Arcads vs Pencil:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Arcads had more branded searches than Pencil among AI ad creative tools worldwide. Arcads had about 40,500 branded searches, while Pencil had 6,990. Arcads made up 29.8% of all AI ad creative tool searches we track, and Pencil accounted for 5.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about AI ad creative tools, Arcads and Pencil each appeared in two of the five answers. Arcads was mentioned before Pencil in two out of three answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Arcads, about 6 searches for every 1 for Pencil
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Arcads, named ahead of Pencil in 2 of 3 answers
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Top AI ad creative tools in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Arcads and Pencil were each mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Arcads was listed before Pencil in two out of three answers that named either.
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.
Creatify4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
AdCreative.ai4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Arcads2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Pencil2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Creatopy0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Smartly0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about AI ad creative tools
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which AI ad creative tool should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best AI ad creative tools?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best AI ad creative tool for ad creative?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai ad generator”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ad design tool”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Arcads or Pencil more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Arcads and Pencil by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six AI ad creative tools we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Arcads, Pencil. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Creatify | Arcads | AdCreative.ai | Pencil | Creatopy | Smartly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 49.2% | 22.2% | 15.1% | 3.8% | 8.1% | 1.6% |
| Nov 2025 | 43.3% | 31.7% | 14.4% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 1.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 43.1% | 31.6% | 14.4% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 2.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 38.4% | 31.6% | 14.4% | 9.6% | 4.2% | 1.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 34.5% | 30.9% | 11.6% | 17% | 4.1% | 1.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 35.5% | 29.2% | 10.9% | 19.6% | 3.2% | 1.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 39% | 34.9% | 10.7% | 10.6% | 3.1% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 44.2% | 32.4% | 9.9% | 8.1% | 3.5% | 1.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 46% | 30.9% | 9.4% | 7.8% | 3.4% | 2.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 47.3% | 35.3% | 7.2% | 5% | 3.2% | 2% |
| Aug 2026 | 49% | 33% | 8.2% | 4.6% | 2.9% | 2.3% |
| Sep 2026 | 49.7% | 29.8% | 9.1% | 5.1% | 3.2% | 3% |
How has the Arcads and Pencil comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Arcads was ahead of Pencil in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Arcads’ share of searches among AI ad creative tools worldwide moved from 22.2% to 29.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 40.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pencil’s share of searches among AI ad creative tools worldwide moved from 3.8% to 5.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.9K to 7K.
How did search popularity change for AI ad creative tools worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Pencil gained share of searches among AI ad creative tools worldwide, from 4.6% to 5.1%.
In September 2026, Arcads lost share of searches among AI ad creative tools worldwide, from 33% to 29.8%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Arcads’ and Pencil’s 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 AI ad creative tools
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