Backstage vs Cortex:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Backstage had more branded searches than Cortex among platform engineering platforms worldwide. Backstage was estimated to have 1.6K branded searches compared to Cortex’s 390, and held a 0.77% Share of Search versus Cortex’s 0.19%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Backstage or Cortex?
Compare the platform engineering platforms developers choose between. 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.
Share of Search by month for Backstage, Cortex. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Roadie | Port | Backstage | Humanitec | OpsLevel | Cortex |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 94.9% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.1% | 0.91% | 0.41% |
| Nov 2025 | 95.9% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 0.76% | 0.58% | 0.28% |
| Dec 2025 | 96.8% | 1.2% | 0.77% | 0.63% | 0.42% | 0.19% |
| Jan 2026 | 95.6% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 0.93% | 0.75% | 0.28% |
| Feb 2026 | 97.1% | 0.95% | 0.75% | 0.63% | 0.39% | 0.19% |
| Mar 2026 | 95.5% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 0.93% | 0.75% | 0.34% |
| Apr 2026 | 95.8% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 0.75% | 0.58% | 0.34% |
| May 2026 | 96.8% | 1.2% | 0.77% | 0.63% | 0.48% | 0.19% |
| Jun 2026 | 96.1% | 1.4% | 0.93% | 0.76% | 0.58% | 0.23% |
| Jul 2026 | 96.2% | 1.4% | 0.93% | 0.76% | 0.51% | 0.23% |
| Aug 2026 | 96.8% | 1.2% | 0.77% | 0.63% | 0.42% | 0.19% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Backstage and Cortex comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Backstage was ahead of Cortex in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Backstage’s estimated Share of Search among platform engineering platforms worldwide moved from 1.3% to 0.77%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.9K to 1.6K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Cortex’s estimated Share of Search among platform engineering platforms worldwide moved from 0.41% to 0.19%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 590 to 390.
How did search popularity change for platform engineering platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Backstage’s and Cortex’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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