Istio vs Linkerd:Which is searched more?
In August 2026, Istio had more branded searches than Linkerd among service mesh platforms worldwide. Istio was estimated to have 22.2K branded searches compared to Linkerd’s 4.4K, and held a 46.6% Share of Search versus Linkerd’s 9.2%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Istio or Linkerd?
Compare the service meshes used to connect workloads. 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 Istio, Linkerd. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Istio | Linkerd |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 46.5% | 9.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.9% | 10% |
| Dec 2025 | 46.5% | 9.3% |
| Jan 2026 | 45.5% | 11.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 46.5% | 9.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 50.5% | 10.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 46.5% | 9.3% |
| May 2026 | 41.6% | 10.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 45.7% | 11.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 46.6% | 9.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 46.6% | 9.2% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — |
How has the Istio and Linkerd comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Istio was ahead of Linkerd in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Istio’s estimated Share of Search among service mesh platforms worldwide moved from 46.5% to 46.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 33.1K to 22.2K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Linkerd’s estimated Share of Search among service mesh platforms worldwide moved from 9.3% to 9.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.6K to 4.4K.
How did search popularity change for service mesh platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Istio’s and Linkerd’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.