Empire vs Proto:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Proto had more branded searches than Empire among paintball brands worldwide. Proto was estimated to have 9.9K branded searches compared to Empire’s 1.9K, and held a 29.7% Share of Search versus Empire’s 5.7%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Empire or Proto?
Compare the paintball brands shoppers choose between. 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 Proto, Empire. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Proto | Tippmann | Planet Eclipse | Dye | Empire | Valken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 26% | 31.8% | 14.2% | 14.2% | 6.3% | 7.6% |
| Nov 2025 | 28.2% | 28.2% | 18.8% | 15.4% | 6.8% | 2.5% |
| Dec 2025 | 29.4% | 36% | 16.1% | 10.7% | 5.7% | 2.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 27% | 33% | 14.7% | 18% | 5.2% | 2% |
| Feb 2026 | 30.9% | 30.9% | 16.8% | 13.7% | 5.9% | 1.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 26.7% | 32.6% | 17.8% | 14.5% | 6.5% | 1.9% |
| Apr 2026 | 28.4% | 34.7% | 15.5% | 12.6% | 6.9% | 2.1% |
| May 2026 | 28% | 28% | 18.6% | 15.2% | 8.2% | 2% |
| Jun 2026 | 32.3% | 26.4% | 17.6% | 14.3% | 7.8% | 1.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 32.8% | 32.8% | 14.6% | 11.9% | 6.3% | 1.6% |
| Aug 2026 | 29.7% | 29.7% | 19.8% | 13.2% | 5.7% | 1.8% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Empire and Proto comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Proto was ahead of Empire in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Empire’s estimated Share of Search among paintball brands worldwide moved from 6.3% to 5.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.4K to 1.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Proto’s estimated Share of Search among paintball brands worldwide moved from 26% to 29.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 9.9K.
How did search popularity change for paintball brands worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Proto lost estimated Share of Search among paintball brands worldwide, from 32.8% to 29.7%.
In August 2026, Empire lost estimated Share of Search among paintball brands worldwide, from 6.3% to 5.7%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Empire’s and Proto’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.