Canva vs Pencil:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Canva had more branded searches than Pencil among AI marketing platforms worldwide. Canva had about 14,800 branded searches, while Pencil had 6,990. Canva made up 11.5% of all AI marketing platform searches we track, and Pencil accounted for 5.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about AI marketing platforms, Canva appeared in three of the five answers and Pencil in none.
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Top AI marketing platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Canva was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Pencil 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.
See every answer about AI marketing platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best AI marketing tools?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which AI platform is best for creating marketing content at scale?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What AI tools do marketing teams use to run campaigns?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai marketing tools”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai marketing platform”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 23, 2026.
Is Canva or Pencil more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Canva and Pencil by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 12 AI marketing platforms we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Canva, Pencil. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Canva | Pencil |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 7.2% | 2.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 6.5% | 2.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 7.3% | 6.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 9.6% | 11.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 8.3% | 15.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 10% | 8.3% |
| May 2026 | 10.1% | 6.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 10.2% | 7% |
| Jul 2026 | 12.3% | 5.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 12.6% | 4.8% |
| Sep 2026 | 11.5% | 5.4% |
| Oct 2026 | — | — |
Canva sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “canva magic studio”.
How has branded search for Canva and Pencil changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 11 months ending September 2026: Pencil took it in February 2026, Canva took it in April 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending September 2026, Canva’s share of searches among AI marketing platforms worldwide moved from 7.2% to 11.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 22.2K to 14.8K.
- Across the 11 months ending September 2026, Pencil’s share of searches among AI marketing platforms worldwide moved from 2.3% to 5.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.9K to 7K.
How did search popularity change for AI marketing platforms worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Pencil gained share of searches among AI marketing platforms worldwide, from 4.8% to 5.4%.
In September 2026, Canva lost share of searches among AI marketing platforms worldwide, from 12.6% to 11.5%.
How are Canva’s and Pencil’s branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Canva’s and Pencil’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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