Craftsman vs Stanley:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Stanley had more branded searches than Craftsman among toolbox brands worldwide. Stanley had about 12,100 branded searches, while Craftsman had 5,400. Stanley made up 16.5% of all toolbox brand searches we track, and Craftsman accounted for 7.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about toolbox brands, Craftsman appeared in four of the five answers and Stanley in none.
Who do people search for more?
Stanley, about 2 searches for every 1 for Craftsman
Who does AI mention more?
Craftsman, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Stanley in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Craftsman, the only one of the two named
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Top toolbox brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Craftsman was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Stanley did not appear in any of the five answers.
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.
- Husky5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Milwaukee5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
DeWalt5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Craftsman4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
U.S. General3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Snap-on2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
ToughBuilt1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Kobalt1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Stanley0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Kennedy0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about toolbox brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which toolbox brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best toolbox brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best toolbox brand for tool storage?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best toolbox”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“tool box for tools”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Craftsman or Stanley more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Craftsman and Stanley by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 12 toolbox brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Stanley, Craftsman. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | U.S. General | Stanley | Kennedy | Husky | Snap-on | Craftsman | Milwaukee | ToughBuilt | DeWalt | Kobalt | Makita | Proto |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 30.1% | 13.4% | 11% | 9% | 11% | 6% | 6% | 4.5% | 3.2% | 4% | 1.4% | 0.36% |
| Nov 2025 | 20.2% | 16.5% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 9% | 7.3% | 5.4% | 4% | 2.7% | 1.4% | 0.36% |
| Dec 2025 | 19.7% | 16.1% | 8.8% | 10.7% | 8.8% | 8.8% | 7.2% | 4.3% | 8.8% | 4.8% | 1.7% | 0.35% |
| Jan 2026 | 25.8% | 14.1% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 4.7% | 6.3% | 3.4% | 1.2% | 0.37% |
| Feb 2026 | 20.3% | 13.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 4.9% | 6% | 4.5% | 20.3% | 1.8% | 1.1% | 0.36% |
| Mar 2026 | 27.5% | 15% | 12.3% | 10% | 10% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 5% | 3.6% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 33.5% | 15% | 12.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 6.7% | 5.4% | 4.1% | 3.6% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| May 2026 | 20.3% | 16.6% | 13.6% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 4.5% | 4% | 2.2% | 1.4% | 0.44% |
| Jun 2026 | 20.7% | 17% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 4.6% | 4.1% | 2.7% | 1.4% | 0.36% |
| Jul 2026 | 22.3% | 18.2% | 12.2% | 9.9% | 9.9% | 8.1% | 6.6% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 1.5% | 0.39% |
| Aug 2026 | 20.2% | 16.5% | 13.5% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 4.6% | 4% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 0.44% |
| Sep 2026 | 20.2% | 16.5% | 13.5% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 4.6% | 4% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 0.35% |
Craftsman sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “craftsman toolbox”.
How has the Craftsman and Stanley comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Stanley was ahead of Craftsman in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Craftsman’s share of searches among toolbox brands worldwide moved from 6% to 7.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 5.4K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Stanley’s share of searches among toolbox brands worldwide moved from 13.4% to 16.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 12.1K.
How did search popularity change for toolbox brands worldwide in September 2026?
0 changes
Neither Craftsman nor Stanley moved beyond provider rounding among toolbox brands in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Craftsman’s and Stanley’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 toolbox brands
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