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The most visible antivirus apps in United Kingdom, October 2026

October 2026 · 15 questions asked from United Kingdom in 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.

Leader

Norton

28%of answers name it

Most cited source

youtube.com

30citations

From Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews

Where engines disagree most

Microsoft Defender

1/4engines put it in their top three

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

Brands

Rank Brand Rank change Heralded Score Score trend Mentioned Recommended By engine Mentioned by Change
11 F-Secure FI New entry 20 , range 0–74
20
  • : score 20 · #11
 3% 0% None First reading
12 AVG CZ New entry 19 , range 1–47
19
  • : score 19 · #12
 7% 3% First reading
13 Kaspersky RU New entry 17 , range 2–48
17
  • : score 17 · #13
 10% 1% First reading
= 14 MacKeeper UA New entry 15 , range 0–74
15
  • : score 15 · #14
 1% 1% None First reading
= 14 Webroot US New entry 15 , range 0–74
15
  • : score 15 · #14
 2% 1% None First reading
16 Sophos GB New entry 12 , range 0–73
12
  • : score 12 · #16
 3% 2% None First reading
17 Surfshark NL New entry 7 , range 1–45
7
  • : score 7 · #17
 6% 1% None First reading
= 18 Lookout US New entry 2 , range 0–72
2
  • : score 2 · #18
 0% 0% None First reading
= 18 TotalAV GB New entry 2 , range 0–72
2
  • : score 2 · #18
 2% 0% First reading
20 Acronis SG New entry 1 , range 0–71
1
  • : score 1 · #20
 1% 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
2Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
3 microsoft.com Brand site 18.3% 4 of 4 15 4
4 apple.com Vendor site 15.0% 3 of 4 15 0
5 google.com Vendor site 11.7% 3 of 4 13 0
6Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
7 quora.com Community 6.7% 1 of 4 7 Not read
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
What antivirus app should I use to protect my Windows laptop from malware? English Bitdefender and Microsoft Defender, tied
Which antivirus app can protect my family’s phones and computers? English Bitdefender, McAfee and Norton, tied
What should I use to protect my Mac from viruses and ransomware? English Bitdefender
Which antivirus app can protect my Android phone from malicious apps? English Bitdefender
How can I stop malware infecting my laptop? English Malwarebytes, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Defender, tied
How can I protect my family from phishing links and unsafe downloads? English Microsoft Defender
How can I remove a virus and stop it coming back? English Microsoft Defender
How can I tell if spyware is tracking my phone? English No brand recommended
Is my device’s built-in security enough, or should I install an antivirus app? English Malwarebytes and Microsoft Defender, tied
Should I use one security app across my phone and computer, or separate apps? English 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