RISA vs STAAD:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, RISA had more branded searches than STAAD among structural engineering software worldwide. RISA had about 135,000 branded searches, while STAAD had 22,200. RISA made up 38.3% of all structural engineering software searches we track, and STAAD accounted for 6.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about structural engineering software, STAAD appeared in four of the five answers and RISA in one. STAAD was mentioned before RISA in every answer that named either.
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Top structural engineering software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, STAAD was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. RISA was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. STAAD was listed before RISA in every answer 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.
ETABS5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- SAP20005 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
STAAD4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Robot Structural Analysis Professional4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Tekla3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
SkyCiv2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
RISA1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about structural engineering software
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which structural engineering software should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best structural engineering software tools?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best structural engineering software for a structural model?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“structural engineering software”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“structural analysis software”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is RISA or STAAD more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for RISA and STAAD by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven structural engineering software we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for RISA, STAAD. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | RISA | Tekla | ETABS | STAAD | SAP2000 | SkyCiv | Robot Structural Analysis Professional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 52.6% | 28.9% | 5.8% | 3.2% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 0.13% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.8% | 33.4% | 5.5% | 3% | 3.7% | 4.5% | 0.12% |
| Dec 2025 | 46.2% | 37.9% | 6.2% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 0.14% |
| Jan 2026 | 49.3% | 33.1% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 0.14% |
| Feb 2026 | 49.3% | 33.1% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 0.14% |
| Mar 2026 | 53.1% | 29.2% | 5.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 0.16% |
| Apr 2026 | 51.1% | 28% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 0.18% |
| May 2026 | 50.6% | 27.7% | 6.8% | 5.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 0.18% |
| Jun 2026 | 42% | 34.2% | 8.4% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 3.8% | 0.18% |
| Jul 2026 | 42.3% | 34.4% | 8.5% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 3.1% | 0.15% |
| Aug 2026 | 38.4% | 38.4% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 0.17% |
| Sep 2026 | 38.3% | 38.3% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 5.1% | 4.2% | 0.17% |
How has the RISA and STAAD comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- RISA was ahead of STAAD in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, RISA’s share of searches among structural engineering software worldwide moved from 52.6% to 38.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 246K to 135K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, STAAD’s share of searches among structural engineering software worldwide moved from 3.2% to 6.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 14.8K to 22.2K.
How did search popularity change for structural engineering software worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, STAAD lost share of searches among structural engineering software worldwide, from 7.7% to 6.3%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for RISA worldwide fell 45.1% over 12 measured months, from 246K to 135K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using RISA’s and STAAD’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.
Other head-to-heads among structural engineering software
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