---
title: "CarMax vs Carvana: Which is more popular by branded search?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, CarMax or Carvana? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Used car marketplaces set worldwide. 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."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/carmax-vs-carvana"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# CarMax vs Carvana: Which is more popular by branded search?

Which is more popular in search, CarMax or Carvana? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Used car marketplaces set worldwide. 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.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: CarMax and Carvana
- **Competitive set**: Used car marketplaces
- **Market**: Global
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **CarMax Share of Search**: 19.8%
- **Carvana Share of Search**: 19.8%

## Which is more popular in search, CarMax or Carvana?

- In August 2026, CarMax and Carvana were level on Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide, with an estimated 4.1M branded searches each, at 19.8% estimated Share of Search each.
- CarMax was ahead of Carvana in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, CarMax’s estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide moved from 19% to 19.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 4.1M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Carvana’s estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide moved from 15.6% to 19.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3.4M to 4.1M.

## How did search popularity change for used car marketplaces worldwide in August 2026?

- In August 2026, CarGurus overtook CarMax to rank 2nd among used car marketplaces worldwide, at 19.8%.
- In August 2026, CarMax lost estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide, from 20.6% to 19.8%.
- In August 2026, Carvana lost estimated Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide, from 20.6% to 19.8%.

## Month by month

| Month | CarMax estimated searches | CarMax Share of Search | CarMax rank | Carvana estimated searches | Carvana Share of Search | Carvana rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 4.1M | 19% | 3 | 3.4M | 15.6% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | 3.4M | 16.8% | 3 | 3.4M | 16.8% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | 3.4M | 18.3% | 3 | 3.4M | 18.3% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | 4.1M | 19% | 3 | 3.4M | 15.5% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | 4.1M | 19% | 3 | 3.4M | 15.5% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | 4.1M | 18.3% | 3 | 4.1M | 18.3% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | 4.1M | 19.8% | 3 | 4.1M | 19.8% | 4 |
| May 2026 | 4.1M | 19.8% | 3 | 4.1M | 19.8% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | 4.1M | 21.4% | 2 | 3.4M | 17.6% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | 4.1M | 20.6% | 2 | 4.1M | 20.6% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | 4.1M | 19.8% | 3 | 4.1M | 19.8% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using CarMax’s and Carvana’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.

- **CarMax**: Measured on the search term “carmax”.
- **Carvana**: Measured on the search term “carvana”.

- [CarMax profile](/demand/global-en/brands/carmax)
- [Carvana profile](/demand/global-en/brands/carvana)
- [All used car marketplaces worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/used-car-marketplaces): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, CarMax or Carvana?

In August 2026, CarMax and Carvana were level on Share of Search among used car marketplaces worldwide, with an estimated 4.1M branded searches each, at 19.8% estimated Share of Search each.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "CarMax vs Carvana: Which is more popular by branded search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/carmax-vs-carvana

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/carmax-vs-carvana. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.