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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

bild.de

3citations

From Gemini 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
1 Microsoft Defender US New entry 55 , range 31–75
55
  • : score 55 · #1
 40% 27% First reading
2 Bitdefender RO New entry 55 , range 29–66
55
  • : score 55 · #2
 31% 20% First reading
3 Norton US New entry 46 , range 11–54
46
  • : score 46 · #3
 20% 6% First reading
4 Trend Micro JP New entry 40 , range 1–75
40
  • : score 40 · #4
 2% 2% None First reading
5 Avast CZ New entry 36 , range 6–53
36
  • : score 36 · #5
 17% 9% First reading
6 Kaspersky RU New entry 35 , range 9–50
35
  • : score 35 · #6
 15% 3% First reading
7 AVG CZ New entry 30 , range 1–49
30
  • : score 30 · #7
 9% 6% First reading
8 Malwarebytes US New entry 30 , range 5–52
30
  • : score 30 · #8
 10% 9% None First reading
9 Avira DE New entry 29 , range 1–49
29
  • : score 29 · #9
 9% 5% First reading
10 ESET SK New entry 28 , range 7–53
28
  • : score 28 · #10
 12% 10% 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 bild.de Media 5.0% 2 of 4 2 5
2Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
3 pcwelt.de Media 5.0% 1 of 4 2 11
4Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
5Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
6Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
7 gizmodo.com Media 1.7% 1 of 4 1 Not read
8Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
9 imtest.de Media 1.7% 1 of 4 1 Not read
10 macwelt.de Media 1.7% 1 of 4 1 Not read

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