Google Ads vs Meta Ads:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, Google Ads had more branded searches than Meta Ads among advertising platforms worldwide. Google Ads was estimated to have 5M branded searches compared to Meta Ads’ 823K, and held an 80.3% Share of Search versus Meta Ads’ 13.1%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Google Ads or Meta Ads?
Compare the advertising platforms teams use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Google Ads, Meta Ads. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Google Ads | Meta Ads | TikTok Ads | Microsoft Advertising | LinkedIn Ads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 79.8% | 10.7% | 7.1% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 82.7% | 9% | 6% | 1.2% | 0.99% |
| Dec 2025 | 83% | 9.1% | 6.1% | 1% | 0.82% |
| Jan 2026 | 81.1% | 10.8% | 5.9% | 1.2% | 0.97% |
| Feb 2026 | 81.1% | 10.8% | 5.9% | 1.2% | 0.97% |
| Mar 2026 | 78.8% | 12.9% | 5.8% | 1.4% | 1.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 79.2% | 12.9% | 5.8% | 1.2% | 0.95% |
| May 2026 | 79.2% | 12.9% | 5.8% | 1.2% | 0.95% |
| Jun 2026 | 79.2% | 12.9% | 5.8% | 1.2% | 0.95% |
| Jul 2026 | 79.2% | 12.9% | 5.8% | 1.2% | 0.95% |
| Aug 2026 | 77.1% | 15.4% | 5.6% | 1.1% | 0.76% |
| Sep 2026 | 80.3% | 13.1% | 4.8% | 0.96% | 0.79% |
How has the Google Ads and Meta Ads comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Google Ads was ahead of Meta Ads in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Google Ads’ estimated Share of Search among advertising platforms worldwide moved from 79.8% to 80.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 4.1M to 5M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Meta Ads’ estimated Share of Search among advertising platforms worldwide moved from 10.7% to 13.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 550K to 823K.
How did search popularity change for advertising platforms worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Google Ads gained estimated Share of Search among advertising platforms worldwide, from 77.1% to 80.3%.
In September 2026, Meta Ads lost estimated Share of Search among advertising platforms worldwide, from 15.4% to 13.1%.
Other head-to-heads among advertising platforms
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Google Ads’ and Meta Ads’ 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.
Google Ads
2 branded search terms
- google ads
- googleads
Meta Ads
1 branded search term
- meta ads
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.