Circana vs NielsenIQ:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, NielsenIQ had more branded searches than Circana among retail analytics platforms worldwide. NielsenIQ was estimated to have 201K branded searches compared to Circana’s 27.1K, and held a 58.8% Share of Search versus Circana’s 7.9%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Circana or NielsenIQ?
Compare the firms that track retail and shopper data. 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 NielsenIQ, Circana. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | NielsenIQ | Kantar | Circana | Euromonitor | NPD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 49.8% | 33.5% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 0.32% |
| Nov 2025 | 54% | 29.5% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 0.35% |
| Dec 2025 | 58.7% | 26.4% | 7.9% | 6.5% | 0.55% |
| Jan 2026 | 62.8% | 23.1% | 6.9% | 6.9% | 0.33% |
| Feb 2026 | 58% | 26.1% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 0.29% |
| Mar 2026 | 52.9% | 28.9% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 0.76% |
| Apr 2026 | 54.8% | 30% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 0.52% |
| May 2026 | 55.5% | 30.4% | 7.5% | 6.1% | 0.44% |
| Jun 2026 | 58.7% | 26.4% | 7.9% | 6.5% | 0.47% |
| Jul 2026 | 59.4% | 26.8% | 8% | 5.4% | 0.47% |
| Aug 2026 | 58.8% | 26.5% | 7.9% | 6.5% | 0.29% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Circana and NielsenIQ comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- NielsenIQ was ahead of Circana in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Circana’s estimated Share of Search among retail analytics platforms worldwide moved from 8.2% to 7.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 33.1K to 27.1K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, NielsenIQ’s estimated Share of Search among retail analytics platforms worldwide moved from 49.8% to 58.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 201K.
How did search popularity change for retail analytics platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, NielsenIQ lost estimated Share of Search among retail analytics platforms worldwide, from 59.4% to 58.8%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Circana worldwide fell 18.1% over 11 measured months, from 33.1K to 27.1K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Circana’s and NielsenIQ’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.
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.