---
title: "Social media management platforms: Which brands are most popular in search?"
description: "Compare the platforms teams schedule and manage social posts in. Share of Search among Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Sprinklr and Later, the social media management platforms Brandwave compares worldwide, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. 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."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-management-platforms"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Social media management platforms: Which brands are most popular in search?

Compare the platforms teams schedule and manage social posts in. Share of Search among Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Sprinklr and Later, the social media management platforms Brandwave compares worldwide, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. 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.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: Social media management platforms
- **Market**: Global
- **Brands compared**: 5
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: Buffer, 64.4%

## Which brand is most popular in search among social media management platforms worldwide?

- In August 2026, Buffer was the most searched among social media management platforms worldwide, with an estimated 562K branded searches and 64.4% estimated Share of Search within this set.
- Hootsuite is in 2nd place, 50.1 percentage points behind at 14.3% Share of Search.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Buffer’s estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide increased from 55.2% to 64.4%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Hootsuite’s estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide decreased from 21% to 14.3%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Sprout Social’s estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide decreased from 13.3% to 11%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Buffer’s estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide peaked at 65.8% in July 2026 and was lowest at 55.1% in February 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Hootsuite’s estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide peaked at 24.9% in January 2026 and was lowest at 13.8% in July 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Sprout Social’s estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide peaked at 13.3% in October 2025 and was lowest at 9.4% in April 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Sprinklr’s estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide peaked at 8.8% in April 2026 and was lowest at 6.9% in January 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Sprinklr and Later held steady: their estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [Buffer vs Hootsuite: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/buffer-vs-hootsuite): 64.4% against 14.3% Share of Search.
- [Buffer vs Sprout Social: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social): 64.4% against 11% Share of Search.
- [Buffer vs Sprinklr: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/buffer-vs-sprinklr): 64.4% against 8.5% Share of Search.
- [Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/hootsuite-vs-sprout-social): 14.3% against 11% Share of Search.
- [Hootsuite vs Sprinklr: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/hootsuite-vs-sprinklr): 14.3% against 8.5% Share of Search.
- [Sprout Social vs Sprinklr: compare search popularity](/demand/global-en/compare/sprinklr-vs-sprout-social): 11% against 8.5% Share of Search.

## How did search popularity change for social media management platforms worldwide in August 2026?

- In August 2026, Hootsuite gained estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide, from 13.8% to 14.3%.
- In August 2026, Buffer lost estimated Share of Search among social media management platforms worldwide, from 65.8% to 64.4%.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Sprout Social worldwide fell 32.5% over 11 measured months, from 142K to 95.6K in August 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Later worldwide fell 23.7% over 11 measured months, from 20.4K to 15.6K in August 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Sprinklr worldwide fell 18.2% over 11 measured months, from 90.5K to 74K in August 2026.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Buffer | 64.4% | 562K | -6.9% | Buffer |
| 2 | Hootsuite | 14.3% | 125K | -1.1% | Hootsuite |
| 3 | Sprout Social | 11% | 95.6K | -0.9% | Sprout Social |
| 4 | Sprinklr | 8.5% | 74K | 0.0% | Sprinklr |
| 5 | Later | 1.8% | 15.6K | -8.0% | Later |

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | Buffer | 586K | 55.2% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | Hootsuite | 224K | 21% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | Sprout Social | 142K | 13.3% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Sprinklr | 90.5K | 8.5% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | Later | 20.4K | 1.9% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | Buffer | 579K | 57.4% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | Hootsuite | 222K | 22% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | Sprout Social | 116K | 11.5% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | Sprinklr | 74K | 7.3% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | Later | 18.4K | 1.8% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | Buffer | 484K | 56.8% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Hootsuite | 183K | 21.5% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | Sprout Social | 95.5K | 11.2% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | Sprinklr | 74K | 8.7% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | Later | 15.3K | 1.8% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | Buffer | 596K | 55.5% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | Hootsuite | 267K | 24.9% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | Sprout Social | 116K | 10.8% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | Sprinklr | 74K | 6.9% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | Later | 19.7K | 1.8% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | Buffer | 509K | 55.1% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | Hootsuite | 227K | 24.5% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | Sprout Social | 96.1K | 10.4% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Sprinklr | 74K | 8% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | Later | 18.1K | 2% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | Buffer | 612K | 57.4% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | Hootsuite | 227K | 21.3% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | Sprout Social | 117K | 11% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Sprinklr | 90.5K | 8.5% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | Later | 20.9K | 2% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | Buffer | 628K | 61.4% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | Hootsuite | 189K | 18.5% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | Sprout Social | 96K | 9.4% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Sprinklr | 90.5K | 8.8% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | Later | 18.7K | 1.8% | 5 |
| May 2026 | Buffer | 627K | 63.6% | 1 |
| May 2026 | Hootsuite | 171K | 17.3% | 2 |
| May 2026 | Sprout Social | 96.5K | 9.8% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Sprinklr | 74K | 7.5% | 4 |
| May 2026 | Later | 17.6K | 1.8% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | Buffer | 534K | 59.8% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | Hootsuite | 168K | 18.9% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | Sprout Social | 97.3K | 10.9% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Sprinklr | 74K | 8.3% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | Later | 18.9K | 2.1% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Buffer | 604K | 65.8% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Hootsuite | 126K | 13.8% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | Sprout Social | 96.5K | 10.5% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Sprinklr | 74K | 8.1% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | Later | 16.9K | 1.8% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | Buffer | 562K | 64.4% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | Hootsuite | 125K | 14.3% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | Sprout Social | 95.6K | 11% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Sprinklr | 74K | 8.5% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | Later | 15.6K | 1.8% | 5 |
| Sep 2026 | Buffer | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | Hootsuite | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | Later | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | Sprinklr | — | — | — |
| Sep 2026 | Sprout Social | — | — | — |

