespread malware in AV-TEST's January 2025 round.
Certified Data Erasure with iShredder
iShredder is Protectstar's data erasure software, overwriting files and free space so deleted data can't be recovered, using 23 erasure algorithms that include NIST SP 800-88 and DoD 5220.22-M ECE. The headline feature is the GDPR-compliant erasure report, a document many IT teams hand straight to an auditor as proof the device was wiped. Protectstar says it is the only app of its kind validated under DEKRA MASA L1.
Spyware and Stalkerware Detection
Anti Spy scans installed apps for known spyware, keyloggers, and surveillance tools, including hidden or disabled apps that have no launcher icon. It also looks for software that tracks SMS or GPS, and it explains why an app was flagged so you can decide whether to uninstall it. The company calls it the first certified anti-spyware app, citing AV-TEST and DEKRA MASA L1.
Local-First Privacy Design
Every Protectstar scan starts on your device, and file contents, photos, and chats stay there. When cloud analysis is needed for threat checks, the company says only package names, checksums, and technical metadata are sent, over HTTPS with AES-256 encryption, and deleted within seconds. There are no advertising IDs and no tracking profiles, a claim the company points to third-party analysis from exodus-privacy to back.
Cross-Platform Coverage and Mac Scanning
The apps run on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows, and Antivirus AI for Mac can scan a connected iPhone or iPad over USB, no cloud required. It ships natively for Apple Silicon across M1 through M5 chips, and Protectstar says it leans on Apple's Notary Service to stay current on known macOS malware.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Runs scans locally, so file contents, photos, and chats never leave the device by default.
- No ads, no advertising IDs, and no tracking, independently checked by exodus-privacy.
- iShredder writes a certified, GDPR-compliant erasure report that auditors accept.
- Free tiers have no expiration date and require no credit card.
- Covers Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows, with Mac scanning iPhones over USB.
Cons
- Not one integrated suite, so malware, erasure, and anti-spyware each need a separate app.
- The most useful features, like real-time background protection and scheduled scans, require a paid license.
- Detection figures come largely from the vendor and a narrow set of AV-TEST rounds, so independent benchmarks are limited.
- API availability is unclear, which rules it out for developers who want to script scans into their own tools.
Frequently asked questions
Protectstar is a small family of privacy-focused mobile security and desktop apps rather than a single product. The main ones are Antivirus AI for malware and threat scanning, iShredder for certified data erasure, and Anti Spy for detecting spyware, stalkerware, and hidden apps. It also makes Camera Guard, Firewall AI, and a dark web check tool.
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