--- title: "Microsoft Defender: search popularity in New Zealand" description: "Microsoft Defender is an endpoint security platform. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/brands/microsoft-defender" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Microsoft Defender: search popularity in New Zealand Microsoft Defender is an endpoint security platform. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Brand**: Microsoft Defender - **Market**: New Zealand - **Measured month**: Sep 2026 - **Share of Search among antivirus software**: 2.8% ## Where the brand sits | Competitive set | Rank | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Antivirus software | 7 | 2.8% | 320 | - [Antivirus software](/demand/nz/categories/nz-antivirus-software) ## Top antivirus software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Microsoft Defender was mentioned in three out of four: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Microsoft Defender is the fourth most recommended of the seven. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Bitdefender | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 4 | | ESET | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 4 | | Norton | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 4 | | Microsoft Defender | 4th | 3 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 4 | | Avast | 5th | 0 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 4 | | McAfee | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 4 | | Malwarebytes | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 4 | ## Every AI answer about antivirus software - Asked ChatGPT "Which antivirus product should I use in New Zealand?": 1. Bitdefender, 2. ESET, 3. Microsoft Defender, 4. Norton - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best antivirus products in New Zealand?": 1. Bitdefender, 2. Norton, 3. ESET, 4. Microsoft Defender - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best antivirus product in New Zealand for device protection?": 1. Bitdefender, 2. ESET, 3. Norton, 4. Microsoft Defender - Searched Google, AI Overview "antivirus software nz": 1. Bitdefender, 2. Norton, 3. ESET, 4. Avast Not named in any answer: McAfee and Malwarebytes. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in New Zealand on October 20, 2026. ## How has branded search demand for Microsoft Defender changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months? - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Microsoft Defender in New Zealand held steady at 320. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Microsoft Defender’s share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand peaked at 3.2% in April 2026 and was lowest at 2.2% in July 2026. ## How did search popularity change for New Zealand antivirus software in September 2026? - In September 2026, McAfee overtook Malwarebytes to become the leader among antivirus software in New Zealand, with 32.2% of the searches. - In September 2026, Avast gained share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand, from 9.6% to 11%. - In September 2026, Malwarebytes lost share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand, from 30.9% to 24.4%. - In September 2026, Bitdefender lost share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand, from 20.1% to 16.4%. - In September 2026, Norton lost share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand, from 7.6% to 6.3%. - ESET’s share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 8% to 6.9% in September 2026. ## Historical estimated branded-search demand | Month | Competitive set | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | Antivirus software | 320 | 2.5% | 7 | | Nov 2025 | Antivirus software | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | | Dec 2025 | Antivirus software | 260 | 2.2% | 7 | | Jan 2026 | Antivirus software | 320 | 2.5% | 7 | | Feb 2026 | Antivirus software | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | | Mar 2026 | Antivirus software | 390 | 3% | 7 | | Apr 2026 | Antivirus software | 390 | 3.2% | 7 | | May 2026 | Antivirus software | 390 | 3% | 7 | | Jun 2026 | Antivirus software | 320 | 2.4% | 7 | | Jul 2026 | Antivirus software | 260 | 2.2% | 7 | | Aug 2026 | Antivirus software | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | | Sep 2026 | Antivirus software | 320 | 2.8% | 7 | ## How are Microsoft Defender’s branded searches counted? Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Microsoft Defender’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for this branded term can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading. - “microsoft defender” ## Which antivirus software compete with Microsoft Defender? - [McAfee](/demand/nz/brands/mcafee) - [Malwarebytes](/demand/nz/brands/malwarebytes): Head-to-head: /demand/nz/compare/malwarebytes-vs-microsoft-defender - [Bitdefender](/demand/nz/brands/bitdefender): Head-to-head: /demand/nz/compare/bitdefender-vs-microsoft-defender - [Avast](/demand/nz/brands/avast): Head-to-head: /demand/nz/compare/avast-vs-microsoft-defender - [ESET](/demand/nz/brands/eset): Head-to-head: /demand/nz/compare/eset-vs-microsoft-defender - [Norton](/demand/nz/brands/norton): Head-to-head: /demand/nz/compare/microsoft-defender-vs-norton ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Microsoft Defender: search popularity in New Zealand". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/brands/microsoft-defender This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/brands/microsoft-defender. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.