Software composition analysis tools: AI search visibility ranking (2026)
How AI search engines rank software composition analysis tools by visibility and citations. 20 brands measured monthly across Google AI Mode: which brands the AI names in answers, which domains it cites as sources, and how the leaders compare. Application security tools used to inventory open-source dependencies, detect vulnerabilities, and manage software supply chain risk. Composite score: 70% visibility (% of AI answers naming the brand) + 30% citation rate (% citing the brand's domain). Full methodology →
Download this ranking as a PDF
We'll email it to you. One-off send — no list, no follow-up, no surprise marketing.
When AI engines like ChatGPT and Claude are asked about Software composition analysis tools, Mend is frequently identified as the leader. With a visibility percentage of 37.5, Mend leads the conversation, closely followed by Endor Labs and Cycode as notable mentions. The leader also garners a high citation rate, being referenced in 75 percent of AI-generated content.
The prominence of Mend and others in AI engine rankings is largely attributed to the domains from which these engines source their information. Websites like endorlabs.com, cycode.com, and mend.io, as well as aikido.dev and sonatype.com, are among the top-cited sources. These sites often serve as aggregator or review platforms, influencing the AI's perception of brand authority.
For a buyer reviewing this ranking page, it's crucial to note what AI engines prioritize: recent reviews and third-party validations. The fact that Mend leads, especially with strong visibility and citation percentages, suggests that it holds topical authority. When choosing a brand, buyers should consider which companies receive consistent validation across multiple independent sources.
At a glance
What we observed in this category
Mend leads the Software composition analysis tools category with a composite score of 48.8, nearly double the second-ranked Endor Labs at 30.0. Mend's 37.5% visibility score is the highest in the category and sits well above the category average of 6.2%, while its 75% citation rate confirms it is both named and trusted by Google AI Mode. That gap between Mend and the rest of the field is large enough to suggest a structural advantage in how the AI is currently framing this category.
A notable divergence exists between visibility and citation across several brands. Endor Labs and Cycode both hold 0% visibility yet carry citation rates of 100% and 87.5% respectively, meaning the AI cites their domains as sources without naming them as recommended products. Conversely, Snyk and Black Duck each hold 25% visibility but 0% citation, the inverse pattern, where the AI names them in answers but does not anchor on their own content as a source.
Google AI Mode is the top engine for every brand in this category without exception. The top cited sources list includes vendor domains such as endorlabs.com, cycode.com, mend.io, and sonatype.com alongside third-party sites including gartner.com, aikido.dev, getpanto.ai, and plexicus.ai. The presence of newer or smaller domains like getpanto.ai and plexicus.ai alongside Gartner suggests the AI is pulling from a broad and somewhat eclectic source mix rather than relying solely on established analyst coverage.
Movers & shakers since last refresh
Biggest visibility risers
-
Black Duck 0% → 25% · rank #8 → #6+25pp
-
Sonatype 0% → 12% · rank #7 → #4+12pp
-
Snyk 12% → 25% · rank #5 → #5+12pp
Biggest visibility fallers
-
Endor Labs 25% → 0% · rank #1 → #2-25pp
-
OX Security 12% → 0% · rank #6 → #9-12pp
-
Checkmarx 12% → 0% · rank #3 → #10-12pp
The ranking
| # | Brand | Visibility | Citation | Top engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
mend.io
|
38% | 75% | Google AI Mode |
Mend leads all brands with a 37.5% visibility score, six times the category average of 6.2%, and a 75% citation rate that confirms both naming and source-trust by Google AI Mode. |
||||
| 2 |
endorlabs.com
|
0% | 100% | Google AI Mode |
Endor Labs holds a 100% citation rate but 0% visibility, meaning AI cites its domain as a source while not naming it as a product recommendation in any tracked query. |
||||
| 3 |
cycode.com
|
0% | 88% | Google AI Mode |
Cycode mirrors Endor Labs with 0% visibility yet an 87.5% citation rate, the second highest in the category, indicating strong source authority without direct product-level mentions. |
||||
| 4 |
sonatype.com
|
12% | 50% | Google AI Mode |
Sonatype is the biggest overall riser, jumping three ranks with visibility growing from 0% to 12.5% and citation climbing 37.5 percentage points in the current period. |
||||
| 5 |
snyk.io
|
25% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
Snyk holds 25% visibility, above the category average, but carries a 0% citation rate, placing it among the named-but-not-cited group alongside Black Duck at the same composite score of 17.5. |
||||
| 6 |
blackduck.com
|
25% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 7 |
fossa.com
|
12% | 12% | Google AI Mode |
| 8 |
gitlab.com
|
12% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 9 |
ox.security
|
0% | 25% | Google AI Mode |
| 10 |
checkmarx.com
|
0% | 25% | Google AI Mode |
| 11 |
github.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 12 |
anchore.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 13 |
aquasec.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 14 |
dependencytrack.org
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 15 |
socket.dev
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 16 |
apiiro.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 17 |
spectralops.io
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 18 |
opentext.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 19 |
jfrog.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 20 |
veracode.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
Sources AI engines trust in this category
Across the 8 buyer-intent queries we ran on software composition analysis tools, these are the domains Google AI Mode cited most often. If you're not on this list — or if your competitors are — that's a concrete PR / linkbuilding target.
How to read this ranking
Four things worth knowing before you act on the numbers above. These are the same definitions across every industry page — for category-specific observations, see the What we observed section above (where available) and the per-brand insights inline in the ranking.
Visibility = being named
A brand's visibility % is the share of AI answers that mention it by name in the response prose. This is who AI engines actively recommend to the buyer. More on visibility →
Citation rate = being trusted
Citation rate is the share of AI answers that include the brand's domain as a clickable source link. This is what the AI treats as authoritative evidence, different from being named. More on citation rate →
Top engine differs by brand
The "top engine" column shows which AI surface each brand performs best on. Big gaps between a brand's score across engines usually points to specific content or schema gaps. How AI engines pick sources →
Rankings move month to month
AI engines re-crawl and re-rank on shorter cycles than classical search. We re-audit every brand on this list at least every 30 days and refresh this page automatically. How AI search ranking works →
Get your own software composition analysis tools brand audited
The brands above were curated from public market-leader lists. Want the same measurement against your own brand — including the queries you appear on, which competitors get named instead, and a prioritised fix list? Run a free preview.
Frequently asked about software composition analysis tools AI visibility
Who leads AI visibility in Software composition analysis tools?
Mend leads with a composite score of 48.8, a visibility rate of 37.5%, and a citation rate of 75%, all well above any other brand in the category.
Which brands are cited most often as sources by Google AI Mode in this category?
The top cited domains are endorlabs.com, cycode.com, and mend.io, followed by aikido.dev, sonatype.com, getpanto.ai, gartner.com, and plexicus.ai.
Are there brands that Google AI Mode cites as sources but does not name as product recommendations?
Yes, Endor Labs (100% citation, 0% visibility) and Cycode (87.5% citation, 0% visibility) are the clearest examples of brands used as sources without being named in answers.
Which brands appear in AI answers but are not used as cited sources?
Snyk and Black Duck both hold 25% visibility but 0% citation, meaning the AI names them in responses without pulling from their own domains as reference sources.
Which brands have seen the biggest recent movement in AI visibility?
Black Duck gained 25 visibility points and Sonatype gained 12.5 points to become the two biggest risers, while Checkmarx dropped seven rank positions from third to tenth.
How concentrated is AI visibility across the 20 brands in this category?
The category average visibility is just 6.2%, and only three brands (Mend at 37.5%, Snyk at 25%, and Black Duck at 25%) exceed 12.5%, indicating high concentration at the top.