MOTU vs RME:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, MOTU had more branded searches than RME among audio interface brands worldwide. MOTU had about 35,900 branded searches, while RME had 10,200. MOTU made up 12.3% of all audio interface brand searches we track, and RME accounted for 3.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about audio interface brands, RME appeared in four of the five answers and MOTU in three. MOTU and RME were each mentioned first in two of the four answers.
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Top audio interface brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, RME was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. MOTU was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. MOTU and RME were each listed first in two of the four 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.
Focusrite5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Universal Audio4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Audient4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
RME4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
MOTU3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
PreSonus1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about audio interface brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which audio interface brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best audio interface brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best audio interface brand for home recording?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best audio interface”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“usb audio interface”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is MOTU or RME more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for MOTU and RME by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six audio interface brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for MOTU, RME. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Focusrite | Universal Audio | PreSonus | MOTU | Audient | RME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 35.1% | 28.6% | 19.2% | 9.2% | 4.7% | 3.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 32.1% | 39.1% | 14.4% | 8.4% | 3.5% | 2.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 31.5% | 38.4% | 14.1% | 10% | 3.5% | 2.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 35.2% | 28.8% | 19.3% | 9.3% | 4.7% | 2.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 40.3% | 22.1% | 18.1% | 10.6% | 5.4% | 3.5% |
| Mar 2026 | 39.4% | 21.6% | 17.6% | 12.5% | 5.3% | 3.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 37.4% | 30.5% | 13.7% | 9.8% | 5% | 3.5% |
| May 2026 | 36.3% | 24.4% | 16.3% | 14.2% | 4.9% | 3.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 37.6% | 25.3% | 13.9% | 14.6% | 5.1% | 3.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 39.6% | 21.8% | 14.6% | 15.3% | 5.3% | 3.4% |
| Aug 2026 | 39.6% | 21.8% | 14.6% | 15.4% | 5.3% | 3.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 37.6% | 25.3% | 13.8% | 12.3% | 7.6% | 3.5% |
How has the MOTU and RME comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- MOTU was ahead of RME in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, MOTU’s share of searches among audio interface brands worldwide moved from 9.2% to 12.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 35.5K to 35.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, RME’s share of searches among audio interface brands worldwide moved from 3.2% to 3.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 12.5K to 10.2K.
How did search popularity change for audio interface brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, MOTU lost share of searches among audio interface brands worldwide, from 15.4% to 12.3%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for RME worldwide fell 18.4% over 12 measured months, from 12.5K to 10.2K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using MOTU’s and RME’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.
Other head-to-heads among audio interface brands
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