Budget vs Thrifty:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Thrifty had more branded searches than Budget among car rental brands worldwide. Thrifty was estimated to have 1.3K branded searches compared to Budget’s 880, and held a 0.01% Share of Search versus Budget’s <0.01%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Budget or Thrifty?
Compare the car rental brands drivers 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 Thrifty, Budget. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Hertz | Avis | Europcar | Sixt | Enterprise Rent-A-Car | Thrifty | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 29.8% | 24.3% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 13.3% | 0.02% | <0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 32.2% | 21.5% | 14.3% | 17.6% | 14.3% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 31.2% | 20.8% | 13.9% | 17.1% | 17.1% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 30.5% | 24.9% | 16.7% | 16.7% | 11.1% | 0.02% | <0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 33% | 22.1% | 14.7% | 18.1% | 12.1% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 31.5% | 25.7% | 14.1% | 17.2% | 11.5% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 28.7% | 23.5% | 15.7% | 19.2% | 12.8% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| May 2026 | 28.7% | 23.5% | 15.7% | 19.2% | 12.8% | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Jun 2026 | 27.8% | 22.7% | 18.6% | 18.6% | 12.4% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Jul 2026 | 26% | 21.2% | 17.3% | 21.2% | 14.2% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 27% | 22.1% | 18% | 18% | 14.8% | 0.01% | <0.01% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Budget and Thrifty comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: Budget took it in May 2026, Thrifty took it in June 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Budget’s estimated Share of Search among car rental brands worldwide held steady at <0.01%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 880.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Thrifty’s estimated Share of Search among car rental brands worldwide moved from 0.02% to 0.01%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.6K to 1.3K.
How did search popularity change for car rental brands worldwide in August 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for Thrifty worldwide fell 18.8% over 11 measured months, from 1.6K to 1.3K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Budget’s and Thrifty’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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