Kuretake vs Pentel:Which is more popular?
In October 2026, Pentel had more branded searches than Kuretake among brush pen brands worldwide. Pentel had about 9,900 branded searches, while Kuretake had 6,600. Pentel made up 25.7% of all brush pen brand searches we track, and Kuretake accounted for 17.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about brush pen brands, Pentel appeared in four of the five answers and Kuretake in two. Pentel was mentioned before Kuretake in four out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Pentel, about 50% more searches than Kuretake
Who does AI mention more?
Pentel, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Kuretake in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Pentel, named ahead of Kuretake in 4 of 5 answers
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Top brush pen brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Pentel was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Kuretake was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Pentel was listed before Kuretake in four out of 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.
Tombow5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Pentel4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Kuretake2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Faber-Castell2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Sakura1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Ecoline0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Arteza0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Sharpie0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about brush pen brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best brush pens for lettering?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which brush pens should I buy for calligraphy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best brush pen for beginners?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“brush pens”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“calligraphy pens”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 27, 2026.
Is Kuretake or Pentel more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Kuretake and Pentel by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight brush pen brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Pentel, Kuretake. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Tombow | Pentel | Kuretake | Ecoline | Faber-Castell | Arteza | Sakura | Sharpie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 40.1% | 24.2% | 19.8% | 8.8% | 4.6% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.51% |
| Dec 2025 | 48.6% | 19.6% | 16% | 8.7% | 4.7% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.51% |
| Jan 2026 | 38.4% | 33.9% | 15.2% | 6.8% | 3.6% | 0.73% | 0.9% | 0.49% |
| Feb 2026 | 43.7% | 25.2% | 16.8% | 7.4% | 4.1% | 0.99% | 1.2% | 0.66% |
| Mar 2026 | 44.6% | 25% | 16.6% | 7.3% | 4% | 0.81% | 0.98% | 0.66% |
| Apr 2026 | 41.7% | 24.1% | 19.7% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.63% |
| May 2026 | 45.9% | 22.7% | 18.5% | 6.7% | 3.6% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 0.59% |
| Jun 2026 | 49.9% | 20.1% | 16.4% | 7.3% | 4% | 0.79% | 0.97% | 0.52% |
| Jul 2026 | 52.5% | 21.3% | 14.2% | 6.3% | 3.4% | 0.84% | 1% | 0.45% |
| Aug 2026 | 48.9% | 23.6% | 15.7% | 5.7% | 3.8% | 0.76% | 0.93% | 0.5% |
| Sep 2026 | 39.4% | 27.9% | 18.6% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 0.48% |
| Oct 2026 | 43.3% | 25.7% | 17.1% | 7.5% | 4.2% | 0.83% | 0.83% | 0.54% |
Pentel sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “pentel brush pen”.
How has branded search for Kuretake and Pentel changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Pentel was ahead of Kuretake in every measured month of the 12 months ending October 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Kuretake’s share of searches among brush pen brands worldwide moved from 19.8% to 17.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.1K to 6.6K.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Pentel’s share of searches among brush pen brands worldwide moved from 24.2% to 25.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 9.9K.
How did search popularity change for brush pen brands worldwide in October 2026?
2 changes
In October 2026, Pentel lost share of searches among brush pen brands worldwide, from 27.9% to 25.7%.
In October 2026, Kuretake lost share of searches among brush pen brands worldwide, from 18.6% to 17.1%.
How are Kuretake’s and Pentel’s branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kuretake’s and Pentel’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.
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