Mobile devices have become the primary attack vector for enterprise compromise. The MTD market reached $3.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at 23% CAGR through 2030. According to Zimperium’s 2025 Global Mobile Threat Report, attackers now prioritize mobile devices over desktops, with mobile risk transitioning from episodic to persistent structural exposure. Over 1.2 million enterprise-focused phishing attacks were observed in Q3 2025 alone, and sideloaded apps appear on 23.5% of enterprise devices.
The 2024 Forrester Wave for Mobile Threat Defense recognized the maturation of this market, with on-device machine learning and phishing-resistant detection becoming table stakes.
How We Evaluated
We assessed on-device detection capabilities including machine learning engines that operate without cloud connectivity for real-time threat identification. Phishing protection across SMS, email, messaging apps, and QR codes was critical. App vetting covering malware detection, permission analysis, and sideloading prevention mattered. Network protection including rogue Wi-Fi detection, man-in-the-middle prevention, and DNS security was evaluated. UEM/MDM integration with major platforms like Intune, Workspace ONE, and Jamf counted heavily. Platform coverage across iOS and Android with support for both managed and unmanaged BYOD devices rounded out the criteria.
1. Zimperium
Score: 96/100
Zimperium is the mobile security leader, named a Leader in the Forrester Wave MTD Q3 2024. The patented z9 machine learning engine has detected every major mobile exploit since 2014 without requiring signature updates. Record-breaking FY25 with 33% growth in the MAPS platform and winner of Mobile Security Solution of the Year at the 2025 Mobile Breakthrough Awards.
On-device z9 machine learning engine provides real-time detection without cloud lookups. First ML-based mobile anti-phishing covering SMS, QR codes, social messaging, and browsers. Deep Scan forensic analysis and Secure PDF scanning identify malicious documents. IRAP PROTECTED certification for Australian Government deployments. Expanded CrowdStrike Falcon partnership for Next-Gen SIEM integration. Supports iOS, Android, managed and unmanaged devices with sovereign hosting options.
Best for: Enterprises requiring the most advanced on-device detection with zero cloud dependency and government-grade certifications
2. Lookout
Score: 93/100
Lookout pioneered the MTD category and maintains the largest mobile security dataset with 220 million devices and 325 million apps analyzed. The AI-first Mobile EDR platform provides industry-leading detection capabilities backed by continuous threat intelligence. Lookout’s Q3 2025 report found iOS devices are now more exposed to phishing than Android in enterprise environments.
Security Cloud analyzes 325 million apps with 465 million phishing sites identified since 2019. First MTD with Executive Impersonation Protection for coordinated smishing attack detection. Mobile Intelligence APIs enable SIEM, SOAR, and XDR integration. Real-time detection across email, SMS, apps, and messaging platforms. Chrome OS support extends beyond traditional mobile. Competitive pricing reported at approximately two-thirds of Prisma alternatives.
Best for: Organizations wanting the deepest threat intelligence and executive protection against sophisticated mobile phishing campaigns
3. Jamf Protect
Score: 91/100
Jamf Protect is purpose-built for Apple ecosystems following the $400M Wandera acquisition in 2021. As the only security platform exclusively designed for Apple, Jamf provides the deepest iOS, iPadOS, and macOS integration. Extended MTD support to Apple Vision Pro in 2025.
Purpose-built for Apple with native Jamf Pro integration. Zero Trust Network Access capabilities from Wandera acquisition. Compliance dashboard with CIS benchmark visualization and Fleet Hardening Score. AI Assistant Security Skill for alert triage and MITRE ATT&CK guidance launched 2025. Content filtering and acceptable use policy enforcement. Network-based threat defense prevents connections to malicious infrastructure.
Best for: Apple-centric enterprises requiring deep macOS and iOS security with native MDM integration
4. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (Mobile)
Score: 88/100
Microsoft Defender extends the comprehensive Defender ecosystem to iOS and Android devices. Native Intune integration and Conditional Access capabilities make it the natural choice for Microsoft 365 environments. Network Protection reached general availability in 2025.
Native integration with Microsoft Intune and Conditional Access policies. Web protection via local VPN against phishing across browsers, email, and apps. Vulnerability assessment for apps on enrolled MDM devices. Mobile device tagging for bulk management via Intune. Included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint licensing reducing incremental cost. Support for iOS 16+ and Android 10+ with user enrollment device support.
