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The most visible antivirus apps in Germany, October 2026

October 2026 · 15 questions asked from Germany in German and English · ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode · 60 answers read

AI: how the engines answer the board's questions; Search: Google's top 10 for the questions' demand keywords; All: both combined. How the Heralded Score works.

Most cited source

youtube.com

30citations

From Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews

Where engines disagree most

Avast

1/4engines put it in their top three

Top three on Google AI Mode, not on Gemini, Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT

Brands

Rank Brand Rank change Heralded Score Score trend Mentioned Recommended By engine Mentioned by Change
11 Lookout US New entry 26 , range 0–75
26
  • : score 26 · #11
 1% 1% None First reading
12 G DATA DE New entry 25 , range 0–74
25
  • : score 25 · #12
 3% 0% None First reading
13 McAfee US New entry 24 , range 1–42
24
  • : score 24 · #13
 7% 2% None First reading
14 Sophos GB New entry 15 , range 1–47
15
  • : score 15 · #14
 6% 2% None First reading
15 F-Secure FI New entry 13 , range 0–72
13
  • : score 13 · #15
 2% 0% None First reading
= 16 Panda Security ES New entry 12 , range 0–72
12
  • : score 12 · #16
 1% 1% None First reading
= 16 TotalAV GB New entry 12 , range 0–72
12
  • : score 12 · #16
 1% 1% None First reading
18 Intego FR New entry 7 , range 0–72
7
  • : score 7 · #18
 0% 0% None First reading
19 Surfshark NL New entry 5 , range 0–72
5
  • : score 5 · #19
 1% 0% None First reading
20 Webroot US New entry 1 , range 0–71
1
  • : score 1 · #20
 0% 0% None First reading

“=” marks brands whose score ranges overlap, so the test cannot separate them. Every brand named in at least three answers is ranked. By engine has one dot per engine (ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode), darker the more often it names the brand.

This month's moves

First reading. No comparable previous month yet.

Biggest risers

No clear rise.

Biggest fallers

No clear fall.

Drop-outs

No drop-outs.

Most cited sources

Rank Source Type Cited in Engines Pages cited Brands its pages mention
1 youtube.com Social 18.3% 2 of 4 29 Not read
2 microsoft.com Brand site 23.3% 3 of 4 23 1
3 bund.de Regulator 16.7% 3 of 4 13 0
4 apple.com Vendor site 11.7% 2 of 4 12 0
5 google.com Vendor site 15.0% 3 of 4 11 0
6Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
7 eset.com Brand site 10.0% 3 of 4 5 1
8Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
9Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
10Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.

The questions, and who wins each

QuestionLanguageWins it
Welches Antivirenprogramm schützt meinen Windows-Laptop am besten vor Malware? German Microsoft Defender
Welches Antivirenprogramm schützt die Smartphones und Computer meiner Familie? German Bitdefender and Microsoft Defender, tied
Was schützt meinen Mac vor Viren und Ransomware? German Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, tied
Welches Antivirenprogramm schützt mein Android-Smartphone vor schädlichen Apps? German AVG, Avira, Bitdefender and Sophos, tied
Wie verhindere ich, dass mein Laptop mit Malware infiziert wird? German Microsoft Defender
Wie kann ich meine Familie vor Phishing-Links und unsicheren Downloads schützen? German Avira and ESET, tied
Wie entferne ich einen Virus und verhindere, dass er wiederkommt? German Microsoft Defender
Woran erkenne ich, ob Spyware mein Smartphone überwacht? German No brand recommended
Reicht der integrierte Geräteschutz aus, oder sollte ich ein Antivirenprogramm installieren? German Microsoft Defender
Sollte ich eine Sicherheits-App für Smartphone und Computer nutzen oder lieber verschiedene Apps? German Microsoft Defender

Each engine's top three

Method

For the AI side, each month Heralded asks every engine the same buyer questions, twice each, and reads every answer. An answer counts 0 for a brand it leaves out, 50 for a brand it names and 100 for a brand it recommends, and the Heralded Score is built from those. A brand named in at least three answers gets a score and a place.

How the leaderboards are measured