Kantar vs Nielsen:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Kantar had more branded searches than Nielsen among media measurement platforms worldwide. Kantar was estimated to have 90.5K branded searches compared to Nielsen’s 18.1K, and held a 20.4% Share of Search versus Nielsen’s 4.1%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Kantar or Nielsen?
Compare the firms that measure media audiences. 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 Kantar, Nielsen. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Ipsos | Kantar | GfK | Nielsen | Comscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 47.2% | 25.9% | 21.1% | 2.3% | 3.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 44.6% | 24.4% | 24.4% | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 49.7% | 22.4% | 22.4% | 2.5% | 3% |
| Jan 2026 | 48.4% | 21.8% | 21.8% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Feb 2026 | 49.2% | 22.1% | 22.1% | 3% | 3.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 49.8% | 22.3% | 22.3% | 2% | 3.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 57.2% | 20.9% | 17.2% | 1.9% | 2.8% |
| May 2026 | 53.8% | 24.1% | 16.2% | 2.6% | 3.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 62.5% | 18.8% | 12.6% | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 53% | 23.9% | 16% | 3.9% | 3.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 55.5% | 20.4% | 16.7% | 4.1% | 3.3% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Kantar and Nielsen comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Kantar was ahead of Nielsen in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Kantar’s estimated Share of Search among media measurement platforms worldwide moved from 25.9% to 20.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 135K to 90.5K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Nielsen’s estimated Share of Search among media measurement platforms worldwide moved from 2.3% to 4.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 12.1K to 18.1K.
How did search popularity change for media measurement platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Kantar lost estimated Share of Search among media measurement platforms worldwide, from 23.9% to 20.4%.
Nielsen’s estimated Share of Search among media measurement platforms worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 2.6% to 4.1% in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kantar’s and Nielsen’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.
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.