Who AI search surfaces for VPN
thebestvpn.com and security.org tie atop the vpn retrieval pool (4/5 queries each)
| # | Domain | Type | Queries | Mean pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | thebestvpn.com | Aggregator | 4/5 | 1.5 |
| 2 | security.org | Aggregator | 4/5 | 3.75 |
| 3 | gizmodo.com | Editorial | 3/5 | 5 |
| 4 | cybernews.com | Editorial | 2/5 | 3.5 |
| 5 | salon.com | Editorial | 2/5 | 4.5 |
| 6 | cyberinsider.com | Editorial | 2/5 | 4.5 |
| 7 | top10vpn.com | Aggregator | 2/5 | 7.5 |
| 8 | nordlayer.com | Brand | 1/5 | 1 |
| 9 | proprivacy.com | Aggregator | 1/5 | 1 |
| 10 | openvpn.net | Brand | 1/5 | 2 |
| 11 | vpnmentor.com | Aggregator | 1/5 | 2 |
| 12 | pcworld.com | Editorial | 1/5 | 2 |
“Queries” = how many of the 5 sampled queries surfaced this domain in the top 10 (across 3 samples). Position is the mean rank when present.
By distinct domain the pool is 25.9% brand-owned, 44.4% aggregator/directory, 29.6% editorial. Most of the field is third-party, so getting surfaced means earning a place on the aggregators and roundups AI retrieves, not only optimising your own site.
thebestvpn.com (aggregator) and security.org (aggregator) tie as the most consistently surfaced sources, each appearing in 4 of 5 sampled queries. Below them, gizmodo.com (editorial) at 3/5 and cybernews.com (editorial) at 2/5 also recur. 7 of the 27 distinct domains surface in two or more of the 5 queries; the rest appear once and drop out. Across the pool, aggregators and directories hold the largest share of what AI search retrieves here.
The fastest path to visibility is accurate inclusion in the third-party pages that keep surfacing here, starting with thebestvpn.com. The retrieval set is very stable run to run (top-10 overlap 1), so a single snapshot is a reasonable read.
Methodology & limits: Snapshot only: 5 buyer-intent queries, 3 samples each, one time period. This maps the retrieval candidate pool (what AI search can draw from), not logged AI citations. Treat it as a directional signal, not a census.
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