Extole vs GrowSurf:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Extole had more branded searches than GrowSurf among referral marketing platforms worldwide. Extole had about 1,630 branded searches, while GrowSurf had 1,000. Extole made up 10.6% of all referral marketing platform searches we track, and GrowSurf accounted for 6.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about referral marketing platforms, GrowSurf appeared in four of the five answers and Extole in none.
Who do people search for more?
Extole, about 63% more searches than GrowSurf
Who does AI mention more?
GrowSurf, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Extole in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
GrowSurf, the only one of the two named
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Top referral marketing platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, GrowSurf was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Extole did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
ReferralCandy5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- GrowSurf4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Referral Rock3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Referral Factory3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Viral Loops2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Friendbuy2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Talkable1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Mention Me0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Extole0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about referral marketing platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which referral marketing platform should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best referral marketing platforms?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best referral marketing platform for customer referrals?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“referral marketing platform”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“customer referral software”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Extole or GrowSurf more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Extole and GrowSurf by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine referral marketing platforms we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Extole, GrowSurf. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Mention Me | Talkable | Viral Loops | Extole | ReferralCandy | Friendbuy | GrowSurf | Referral Rock | Referral Factory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 18% | 12% | 18% | 9.7% | 14.8% | 5.1% | 5% | 9.5% | 8% |
| Nov 2025 | 18.8% | 9.9% | 22.9% | 8.4% | 12.8% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 8.3% | 8.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 18.2% | 11.9% | 18.2% | 8.3% | 15.3% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 8.1% | 8.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 27.7% | 9.7% | 14.9% | 8.3% | 12.7% | 5.2% | 5.1% | 8.2% | 8.2% |
| Feb 2026 | 62.2% | 5.3% | 8.1% | 4.6% | 6.9% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 42.5% | 8.2% | 12.5% | 7% | 10.6% | 4.3% | 3.8% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 35.4% | 10.2% | 12.9% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 5.4% | 4.7% | 5.4% | 7% |
| May 2026 | 35.7% | 10.3% | 13% | 7.1% | 10.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 7% |
| Jun 2026 | 32.2% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 7.9% | 9.8% | 7.9% | 7.7% | 6% | 6% |
| Jul 2026 | 32.8% | 9.7% | 11.5% | 9.8% | 10% | 8% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 34.7% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 8.5% | 8.6% | 8.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 28.7% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 10.6% | 8.7% | 8.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 5.7% |
How has the Extole and GrowSurf comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Extole was ahead of GrowSurf in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Extole’s share of searches among referral marketing platforms worldwide moved from 9.7% to 10.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.9K to 1.6K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, GrowSurf’s share of searches among referral marketing platforms worldwide moved from 5% to 6.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1K.
How did search popularity change for referral marketing platforms worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Extole overtook ReferralCandy to rank 4th among referral marketing platforms worldwide, with 10.6% of the searches.
How are branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Extole’s and GrowSurf’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.
Other head-to-heads among referral marketing platforms
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