Best for: Microsoft 365 organizations wanting unified endpoint security across desktop and mobile within existing licensing
5. CrowdStrike Falcon for Mobile
Score: 86/100
CrowdStrike extends its industry-leading EDR platform to mobile devices through Falcon for Mobile. The unified console provides consistent visibility across traditional and mobile endpoints, with deep integration into the Falcon ecosystem for correlation and response.
Unified Falcon console for mobile and traditional endpoint visibility. Custom IOC management for blocking domains, IPs, and subdomains. Automatic Android app sandboxing for spyware detection. Zero Trust Assessment for iOS and Android with Android Enterprise Device Trust. Real-time detection and blocking of malicious apps, phishing, and network attacks. Expanded Zimperium partnership for enhanced MTD capabilities.
Best for: CrowdStrike customers wanting to extend Falcon visibility to mobile devices within a unified security platform
6. Check Point Harmony Mobile
Score: 84/100
Check Point Harmony Mobile earned Miercom Certified Secure 2025 with industry-leading detection rates. Part of the Check Point Infinity architecture, Harmony Mobile provides comprehensive mobile protection with the lowest CPU utilization among tested vendors.
98.2% overall malware detection rate, 15.2% above industry average per Miercom. 99% prevention rate against unknown phishing threats. 100% detection of malicious APK and IPA packages. Lowest CPU usage at 9.5% among tested MTD solutions. Zero-touch deployment enables rapid enterprise rollout. Multi-channel phishing blocking across email, messaging, and social media.
Best for: Organizations prioritizing detection efficacy and minimal device performance impact within a Check Point security stack
7. Pradeo
Score: 81/100
Pradeo is a European MTD specialist with strong Samsung SDS partnership for EMM integration. AI-based detection provides zero-day protection through behavioral analysis rather than signature matching. Strong presence in regulated European markets.
AI-based detection identifies application behavior patterns for zero-day protection. Comprehensive UEM integration including Intune, Workspace ONE, Knox Manage, and SOTI. Cloud and on-premises deployment options for data sovereignty requirements. ANSSI mobile threat guidance compliance for French government. Samsung SDS partnership strengthens enterprise mobility integration. GDPR-focused data privacy regulation compliance support.
Best for: European enterprises requiring on-premises deployment options and strong regulatory compliance for data sovereignty
8. BlackBerry UEM with CylancePROTECT Mobile
Score: 78/100
BlackBerry combines enterprise mobility management with AI-powered mobile protection through CylancePROTECT Mobile. Note that Cylance was sold to Arctic Wolf for $160M in December 2024, which may affect future integration and development priorities.
AI-based CylancePROTECT Mobile identifies malware using Cylance machine learning. Unified management console for all mobile endpoints. Vulnerability scanning for device configuration and sideloaded apps. URL analysis for unsafe sites within BlackBerry Dynamics apps. BSI certification for BlackBerry UEM achieved October 2025. Network risk detection for insecure networks and device settings.
Best for: Existing BlackBerry UEM customers wanting integrated mobile threat protection within their current management platform
9. Ivanti Neurons for MTD
Score: 76/100
Ivanti integrates mobile threat defense directly into its MDM platform, providing built-in security without requiring separate agent deployment. Machine learning algorithms optimized for continuous on-device operation enable persistent protection with 100% adoption through the MDM client.
Built-in deployment achieves 100% adoption through existing Ivanti MDM client. On-device machine learning for known and zero-day threat detection. Zero-day web protection with real-time link analysis. Policy-based compliance with automated remediation actions. Real-time analytics for app visibility and threat assessment. T-Mobile for Business partnership extends mobile security offerings.
Best for: Ivanti MDM customers wanting integrated mobile threat defense without additional agent deployment
10. Wandera (Now Jamf)
Score: N/A - Integrated into Jamf Protect
Wandera was acquired by Jamf for $400 million in 2021 and its capabilities are now fully integrated into Jamf Protect. Historical Wandera strengths included Zero Trust Network Access, data policy management, and network-based threat defense. Organizations evaluating Wandera should assess Jamf Protect for current capabilities.
See Jamf Protect above for current mobile threat defense capabilities
Market Outlook
The MTD market continues consolidating around platform players. The CrowdStrike-Zimperium partnership and Microsoft Defender mobile expansion signal that standalone MTD is merging into broader endpoint security platforms. Key trends for 2026 include AI-powered malware that rewrites patterns to evade detection, deepfake voice technology bypassing identity verification, and supply chain attacks targeting mobile app development pipelines.
Organizations should prioritize MTD solutions that provide on-device detection without cloud dependency, comprehensive phishing protection across all channels, and deep integration with existing UEM/MDM platforms.