MalCare vs OPNsense:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, OPNsense had more branded searches than MalCare among firewall brands worldwide. OPNsense had about 74,000 branded searches, while MalCare had 4,400. OPNsense made up 23.5% of all firewall brand searches we track, and MalCare accounted for 1.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about firewall brands, OPNsense appeared in four of the five answers and MalCare in none.
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Top firewall brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, OPNsense was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. MalCare did not appear in any of the five answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
See every answer about firewall brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which firewall should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best firewalls?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best firewall for a website?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“firewall software”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best firewall”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is MalCare or OPNsense more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for MalCare and OPNsense by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all four firewall brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for OPNsense, MalCare. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Sucuri | OPNsense | Wordfence | MalCare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 53.1% | 33.3% | 11.6% | 2% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.5% | 37.4% | 10.9% | 2.2% |
| Dec 2025 | 58.9% | 30.5% | 8.8% | 1.8% |
| Jan 2026 | 59% | 30.8% | 8.7% | 1.5% |
| Feb 2026 | 53.4% | 32.9% | 11.7% | 2% |
| Mar 2026 | 49.7% | 37.5% | 10.9% | 1.8% |
| Apr 2026 | 53.8% | 32.6% | 11.6% | 1.9% |
| May 2026 | 59.5% | 28.8% | 10% | 1.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 55.1% | 31.8% | 11.1% | 1.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 58.8% | 29.1% | 10.4% | 1.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 55.3% | 33.4% | 9.7% | 1.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 67% | 23.5% | 8.1% | 1.4% |
How has the MalCare and OPNsense comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- OPNsense was ahead of MalCare in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, MalCare’s share of searches among firewall brands worldwide moved from 2% to 1.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 4.4K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, OPNsense’s share of searches among firewall brands worldwide moved from 33.3% to 23.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 74K.
How did search popularity change for firewall brands worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, OPNsense lost share of searches among firewall brands worldwide, from 33.4% to 23.5%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using MalCare’s and OPNsense’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among firewall brands
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