--- title: "Microsoft Defender vs Norton: Which is searched more in New Zealand?" description: "Is Microsoft Defender or Norton 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/microsoft-defender-vs-norton" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Microsoft Defender vs Norton: Which is searched more in New Zealand? Is Microsoft Defender or Norton 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**: Microsoft Defender and Norton - **Competitive set**: Antivirus software - **Market**: New Zealand - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Microsoft Defender Share of Search**: 2.8% - **Norton Share of Search**: 6.3% ## Is Microsoft Defender or Norton more popular in search? - In September 2026, Norton had more branded searches than Microsoft Defender among antivirus software in New Zealand. Norton had about 730 branded searches, while Microsoft Defender had 320. Norton made up 6.3% of all antivirus software searches we track, and Microsoft Defender accounted for 2.8%. - Norton was ahead of Microsoft Defender in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026. - 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. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Norton’s share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand moved from 8.2% to 6.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1K to 730. ## Top antivirus software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Norton appeared in all four answers. Microsoft Defender was mentioned in three out of four: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Norton was listed before Microsoft Defender in three out of 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, Norton lost share of searches among antivirus software in New Zealand, from 7.6% to 6.3%. ## Month by month | Month | Microsoft Defender estimated searches | Microsoft Defender Share of Search | Microsoft Defender rank | Norton estimated searches | Norton Share of Search | Norton rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 320 | 2.5% | 7 | 1K | 8.2% | 6 | | Nov 2025 | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | 860 | 7.3% | 6 | | Dec 2025 | 260 | 2.2% | 7 | 1K | 8.6% | 5 | | Jan 2026 | 320 | 2.5% | 7 | 1.1K | 9.2% | 5 | | Feb 2026 | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | 1.1K | 9.2% | 5 | | Mar 2026 | 390 | 3% | 7 | 870 | 6.6% | 6 | | Apr 2026 | 390 | 3.2% | 7 | 890 | 7.4% | 6 | | May 2026 | 390 | 3% | 7 | 1K | 7.9% | 5 | | Jun 2026 | 320 | 2.4% | 7 | 1.1K | 8.2% | 5 | | Jul 2026 | 260 | 2.2% | 7 | 900 | 7.5% | 6 | | Aug 2026 | 320 | 2.7% | 7 | 900 | 7.6% | 5 | | Sep 2026 | 320 | 2.8% | 7 | 730 | 6.3% | 6 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Microsoft Defender’s and Norton’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. - **Microsoft Defender**: Measured on the search term “microsoft defender”. - **Norton**: Measured on the search terms “norton antivirus”, “norton antivirus plus”, “norton mobile security” and “norton security”, summed into one figure. - [Microsoft Defender profile](/demand/nz/brands/microsoft-defender) - [Norton profile](/demand/nz/brands/norton) - [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 Microsoft Defender or Norton more popular in search? In September 2026, Norton had more branded searches than Microsoft Defender among antivirus software in New Zealand. Norton had about 730 branded searches, while Microsoft Defender had 320. Norton made up 6.3% of all antivirus software searches we track, and Microsoft Defender accounted for 2.8%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Microsoft Defender vs Norton: Which is searched more in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/microsoft-defender-vs-norton This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/microsoft-defender-vs-norton. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.