Barbie vs Hot Toys:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Barbie had more branded searches than Hot Toys among action figure brands worldwide. Barbie had about 1.8 million branded searches, while Hot Toys had 301,000. Barbie made up 54.6% of all action figure brand searches we track, and Hot Toys accounted for 9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about action figure brands, Hot Toys appeared in all four answers and Barbie in none.
Who do people search for more?
Barbie, about 6 searches for every 1 for Hot Toys
Who does AI mention more?
Hot Toys, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Hot Toys, the only one of the two named
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Top action figure brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Hot Toys appeared in all four answers. Barbie did not appear in any of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Hot Toys4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Hasbro4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
NECA4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
McFarlane4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Bandai2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
MAFEX2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers- Barbie0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Funko0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about action figure brands
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which action figure brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best action figure brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best action figure brand for collectors?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“action figures”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“collectible action figures”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Barbie or Hot Toys more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Barbie and Hot Toys by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight action figure brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Barbie, Hot Toys. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Barbie | Funko | Bandai | Hot Toys | Hasbro | NECA | MAFEX | McFarlane |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 59.8% | 18% | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 0.72% | 1.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 54.5% | 24.3% | 6% | 6% | 4.9% | 2.7% | 0.66% | 0.99% |
| Dec 2025 | 59.8% | 21.8% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 0.72% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 55.7% | 20.4% | 6.1% | 7.5% | 5% | 2.2% | 0.82% | 2.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 58.2% | 17.5% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 2.9% | 0.71% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 61.6% | 15.1% | 6.8% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 3% | 0.75% | 1.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 62.8% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 6.9% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 0.93% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 56.2% | 16.9% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 6.2% | 2.8% | 1% | 1.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 59.2% | 14.6% | 8% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 54.9% | 13.5% | 11% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 3.3% | 0.99% | 1.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 52.2% | 15.7% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 54.6% | 16.4% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
How has the Barbie and Hot Toys comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Barbie was ahead of Hot Toys in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Barbie’s share of searches among action figure brands worldwide moved from 59.8% to 54.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.2M to 1.8M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Hot Toys’ share of searches among action figure brands worldwide moved from 6.6% to 9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 246K to 301K.
How did search popularity change for action figure brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Barbie gained share of searches among action figure brands worldwide, from 52.2% to 54.6%.
In September 2026, Hot Toys lost share of searches among action figure brands worldwide, from 10.5% to 9%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Barbie’s and Hot Toys’ 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.
Other head-to-heads among action figure brands
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