CARTO vs Esri ArcGIS:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Esri ArcGIS had more branded searches than CARTO among GIS software worldwide. Esri ArcGIS was estimated to have 201K branded searches compared to CARTO’s 40.5K, and held a 27% Share of Search versus CARTO’s 5.4%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
Follow CARTO vs Esri ArcGIS 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
Which is more popular in search, CARTO or Esri ArcGIS?
Compare the geographic information systems teams use. 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 Esri ArcGIS, CARTO. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | QGIS | Esri ArcGIS | Mapbox | CARTO | Maptitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 47.2% | 31.6% | 17.3% | 3.5% | 0.38% |
| Nov 2025 | 47.3% | 31.6% | 17.3% | 3.5% | 0.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 47.3% | 31.6% | 17.3% | 3.5% | 0.31% |
| Jan 2026 | 50.2% | 27.4% | 18.4% | 3.7% | 0.32% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.5% | 27.6% | 18.5% | 3% | 0.27% |
| Mar 2026 | 47.3% | 31.6% | 17.3% | 3.5% | 0.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 47.3% | 31.6% | 17.3% | 3.5% | 0.25% |
| May 2026 | 50.2% | 27.5% | 18.4% | 3.7% | 0.18% |
| Jun 2026 | 50.2% | 27.4% | 18.4% | 3.7% | 0.22% |
| Jul 2026 | 49.8% | 27.2% | 18.3% | 4.5% | 0.18% |
| Aug 2026 | 49.3% | 27% | 18.1% | 5.4% | 0.17% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the CARTO and Esri ArcGIS comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Esri ArcGIS was ahead of CARTO in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, CARTO’s estimated Share of Search among GIS software worldwide moved from 3.5% to 5.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 33.1K to 40.5K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Esri ArcGIS’s estimated Share of Search among GIS software worldwide moved from 31.6% to 27%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 301K to 201K.
How did search popularity change for GIS software worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, CARTO gained estimated Share of Search among GIS software worldwide, from 4.5% to 5.4%.
Esri ArcGIS’s estimated Share of Search among GIS software worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 27.5% to 27% in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using CARTO’s and Esri ArcGIS’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.
CARTO
1 branded search term
- carto
Esri ArcGIS
1 branded search term
- arcgis
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.