Clay vs Smartlead:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Smartlead had more branded searches than Clay among AI lead generation tools worldwide. Smartlead was estimated to have 40K branded searches compared to Clay’s 2.4K, and held a 6.3% Share of Search versus Clay’s 0.38%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Clay or Smartlead?
Compare the tools that find and contact leads. 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 Smartlead, Clay. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Apollo | lemlist | Smartlead | Instantly | Clay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 68.6% | 17.9% | 6.3% | 6.7% | 0.46% |
| Nov 2025 | 72.4% | 15.8% | 5.6% | 5.9% | 0.41% |
| Dec 2025 | 74.4% | 13.2% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 0.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 74.5% | 13.3% | 5.8% | 6.1% | 0.42% |
| Feb 2026 | 72.3% | 15.7% | 5.8% | 5.9% | 0.41% |
| Mar 2026 | 78.1% | 11.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 0.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 81.1% | 9.8% | 4.3% | 4.5% | 0.25% |
| May 2026 | 79.7% | 9.6% | 5.1% | 5.3% | 0.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 77.1% | 11.4% | 6% | 5.2% | 0.28% |
| Jul 2026 | 77.1% | 11.4% | 6% | 5.2% | 0.28% |
| Aug 2026 | 81.3% | 6.7% | 6.3% | 5.4% | 0.38% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Clay and Smartlead comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Smartlead was ahead of Clay in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Clay’s estimated Share of Search among AI lead generation tools worldwide moved from 0.46% to 0.38%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 2.4K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Smartlead’s estimated Share of Search among AI lead generation tools worldwide held steady at 6.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 32.6K to 40K.
How did search popularity change for AI lead generation tools worldwide in August 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for Smartlead worldwide rose 22.6% over 11 measured months, from 32.6K to 40K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Clay’s and Smartlead’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.