Hilti vs Makita:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Makita had more branded searches than Hilti among SDS drill brands worldwide. Makita had about 1 million branded searches, while Hilti had 27,100. Makita made up 27.4% of all SDS drill brand searches we track, and Hilti accounted for 0.74%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about SDS drill brands, Makita appeared in three of the five answers and Hilti in two. Hilti was mentioned before Makita in two out of three answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Makita, about 37 searches for every 1 for Hilti
Who does AI mention more?
Makita, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Hilti in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Hilti, named ahead of Makita in 2 of 3 answers
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Top SDS drill brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Makita was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Hilti was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Hilti was listed before Makita 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.
Milwaukee1st- Bosch Professional2nd
DeWalt3rd- Hilti4th
- Makita5th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- DeWalt5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Milwaukee4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Makita3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Bosch Professional3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Hilti2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about SDS drill brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which SDS drill brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best SDS drill brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best SDS drill brand for masonry drilling?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best sds drill”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“sds drill comparison”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Hilti or Makita more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Hilti and Makita by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all five SDS drill brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Makita, Hilti. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Milwaukee | Makita | DeWalt | Bosch Professional | Hilti |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 49.7% | 31.2% | 14.9% | 3.7% | 0.49% |
| Nov 2025 | 47.5% | 30.3% | 17.4% | 4.3% | 0.47% |
| Dec 2025 | 50.5% | 26.7% | 18.6% | 3.7% | 0.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 49.8% | 26.8% | 18.3% | 4.5% | 0.6% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.5% | 26.6% | 18.6% | 3.7% | 0.61% |
| Mar 2026 | 47.3% | 30% | 17.4% | 4.3% | 1% |
| Apr 2026 | 49.7% | 26.7% | 18.3% | 4.5% | 0.9% |
| May 2026 | 49.5% | 26.9% | 18.2% | 4.5% | 0.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 50% | 27.2% | 18.4% | 3.7% | 0.74% |
| Jul 2026 | 55% | 24.4% | 16.5% | 3.3% | 0.81% |
| Aug 2026 | 50% | 27.2% | 18.4% | 3.7% | 0.74% |
| Sep 2026 | 49.9% | 27.4% | 18.3% | 3.7% | 0.74% |
How has the Hilti and Makita comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Makita was ahead of Hilti in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Hilti’s share of searches among SDS drill brands worldwide moved from 0.49% to 0.74%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 22.2K to 27.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Makita’s share of searches among SDS drill brands worldwide moved from 31.2% to 27.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.4M to 1M.
How did search popularity change for SDS drill 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 Hilti’s and Makita’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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