DEFEND vs Sophos:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Sophos had more branded searches than DEFEND among cybersecurity vendors in New Zealand. Sophos had about 450 branded searches, while DEFEND had 190. Sophos made up 4.7% of all cybersecurity vendor searches we track, and DEFEND accounted for 2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about cybersecurity vendors, DEFEND appeared in two of the five answers and Sophos in none.
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Top cybersecurity vendors in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, DEFEND was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Sophos did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
CyberCX3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Datacom2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Securecom2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
DEFEND2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Check Point1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Fortinet0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
CrowdStrike0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Sophos0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Palo Alto Networks0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Darktrace0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about cybersecurity vendors
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which cybersecurity vendor should I use in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best cybersecurity vendors in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best cybersecurity vendor in New Zealand for protecting business systems?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“business cyber security”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ransomware protection software”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is DEFEND or Sophos more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for DEFEND and Sophos by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten cybersecurity vendors we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Sophos, DEFEND. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Datacom | Fortinet | CrowdStrike | Check Point | CyberCX | Sophos | Palo Alto Networks | Securecom | DEFEND | Darktrace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 44.7% | 16.3% | 11.2% | 6.1% | 7.3% | 4.4% | 2.5% | 4% | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Nov 2025 | 46.3% | 16.4% | 10.2% | 5.8% | 6.2% | 4.7% | 2.5% | 4.1% | 2.2% | 1.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 45% | 14.4% | 8.4% | 14.9% | 4.9% | 4.5% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 1.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 46.6% | 15.9% | 8.4% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 4.8% | 2.7% | 3.4% | 1.7% | 2.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 47.7% | 14.3% | 10.5% | 7% | 6.4% | 4% | 3.1% | 3.5% | 1.7% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 46% | 14% | 9.4% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 3.7% | 3.6% | 6.1% | 2% | 1.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 48.2% | 12.4% | 9% | 7.2% | 7.9% | 4.7% | 3.9% | 3.5% | 1.9% | 1.2% |
| May 2026 | 45% | 16% | 10.1% | 6.9% | 6% | 4.6% | 3.6% | 4% | 2.4% | 1.5% |
| Jun 2026 | 43.2% | 19.4% | 9.6% | 7.5% | 5.8% | 4.3% | 3.1% | 3.8% | 1.9% | 1.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 47.5% | 14.4% | 11.7% | 5.6% | 6.4% | 4.1% | 3.5% | 4.2% | 1.7% | 0.97% |
| Aug 2026 | 46.5% | 14.5% | 10.6% | 7.2% | 5.1% | 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 2% | 1.3% |
| Sep 2026 | 46.2% | 14.1% | 11.8% | 6.9% | 6.2% | 4.7% | 3.7% | 3.4% | 2% | 1.2% |
How has the DEFEND and Sophos comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Sophos was ahead of DEFEND in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, DEFEND’s share of searches among cybersecurity vendors in New Zealand moved from 1.6% to 2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 160 to 190.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sophos’ share of searches among cybersecurity vendors in New Zealand moved from 4.4% to 4.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 430 to 450.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand cybersecurity vendors in September 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for DEFEND in New Zealand rose 18.8% over 12 measured months, from 160 to 190 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
6 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using DEFEND’s and Sophos’ 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.
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