Heralded
Start free trial
Heralded

The most visible endpoint security tools, October 2026

October 2026 · 12 questions asked in English, worldwide · ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode · 96 answers read

Most cited source

gartner.com

48citations

From Google AI Mode, Gemini, Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT

Where engines disagree most

Sophos

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 Heralded Score Mentioned Recommended By engine Mentioned by Change
1 CrowdStrike US 76 , range 69–82 84% 44% First reading
2 Microsoft Defender US 76 , range 68–82 75% 53% First reading
3 SentinelOne US 76 , range 68–81 83% 45% First reading
4 Sophos GB 70 , range 58–77 71% 41% First reading
5 Bitdefender RO 53 , range 45–65 53% 30% First reading
6 Palo Alto Cortex US 38 , range 32–46 26% 21% First reading
7 ESET SK 38 , range 32–45 30% 15% First reading
8 Huntress US 28 , range 9–36 15% 10% First reading
9 Fortinet US 14 , range 6–33 15% 2% First reading
10 Trellix US 10 , range 6–31 15% 0% 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.

Most cited sources

Rank Source Type Cited in Engines Pages cited Brands its pages mention
11 av-comparatives.org Review site 4.2% 1 of 4 5 9
12Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
13 mitre.org Regulator 4.2% 1 of 4 6 Not read
14 cynet.com Brand site 7.3% 2 of 4 3 8
15 sourceforge.net Review site 6.3% 1 of 4 6 4
16Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
17Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
18Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
19 slashdot.org Media 4.2% 1 of 4 4 0
20Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.

The questions, and who wins each

QuestionLanguageWins it
endpoint security software with the best support English CrowdStrike
which endpoint security software do experts recommend English Microsoft Defender

Each engine's top three

Method

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