Café Bustelo vs Illy:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Café Bustelo and Illy were level in searches among coffee brands worldwide, with an estimated 135K branded searches each, at 5.9% of the total each. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about coffee brands, Café Bustelo appeared in four of the five answers and Illy in none.
Who do people search for more?
Café Bustelo and Illy are searched for about as often as each other.
Who does AI mention more?
Café Bustelo, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Illy in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Café Bustelo, the only one of the two named
Follow Café Bustelo vs Illy 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 coffee brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Café Bustelo was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Illy 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.
Peet's Coffee1st
Lavazza2nd- Café Bustelo2nd
Stumptown4th
Nescafé5th
La Colombe5th
Kicking Horse Coffee7th
Illy–
Moccona–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Peet's Coffee4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Café Bustelo4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Lavazza3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- La Colombe3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Stumptown2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Kicking Horse Coffee2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Nescafé1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Illy0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Moccona0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about coffee brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which coffee brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best coffee brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best coffee brand for everyday drinking?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“coffee brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“instant coffee brands”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Café Bustelo or Illy more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Café Bustelo and Illy by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine coffee brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Café Bustelo, Illy. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Nescafé | Peet's Coffee | Lavazza | La Colombe | Café Bustelo | Illy | Stumptown | Kicking Horse Coffee | Moccona |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 33.4% | 22.3% | 14.9% | 6.9% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 8.2% | 1.1% | 0.9% |
| Nov 2025 | 34.3% | 22.9% | 15.3% | 7.1% | 4.6% | 6.9% | 6.9% | 1.1% | 0.92% |
| Dec 2025 | 34.5% | 23.1% | 15.4% | 6.7% | 4.6% | 6.9% | 5.7% | 2.1% | 0.93% |
| Jan 2026 | 32.5% | 26.6% | 14.5% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 1.6% | 0.88% |
| Feb 2026 | 32.9% | 22% | 14.7% | 7.8% | 5.4% | 8.1% | 6.6% | 1.6% | 0.89% |
| Mar 2026 | 31.3% | 20.9% | 17.1% | 9.1% | 5.1% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 1.5% | 1% |
| Apr 2026 | 37.4% | 20.5% | 13.7% | 7.3% | 5% | 7.5% | 6.1% | 1.5% | 1% |
| May 2026 | 39.9% | 22% | 12% | 6.4% | 4.4% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 43.3% | 19.5% | 10.6% | 7.4% | 3.9% | 7.1% | 5.8% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 37.8% | 20.7% | 13.8% | 7.8% | 5% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 35.8% | 23.9% | 13.1% | 8% | 4.8% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1.4% | 1.2% |
| Sep 2026 | 35.7% | 23.9% | 13.1% | 6.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
How has the Café Bustelo and Illy comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Café Bustelo was ahead of Illy in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Café Bustelo’s share of searches among coffee brands worldwide moved from 5.5% to 5.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 135K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Illy’s share of searches among coffee brands worldwide moved from 6.7% to 5.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 165K to 135K.
How did search popularity change for coffee brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Café Bustelo overtook Illy and Stumptown to rank 5th among coffee brands worldwide, with 5.9% of the searches.
Illy’s share of searches among coffee brands worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 7.1% to 5.9% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Café Bustelo’s and Illy’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.
Café Bustelo
1 branded search term
- cafe bustelo
Illy
1 branded search term
- illy
Other head-to-heads among coffee brands
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.