## What is being compared

- **Buffer**: Measured on the search terms “buffer”, “buffer app for instagram”, “buffer app instagram”, “buffer app twitter”, “buffer com”, “buffer for instagram”, “buffer for twitter”, “buffer instagram scheduling”, “buffer linkedin”, “buffer linkedin scheduling”, “buffer pricing”, “buffer publish”, “buffer scheduling tool”, “buffer social”, “buffer social management”, “buffer social media”, “buffer social media management”, “buffer social media management tool”, “buffer social media marketing”, “buffer social media marketing tool”, “buffer social media scheduling”, “buffer social media tool”, “buffer social tool” and “Buffer.com”, summed into one figure.
- **Hootsuite**: Measured on the search terms “hoot suite com”, “hootsuite”, “hootsuite ads”, “hootsuite advertising”, “hootsuite analytics”, “hootsuite app”, “hootsuite application”, “hootsuite cost”, “hootsuite enterprise”, “hootsuite for nonprofits”, “hootsuite insights”, “hootsuite media”, “hootsuite planner”, “hootsuite plans”, “hootsuite plans and pricing”, “hootsuite pricing”, “hootsuite pricing plans”, “hootsuite professional plan”, “hootsuite reports”, “hootsuite sentiment analysis”, “hootsuite social”, “hootsuite social listening”, “hootsuite social listening tool”, “hootsuite social marketing”, “hootsuite social media”, “hootsuite social media analytics”, “hootsuite social media listening”, “hootsuite social media management”, “hootsuite social media manager”, “hootsuite social media marketing”, “hootsuite social media monitoring”, “hootsuite social media planner”, “hootsuite social media scheduler”, “hootsuite social media scheduling”, “hootsuite social media tools”, “hootsuite social monitoring”, “professional plan hootsuite”, “social listening on hootsuite”, “social media analytics hootsuite” and “social media plan hootsuite”, summed into one figure.
- **Later**: Measured on the search terms “later app”, “later com”, “later influencer marketing”, “later instagram planning”, “later instagram scheduler”, “later instagram scheduling”, “later link in bio”, “later pricing”, “later scheduling app”, “later social media”, “later social media management”, “later social media management tool”, “later social media planning”, “later social media scheduler”, “later social media tool”, “later social scheduling”, “Later.com”, “linkinbio by later” and “linkinbio later”, summed into one figure.
- **Sprinklr**: Measured on the search term “sprinklr”.
- **Sprout Social**: Measured on the search terms “social listening sprout social”, “social media sprout social”, “sprout social”, “sprout social analytics”, “sprout social app”, “sprout social com”, “sprout social community management”, “sprout social cost”, “sprout social for agencies”, “sprout social for nonprofits”, “sprout social influencer marketing”, “sprout social influencers”, “sprout social link in bio”, “sprout social listening”, “sprout social management”, “sprout social media”, “sprout social media analytics”, “sprout social media management”, “sprout social media monitoring”, “sprout social platform”, “sprout social premium analytics”, “sprout social pricing”, “sprout social reporting”, “sprout social social listening”, “sprout social social media”, “sprout social tiktok” and “sproutsocialcom”, summed into one figure.

- [Buffer](/demand/global-en/brands/buffer)
- [Hootsuite](/demand/global-en/brands/hootsuite)
- [Later](/demand/global-en/brands/later)
- [Sprinklr](/demand/global-en/brands/sprinklr)
- [Sprout Social](/demand/global-en/brands/sprout-social)

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among social media management platforms worldwide?

In August 2026, Buffer was the most searched among social media management platforms worldwide, with an estimated 562K branded searches and 64.4% estimated Share of Search within this set. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Social media management platforms: Which brands are most popular in search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-management-platforms

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-management-platforms. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.