npm vs pnpm:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, npm had more branded searches than pnpm among package managers worldwide. npm was estimated to have 246K branded searches compared to pnpm’s 74K, and held a 61.8% Share of Search versus pnpm’s 18.6%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, npm or pnpm?
Compare the package managers teams install dependencies with. 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 npm, pnpm. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | npm | pnpm | NuGet | Homebrew | Yarn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 65.5% | 16.1% | 13.2% | 4.8% | 0.35% |
| Nov 2025 | 65.5% | 16.1% | 13.2% | 4.8% | 0.35% |
| Dec 2025 | 65.5% | 16.1% | 13.2% | 4.8% | 0.35% |
| Jan 2026 | 64.8% | 15.9% | 13% | 5.8% | 0.34% |
| Feb 2026 | 64.9% | 16% | 13% | 5.8% | 0.28% |
| Mar 2026 | 66.5% | 16.4% | 10.9% | 6% | 0.23% |
| Apr 2026 | 67.2% | 16.5% | 11.1% | 5% | 0.24% |
| May 2026 | 60.8% | 22.2% | 10% | 6.7% | 0.26% |
| Jun 2026 | 61.9% | 18.6% | 12.4% | 6.8% | 0.25% |
| Jul 2026 | 62.6% | 18.8% | 12.6% | 5.7% | 0.25% |
| Aug 2026 | 61.8% | 18.6% | 12.4% | 6.8% | 0.33% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the npm and pnpm comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- npm was ahead of pnpm in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, npm’s estimated Share of Search among package managers worldwide moved from 65.5% to 61.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 301K to 246K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, pnpm’s estimated Share of Search among package managers worldwide moved from 16.1% to 18.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 74K.
How did search popularity change for package managers worldwide in August 2026?
1 change
In August 2026, npm lost estimated Share of Search among package managers worldwide, from 62.6% to 61.8%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using npm’s and pnpm’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.