BIC vs Cross:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, BIC had more branded searches than Cross among pen brands worldwide. BIC had about 503,000 branded searches, while Cross had 49,500. BIC made up 32.7% of all pen brand searches we track, and Cross accounted for 3.2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about pen brands, BIC and Cross each appeared in two of the five answers. BIC and Cross were each mentioned first in one of the two answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
BIC, about 10 searches for every 1 for Cross
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 1 of 2 answers.
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Top pen brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, BIC and Cross were each mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. BIC and Cross were each listed first in one of the two 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.
Pilot5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
uni-ball5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Pentel4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Zebra4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Lamy3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- BIC2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Parker2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Cross2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Faber-Castell0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about pen brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which pen brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best pen brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best pen brand for everyday writing?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“pen brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best pen”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is BIC or Cross more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for BIC and Cross by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine pen brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for BIC, Cross. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | BIC | Faber-Castell | Parker | Pilot | Cross | Lamy | Pentel | Zebra | uni-ball |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 34.7% | 26.7% | 14.6% | 10.3% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 2% | 1.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 34.4% | 26.4% | 14.4% | 10.3% | 4.3% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 32.5% | 24.8% | 16.6% | 10.9% | 5% | 4.1% | 3.3% | 1.8% | 1% |
| Jan 2026 | 32.9% | 30.2% | 13.5% | 9.9% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 4.1% | 1.8% | 0.99% |
| Feb 2026 | 31.2% | 27.9% | 15.3% | 11.2% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1.7% | 1.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 36% | 22.7% | 15.2% | 10.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 4.6% | 2% | 1.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 37.6% | 23.7% | 13% | 12% | 3.9% | 3.2% | 3.9% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| May 2026 | 34.1% | 25% | 13.7% | 12.6% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 4.1% | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| Jun 2026 | 34.8% | 21.3% | 17.4% | 11.9% | 4.3% | 3.5% | 4.3% | 1.6% | 1% |
| Jul 2026 | 30.6% | 22.9% | 18.7% | 12.8% | 3.8% | 4.6% | 3.8% | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 31.8% | 28.5% | 15.6% | 11.5% | 3.1% | 3.8% | 3.1% | 1.7% | 0.94% |
| Sep 2026 | 32.7% | 24% | 19.6% | 11.3% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 1.8% | 0.96% |
How has the BIC and Cross comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- BIC was ahead of Cross in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, BIC’s share of searches among pen brands worldwide moved from 34.7% to 32.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 478K to 503K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Cross’ share of searches among pen brands worldwide moved from 3.6% to 3.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 49.5K.
How did search popularity change for pen brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, BIC gained share of searches among pen brands worldwide, from 31.8% to 32.7%.
In September 2026, Cross rose from 6th to 5th among pen brands worldwide.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BIC’s and Cross’ 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.
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