FACEIT vs start.gg:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, FACEIT had more branded searches than start.gg among esports platforms worldwide. FACEIT had about 5 million branded searches, while start.gg had 40,500. FACEIT made up 93.5% of all esports platform searches we track, and start.gg accounted for 0.76%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about esports platforms, start.gg appeared in four of the five answers and FACEIT in three. FACEIT was mentioned before start.gg in three out of four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
FACEIT, about 123 searches for every 1 for start.gg
Who does AI mention more?
start.gg, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, FACEIT in 3
Who does AI recommend more?
FACEIT, named ahead of start.gg in 3 of 4 answers
Follow FACEIT vs start.gg 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
Top esports platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, start.gg was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. FACEIT was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. FACEIT was listed before start.gg in three out of four answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Battlefy1st- FACEIT2nd
- start.gg3rd
Challengermode4th
Toornament5th
ESL–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Battlefy5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- start.gg4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Challengermode4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- FACEIT3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Toornament3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- ESL0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about esports platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which esports platform should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best esports platforms?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best esports platform for tournament management?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“esports platform”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“competitive gaming platform”
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 19, 2026.
Is FACEIT or start.gg more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for FACEIT and start.gg by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six esports platforms we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for FACEIT, start.gg. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | FACEIT | ESL | start.gg | Battlefy | Challengermode | Toornament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 86.7% | 9.5% | 1.6% | 1% | 0.86% | 0.31% |
| Nov 2025 | 90.2% | 6.6% | 1.6% | 0.6% | 0.73% | 0.22% |
| Dec 2025 | 91% | 6.7% | 0.9% | 0.49% | 0.74% | 0.22% |
| Jan 2026 | 90.5% | 6.7% | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.27% |
| Feb 2026 | 92% | 5.5% | 0.91% | 0.61% | 0.74% | 0.22% |
| Mar 2026 | 90.3% | 6.6% | 1.3% | 0.73% | 0.73% | 0.27% |
| Apr 2026 | 91.4% | 5.5% | 1.4% | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.22% |
| May 2026 | 91.5% | 5.5% | 1.7% | 0.61% | 0.61% | 0.18% |
| Jun 2026 | 90% | 6.6% | 2% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.15% |
| Jul 2026 | 92.2% | 5.5% | 1.1% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.18% |
| Aug 2026 | 93.2% | 4.6% | 0.92% | 0.62% | 0.51% | 0.12% |
| Sep 2026 | 93.5% | 4.6% | 0.76% | 0.51% | 0.51% | 0.1% |
How has the FACEIT and start.gg comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- FACEIT was ahead of start.gg in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, FACEIT’s share of searches among esports platforms worldwide moved from 86.7% to 93.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.7M to 5M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, start.gg’s share of searches among esports platforms worldwide moved from 1.6% to 0.76%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 49.5K to 40.5K.
How did search popularity change for esports platforms worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
FACEIT’s share of searches among esports platforms worldwide has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 90% to 93.5% in September 2026.
start.gg’s share of searches among esports platforms worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 2% to 0.76% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using FACEIT’s and start.gg’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 esports platforms
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.