---
title: "Google Maps vs Waze: Which is more popular by branded search?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, Google Maps or Waze? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Navigation apps set worldwide. 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."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/google-maps-vs-waze"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Google Maps vs Waze: Which is more popular by branded search?

Which is more popular in search, Google Maps or Waze? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Navigation apps set worldwide. 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.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: Google Maps and Waze
- **Competitive set**: Navigation apps
- **Market**: Global
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **Google Maps Share of Search**: 97.7%
- **Waze Share of Search**: 1.2%

## Which is more popular in search, Google Maps or Waze?

- In August 2026, Google Maps had more branded searches than Waze among navigation apps worldwide. Google Maps was estimated to have 185M branded searches compared to Waze’s 2.2M, and held a 97.7% Share of Search versus Waze’s 1.2%.
- Google Maps was ahead of Waze in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Google Maps’ estimated Share of Search among navigation apps worldwide held steady at 97.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 185M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Waze’s estimated Share of Search among navigation apps worldwide held steady at 1.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 2.2M.

## How did search popularity change for navigation apps worldwide in August 2026?

Neither Google Maps nor Waze moved beyond provider rounding among navigation apps in Aug 2026.

## Month by month

| Month | Google Maps estimated searches | Google Maps Share of Search | Google Maps rank | Waze estimated searches | Waze Share of Search | Waze rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 185M | 97.7% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | 185M | 97.8% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | 151M | 97.5% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.4% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | 185M | 97.8% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | 151M | 97.2% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.4% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | 185M | 97.6% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | 185M | 97.7% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| May 2026 | 185M | 97.8% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | 185M | 97.8% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | 185M | 97.6% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | 185M | 97.7% | 1 | 2.2M | 1.2% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Google Maps’ and Waze’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.

- **Google Maps**: Measured on the search term “google maps”.
- **Waze**: Measured on the search term “waze”.

- [Google Maps profile](/demand/global-en/brands/google-maps)
- [Waze profile](/demand/global-en/brands/waze)
- [All navigation apps worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/navigation-apps): The set both shares are measured inside, 5 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, Google Maps or Waze?

In August 2026, Google Maps had more branded searches than Waze among navigation apps worldwide. Google Maps was estimated to have 185M branded searches compared to Waze’s 2.2M, and held a 97.7% Share of Search versus Waze’s 1.2%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Google Maps vs Waze: Which is more popular by branded search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/google-maps-vs-waze

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/google-maps-vs-waze. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.