Leupold vs Vortex:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Vortex had more branded searches than Leupold among rifle scope brands worldwide. Vortex had about 86,100 branded searches, while Leupold had 5,990. Vortex made up 19.3% of all rifle scope brand searches we track, and Leupold accounted for 1.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about rifle scope brands, both Leupold and Vortex appeared in all five answers. Leupold was mentioned before Vortex in four out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Vortex, about 14 searches for every 1 for Leupold
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Leupold, named ahead of Vortex in 4 of 5 answers
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Top rifle scope brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both Leupold and Vortex showed up in all five answers. Leupold was listed before Vortex in four of them.
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.
Vortex5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Leupold5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Zeiss4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Swarovski Optik2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Steiner0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Hawke0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about rifle scope brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which rifle scope brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best rifle scope brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best rifle scope brand for hunting?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“rifle scope brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best rifle scope”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Leupold or Vortex more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Leupold and Vortex by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six rifle scope brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Vortex, Leupold. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Zeiss | Vortex | Steiner | Swarovski Optik | Hawke | Leupold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 52.6% | 22.5% | 15.8% | 5.8% | 1.7% | 1.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 51.4% | 22.7% | 15.5% | 6.9% | 1.7% | 1.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 50.9% | 25.3% | 15.3% | 5.6% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| Jan 2026 | 58.9% | 19% | 14.5% | 5.3% | 1.6% | 0.77% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.4% | 18.2% | 17% | 6.2% | 1.5% | 0.74% |
| Mar 2026 | 56.3% | 18.2% | 16.9% | 6.2% | 1.5% | 0.96% |
| Apr 2026 | 58% | 15.6% | 17.5% | 6.4% | 1.6% | 0.99% |
| May 2026 | 56.2% | 18.1% | 16.9% | 6.2% | 1.5% | 1% |
| Jun 2026 | 51.9% | 20.8% | 19.1% | 5.7% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 53.4% | 21.8% | 16.1% | 5.9% | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 55.2% | 19.3% | 16.6% | 6.1% | 1.5% | 1.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 55.2% | 19.3% | 16.6% | 6.1% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
How has the Leupold and Vortex comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Vortex was ahead of Leupold in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Leupold’s share of searches among rifle scope brands worldwide moved from 1.5% to 1.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 7K to 6K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Vortex’s share of searches among rifle scope brands worldwide moved from 22.5% to 19.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 105K to 86.1K.
How did search popularity change for rifle scope brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
How are branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Leupold’s and Vortex’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.
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