Playwright vs Selenium:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Playwright had more branded searches than Selenium among test automation platforms worldwide. Playwright had about 49,100 branded searches, while Selenium had 39,800. Playwright made up 13.8% of all test automation platform searches we track, and Selenium accounted for 11.2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about test automation platforms, Playwright appeared in all five answers and Selenium in four. Playwright was mentioned before Selenium in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Playwright, about 23% more searches than Selenium
Who does AI mention more?
Playwright, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Playwright, named ahead of Selenium in every answer
Follow Playwright vs Selenium and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top test automation platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Playwright appeared in all five answers. Selenium was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Playwright was listed before Selenium in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Playwright1st
Selenium2nd
Cypress3rd
Katalon4th
Appium5th- Tricentis Tosca6th
BrowserStack7th
TestMu AI–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Playwright5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Appium5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Katalon5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Selenium4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Cypress4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- BrowserStack3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Tricentis Tosca3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- TestMu AI0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about test automation platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which test automation platform should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best test automation platforms?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best test automation platform for application testing?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“test automation platform”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“automated testing tool”
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 Playwright or Selenium more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Playwright and Selenium by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight test automation platforms we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Playwright, Selenium. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | BrowserStack | Playwright | Selenium | Appium | TestMu AI | Katalon | Tricentis Tosca | Cypress |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 41.8% | 10.6% | 21.6% | 8.4% | 8.4% | 4.6% | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 44.3% | 11.5% | 19.6% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 4% | 1.8% | 2.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 47.1% | 11.3% | 17.1% | 7.7% | 9.4% | 3.5% | 1.5% | 2.3% |
| Jan 2026 | 44.2% | 13.2% | 16.1% | 7.3% | 10.9% | 4% | 1.8% | 2.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.6% | 10.7% | 12.7% | 6.2% | 7.6% | 2.8% | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 54.2% | 10.8% | 13.8% | 7.3% | 7.3% | 3.3% | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| Apr 2026 | 52.2% | 12.8% | 13.3% | 7% | 7% | 3.8% | 1.7% | 2% |
| May 2026 | 54.8% | 12% | 12% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 3.3% | 1.5% | 1.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 48.9% | 14.9% | 14.5% | 8% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 1.6% | 2% |
| Jul 2026 | 57.3% | 12.6% | 11.2% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 2.8% | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| Aug 2026 | 55.9% | 13.4% | 12.7% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 2.8% | 1.5% | 1.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 56.4% | 13.8% | 11.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 3.4% | 1.5% | 1.3% |
How has the Playwright and Selenium comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands once in the 12 months ending September 2026: Playwright took it in May 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Playwright’s share of searches among test automation platforms worldwide moved from 10.6% to 13.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 41.7K to 49.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Selenium’s share of searches among test automation platforms worldwide moved from 21.6% to 11.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 85.1K to 39.8K.
How did search popularity change for test automation platforms worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Selenium lost share of searches among test automation platforms worldwide, from 12.7% to 11.2%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Playwright worldwide rose 17.7% over 12 measured months, from 41.7K to 49.1K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
8 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Playwright’s and Selenium’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.
Playwright
3 branded search terms
- playwright automation
- playwright python
- playwright test
Selenium
5 branded search terms
- selenium automation
- selenium ide
- selenium python
- selenium testing
- selenium webdriver
Other head-to-heads among test automation platforms
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.