validcube

AI visibility index · Digital security & privacy apps · snapshot 1 September 2026

Which security & privacy apps the assistants recommend

33 buyer questions across 5 assistants. One category spans four jobs: VPNs, password managers, antivirus, and data removal. The leaderboard mixes all four, so the headline rank is a blend of products that are not competing for the same buyer.

The fourth snapshot. Captured 1 September 2026 across 5 assistants, one month after the last. The chart below tracks all four months. How this works.
Number = share of an assistant's answers that named the app (%). Score = average of the 5 grounded assistants. ▲/▼ = rank change vs last month. +/− next to Score = point change vs last month.
# App ChatGPT Claude Gemini Mistral Google AI · web Score
1 —
24
18
24
27
50
29 +3
  • ChatGPT
    24
  • Claude
    18
  • Gemini
    24
  • Mistral
    27
  • Google AI · web
    50
2 —
15
15
21
21
33
21 ±0
  • ChatGPT
    15
  • Claude
    15
  • Gemini
    21
  • Mistral
    21
  • Google AI · web
    33
3 —
9
18
27
27
17
20 +3
  • ChatGPT
    9
  • Claude
    18
  • Gemini
    27
  • Mistral
    27
  • Google AI · web
    17
4 ▲3
12
18
15
18
33
19 +4
  • ChatGPT
    12
  • Claude
    18
  • Gemini
    15
  • Mistral
    18
  • Google AI · web
    33
5 ▼1
15
15
18
24
17
18 +2
  • ChatGPT
    15
  • Claude
    15
  • Gemini
    18
  • Mistral
    24
  • Google AI · web
    17
6 ▼1
6
15
12
15
33
16 ±0
  • ChatGPT
    6
  • Claude
    15
  • Gemini
    12
  • Mistral
    15
  • Google AI · web
    33
7 ▲1
9
9
18
18
17
14 ±0
  • ChatGPT
    9
  • Claude
    9
  • Gemini
    18
  • Mistral
    18
  • Google AI · web
    17
8 ▼2
6
18
12
18
17
14 -1

Name collision: "Norton" is also a common word or a bigger brand, so matches are checked in context.

  • ChatGPT
    6
  • Claude
    18
  • Gemini
    12
  • Mistral
    18
  • Google AI · web
    17
9 ▲1
18
9
9
12
17
13 +3
  • ChatGPT
    18
  • Claude
    9
  • Gemini
    9
  • Mistral
    12
  • Google AI · web
    17
10 ▲1
3
12
9
9
17
10 +1
  • ChatGPT
    3
  • Claude
    12
  • Gemini
    9
  • Mistral
    9
  • Google AI · web
    17
11 ▲3
3
12
9
9
17
10 +3

Name collision: "Aura" is also a common word or a bigger brand, so matches are checked in context.

  • ChatGPT
    3
  • Claude
    12
  • Gemini
    9
  • Mistral
    9
  • Google AI · web
    17
12 ▼3
0
9
15
6
17
9 -1
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    9
  • Gemini
    15
  • Mistral
    6
  • Google AI · web
    17
13 ▲4
6
9
3
12
17
9 +4
  • ChatGPT
    6
  • Claude
    9
  • Gemini
    3
  • Mistral
    12
  • Google AI · web
    17
14 ▲2
6
3
9
3
17
8 +2
  • ChatGPT
    6
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    9
  • Mistral
    3
  • Google AI · web
    17
15 ▼3
0
9
3
9
17
8 ±0
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    9
  • Gemini
    3
  • Mistral
    9
  • Google AI · web
    17
16 ▼1
3
3
6
6
17
7 +1
  • ChatGPT
    3
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    6
  • Mistral
    6
  • Google AI · web
    17
17 ▼4
3
3
3
6
17
6 -1
  • ChatGPT
    3
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    3
  • Mistral
    6
  • Google AI · web
    17
18 ▲2
3
6
6
12
0
5 +2
  • ChatGPT
    3
  • Claude
    6
  • Gemini
    6
  • Mistral
    12
  • Google AI · web
    0
19 ▲6
0
3
3
3
17
5 +3
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    3
  • Mistral
    3
  • Google AI · web
    17
20 ▲7
0
3
0
0
17
4 +3
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    0
  • Mistral
    0
  • Google AI · web
    17
21 ▲1
0
3
3
9
0
3 +1
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    3
  • Mistral
    9
  • Google AI · web
    0
22 ▼3
0
6
3
6
0
3 ±0
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    6
  • Gemini
    3
  • Mistral
    6
  • Google AI · web
    0
23 ▲3
0
6
0
3
0
2 +1
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    6
  • Gemini
    0
  • Mistral
    3
  • Google AI · web
    0
24 ▼1
0
3
0
9
0
2 ±0
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    0
  • Mistral
    9
  • Google AI · web
    0
25 ▼4
0
9
0
3
0
2 -1
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    9
  • Gemini
    0
  • Mistral
    3
  • Google AI · web
    0
26 ▼8
3
3
0
6
0
2 -2

Name collision: "Keeper" is also a common word or a bigger brand, so matches are checked in context.

  • ChatGPT
    3
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    0
  • Mistral
    6
  • Google AI · web
    0
27 ▲1
0
0
3
6
0
2 +1
  • ChatGPT
    0
  • Claude
    0
  • Gemini
    3
  • Mistral
    6
  • Google AI · web
    0
28 ▼4
3
3
3
0
0
2 ±0
  • ChatGPT
    3
  • Claude
    3
  • Gemini
    3
  • Mistral
    0
  • Google AI · web
    0

Google AI is a single web capture of the AI Overview for 6 of the prompts, not the full set, so treat its column as directional. Every other assistant runs the full prompt set once each.

How the numbers moved

One snapshot is a photo. The index is the film. Each monthly run adds a column here, so a climb or a slide shows up as a line, not a number you have to remember.

Score over time · top 6
JunJulAugSepProtonVPN29  +3NordVPN21  ±0Bitwarden20  +3Surfshark19  +41Password18  +2ExpressVPN16  ±0

Four jobs, one board

ProtonVPN and NordVPN top the list, but a VPN and a password manager are not the same purchase. Split by job and the answer sharpens: Bitwarden and 1Password own passwords, Incogni and DeleteMe lead data removal, and on the no-logs question three of the four engines open with NordVPN while Gemini opens with Mullvad. The headline rank hides this.

Grounding, meet the affiliate listicle

"Best VPN" is the most affiliate-gamed query on the open web. Because every engine here is search-grounded, this is a test of the grounding thesis, and they mostly echo it: all five grounded engines land on the same Proton, Nord, Surfshark trio the paid listicles push. Whether grounding cuts through that consensus or just launders it is what this category exists to watch.