How popular isCarMax in search?
In August 2026, there were an estimated 4.1M branded searches for CarMax worldwide which held steady over the last 11 months. CarMax holds 32.1% estimated Share of Search among car marketplaces worldwide and is ranked 2nd of 5 competitors for search popularity. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
CarGurus32.1%
CarMax32.1%
Carvana32.1%
Cars.com3.5%
AutoTrader NZ0.28%
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Which car marketplaces compete with CarMax?
Share of Search by month for CarGurus, CarMax, Carvana, Cars.com. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | CarGurus | CarMax | Carvana | Cars.com | AutoTrader NZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 34% | 34% | 27.8% | 3.7% | 0.45% |
| Nov 2025 | 32% | 32% | 32% | 3.5% | 0.42% |
| Dec 2025 | 31.8% | 31.8% | 31.8% | 4.3% | 0.42% |
| Jan 2026 | 34% | 34% | 27.8% | 3.7% | 0.45% |
| Feb 2026 | 34% | 34% | 27.9% | 3.7% | 0.37% |
| Mar 2026 | 32% | 32% | 32% | 3.5% | 0.35% |
| Apr 2026 | 32% | 32% | 32% | 3.5% | 0.35% |
| May 2026 | 32% | 32% | 32% | 3.5% | 0.35% |
| Jun 2026 | 29.7% | 36.2% | 29.7% | 4% | 0.39% |
| Jul 2026 | 27.9% | 34% | 34% | 3.7% | 0.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 32.1% | 32.1% | 32.1% | 3.5% | 0.28% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, moved from 3rd to 1st | 32.1% | 4.1M | +22.1% | +4.2 pointsmoved from 3rd to 1st | |
| 2, moved from 1st to 2nd | 32.1% | 4.1M | 0% | -2 pointsmoved from 1st to 2nd | |
| 3, moved from 2nd to 3rd | 32.1% | 4.1M | 0% | -2 pointsmoved from 2nd to 3rd | |
| 4, held 4th | 3.5% | 450K | 0% | -0.2 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 0.28% | 36.2K | 0% | 0 points |
1.
CarGurus32.1%
Moved from 3rd to 1st. 4.1M estimated branded searches, +22.1% vs prior month. Share +4.2 points.
2.
CarMax32.1%
Moved from 1st to 2nd. 4.1M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -2 points.
3.
Carvana32.1%
Moved from 2nd to 3rd. 4.1M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -2 points.
4.
Cars.com3.5%
Held 4th. 450K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.2 points.
0.28%
Held 5th. 36.2K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
Compare search popularity between CarMax and its closest rivals
Every comparison with CarMax
6 comparisons
How has branded search demand for CarMax changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for CarMax worldwide held steady at 4.1M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, CarMax’s estimated Share of Search among car marketplaces worldwide decreased from 34% to 32.1%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, CarMax’s estimated Share of Search among car marketplaces worldwide peaked at 36.2% in June 2026 and was lowest at 31.8% in December 2025.
How did search popularity change for car marketplaces worldwide in August 2026?
4 changes
In August 2026, CarGurus overtook CarMax to take the highest estimated Share of Search among car marketplaces worldwide, at 32.1%.
In August 2026, CarMax lost estimated Share of Search among car marketplaces worldwide, from 34% to 32.1%.
In August 2026, Carvana lost estimated Share of Search among car marketplaces worldwide, from 34% to 32.1%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for AutoTrader NZ worldwide fell 33.2% over 11 measured months, from 54.2K to 36.2K in August 2026.
Where does CarMax compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of Search | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used car marketplaces | 3rd of 6 | 19.8% | Show ranking |
| Car marketplaces | 2nd of 5 | 32.1% | Shown above |
How is CarMax measured?
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using CarMax’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for this branded term can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
1 branded search term
- carmax
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Is CarMax your brand?
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