--- title: "Malwarebytes vs Microsoft Defender: Which is searched more in New Zealand?" description: "Is Malwarebytes or Microsoft Defender more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Antivirus software set in New Zealand. 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/compare/malwarebytes-vs-microsoft-defender" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Malwarebytes vs Microsoft Defender: Which is searched more in New Zealand? Is Malwarebytes or Microsoft Defender more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Antivirus software set in New Zealand. 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 - **Compared**: Malwarebytes and Microsoft Defender - **Competitive set**: Antivirus software - **Market**: New Zealand - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Malwarebytes Share of Search**: 24.4% - **Microsoft Defender Share of Search**: 2.8% ## Is Malwarebytes or Microsoft Defender more popular in search? - In September 2026, Malwarebytes had more branded searches than Microsoft Defender among antivirus software in New Zealand. Malwarebytes had about 2,810 branded searches, while Microsoft Defender had 320. Malwarebytes made up 24.4% of all antivirus software searches we track, and Microsoft Defender accounted for 2.8%. - Malwarebytes was ahead of Microsoft Defender in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Malwarebytes’ share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand moved from 23.9% to 24.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3K to 2.8K. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Microsoft Defender’s share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand moved from 2.5% to 2.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 320. ## 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. Malwarebytes did not appear in any of the four answers. 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 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, Malwarebytes lost share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand, from 30.9% to 24.4%. ## Month by month | Month | Malwarebytes estimated searches | Malwarebytes Share of Search | Malwarebytes rank | Microsoft Defender estimated searches | Microsoft Defender Share of Search | Microsoft Defender rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 3K | 23.9% | 2 | 320 | 2.5% | 7 | | Nov 2025 | 2.5K | 21.7% | 2 | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | | Dec 2025 | 3K | 25.3% | 2 | 260 | 2.2% | 7 | | Jan 2026 | 3.1K | 25% | 2 | 320 | 2.5% | 7 | | Feb 2026 | 2.9K | 24.1% | 2 | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | | Mar 2026 | 3.5K | 26.7% | 1 | 390 | 3% | 7 | | Apr 2026 | 3.5K | 29.2% | 1 | 390 | 3.2% | 7 | | May 2026 | 3.8K | 28.6% | 1 | 390 | 3% | 7 | | Jun 2026 | 4K | 30.3% | 1 | 320 | 2.4% | 7 | | Jul 2026 | 4K | 33.4% | 1 | 260 | 2.2% | 7 | | Aug 2026 | 3.6K | 30.9% | 1 | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | | Sep 2026 | 2.8K | 24.4% | 2 | 320 | 2.8% | 7 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Malwarebytes’ and Microsoft Defender’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. - **Malwarebytes**: Measured on the search terms “malwarebytes”, “malwarebytes anti malware”, “malwarebytes os x”, “malwarebytes security” and “mbam malwarebytes”, summed into one figure. - **Microsoft Defender**: Measured on the search term “microsoft defender”. - [Malwarebytes profile](/demand/nz/brands/malwarebytes) - [Microsoft Defender profile](/demand/nz/brands/microsoft-defender) - [All antivirus software in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/nz-antivirus-software): The set both shares are measured inside, 7 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Malwarebytes or Microsoft Defender more popular in search? In September 2026, Malwarebytes had more branded searches than Microsoft Defender among antivirus software in New Zealand. Malwarebytes had about 2,810 branded searches, while Microsoft Defender had 320. Malwarebytes made up 24.4% of all antivirus software searches we track, and Microsoft Defender accounted for 2.8%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Malwarebytes vs Microsoft Defender: Which is searched more in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/malwarebytes-vs-microsoft-defender This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/malwarebytes-vs-microsoft-defender. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.