Kubernetes vs Rancher:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Kubernetes had more branded searches than Rancher among containerisation platforms worldwide. Kubernetes was estimated to have 301K branded searches compared to Rancher’s 49.5K, and held a 37.6% Share of Search versus Rancher’s 6.2%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Kubernetes or Rancher?
Compare the platforms teams run containers on. 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 Kubernetes, Rancher. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Docker Hub | Kubernetes | Podman | Rancher | containerd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 55.9% | 30.6% | 7.5% | 5% | 1% |
| Nov 2025 | 51.4% | 34.4% | 8.5% | 4.6% | 1.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 55.3% | 30.2% | 7.4% | 6.1% | 0.99% |
| Jan 2026 | 51% | 34.1% | 8.4% | 5.6% | 0.92% |
| Feb 2026 | 52.3% | 35% | 7% | 4.7% | 0.94% |
| Mar 2026 | 51% | 34.1% | 8.4% | 5.6% | 0.92% |
| Apr 2026 | 50% | 33.4% | 10% | 5.5% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 47.4% | 38.8% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 0.85% |
| Jun 2026 | 47.4% | 38.8% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 0.85% |
| Jul 2026 | 46% | 37.6% | 9.2% | 6.2% | 1% |
| Aug 2026 | 46% | 37.6% | 9.2% | 6.2% | 1% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Kubernetes and Rancher comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Kubernetes was ahead of Rancher in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Kubernetes’ estimated Share of Search among containerisation platforms worldwide moved from 30.6% to 37.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 368K to 301K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Rancher’s estimated Share of Search among containerisation platforms worldwide moved from 5% to 6.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 60.5K to 49.5K.
How did search popularity change for containerisation platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
Estimated monthly branded searches for Kubernetes worldwide fell 18.2% over 11 measured months, from 368K to 301K in August 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Rancher worldwide fell 18.2% over 11 measured months, from 60.5K to 49.5K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kubernetes’ and Rancher’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.
Kubernetes
1 branded search term
- kubernetes
Rancher
1 branded search term
- rancher
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.