Lever vs SmartRecruiters:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, SmartRecruiters had more branded searches than Lever among employee referral platforms worldwide. SmartRecruiters was estimated to have 40.5K branded searches compared to Lever’s 2.5K, and held a 31.4% Share of Search versus Lever’s 1.9%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Lever or SmartRecruiters?
Compare the platforms used to run employee referrals. 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 SmartRecruiters, Lever. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Teamtailor | SmartRecruiters | Jobvite | Greenhouse | Lever |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 36.7% | 36.5% | 16.4% | 8% | 2.4% |
| Nov 2025 | 41.2% | 33.5% | 15% | 8% | 2.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 40.7% | 33.1% | 14.8% | 8.8% | 2.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 39.7% | 32.3% | 14.5% | 10.4% | 3.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 39.4% | 32.1% | 14.4% | 11.5% | 2.5% |
| Mar 2026 | 43.9% | 29.2% | 13.1% | 11.5% | 2.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 39.4% | 32.1% | 14.4% | 11.4% | 2.8% |
| May 2026 | 39.7% | 32.3% | 14.5% | 11.5% | 2% |
| Jun 2026 | 40.3% | 32.8% | 14.7% | 10.4% | 1.8% |
| Jul 2026 | 38% | 30.9% | 17% | 12% | 2.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 38.5% | 31.4% | 17.2% | 11% | 1.9% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Lever and SmartRecruiters comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- SmartRecruiters was ahead of Lever in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Lever’s estimated Share of Search among employee referral platforms worldwide moved from 2.4% to 1.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 4K to 2.5K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, SmartRecruiters’ estimated Share of Search among employee referral platforms worldwide moved from 36.5% to 31.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 60.5K to 40.5K.
How did search popularity change for employee referral platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
Estimated monthly branded searches for Lever worldwide fell 37.6% over 11 measured months, from 4K to 2.5K in August 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for SmartRecruiters worldwide fell 33.1% over 11 measured months, from 60.5K to 40.5K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Lever’s and SmartRecruiters’ 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.
Lever
3 branded search terms
- lever ats
- lever co
- lever recruiting
SmartRecruiters
1 branded search term
- smartrecruiters
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.