Barbie vs MAFEX:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Barbie had more branded searches than MAFEX among action figure brands worldwide. Barbie had about 1.8 million branded searches, while MAFEX had 40,500. Barbie made up 54.6% of all action figure brand searches we track, and MAFEX accounted for 1.2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about action figure brands, MAFEX appeared in two of the four answers and Barbie in none.
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Top action figure brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, MAFEX was mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Barbie did not appear in any of the four 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.
Hot Toys4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Hasbro4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
NECA4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
McFarlane4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Bandai2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
MAFEX2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Barbie0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Funko0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about action figure brands
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which action figure brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best action figure brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best action figure brand for collectors?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“action figures”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“collectible action figures”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Barbie or MAFEX more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Barbie and MAFEX by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight action figure brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Barbie, MAFEX. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Barbie | Funko | Bandai | Hot Toys | Hasbro | NECA | MAFEX | McFarlane |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 59.8% | 18% | 5.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 0.72% | 1.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 54.5% | 24.3% | 6% | 6% | 4.9% | 2.7% | 0.66% | 0.99% |
| Dec 2025 | 59.8% | 21.8% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 0.72% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 55.7% | 20.4% | 6.1% | 7.5% | 5% | 2.2% | 0.82% | 2.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 58.2% | 17.5% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 2.9% | 0.71% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 61.6% | 15.1% | 6.8% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 3% | 0.75% | 1.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 62.8% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 6.9% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 0.93% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 56.2% | 16.9% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 6.2% | 2.8% | 1% | 1.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 59.2% | 14.6% | 8% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Jul 2026 | 54.9% | 13.5% | 11% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 3.3% | 0.99% | 1.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 52.2% | 15.7% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 54.6% | 16.4% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
How has the Barbie and MAFEX comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Barbie was ahead of MAFEX in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Barbie’s share of searches among action figure brands worldwide moved from 59.8% to 54.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.2M to 1.8M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, MAFEX’s share of searches among action figure brands worldwide moved from 0.72% to 1.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.1K to 40.5K.
How did search popularity change for action figure brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Barbie gained share of searches among action figure brands worldwide, from 52.2% to 54.6%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for MAFEX worldwide rose 49.4% over 12 measured months, from 27.1K to 40.5K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Barbie’s and MAFEX’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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