OpenAI Codex vs Windsurf:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, OpenAI Codex had more branded searches than Windsurf among AI coding tools worldwide. OpenAI Codex was estimated to have 4.4M branded searches compared to Windsurf’s 458K, and held a 35.9% Share of Search versus Windsurf’s 3.7%. Worldwide · English terms: these are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
Follow OpenAI Codex vs Windsurf and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Which is more popular in search, OpenAI Codex or Windsurf?
Compare AI coding assistants, editors, and agents used by software developers, measured through worldwide English-language branded search demand. 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 OpenAI Codex, Windsurf. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | OpenAI Codex | Claude Code | Cursor | GitHub Copilot | Windsurf | Cline | Factory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 16.4% | 18.5% | 40.6% | 12.6% | 9.6% | 1.8% | 0.47% |
| Nov 2025 | 13.8% | 19.8% | 42.9% | 11.1% | 10.2% | 1.9% | 0.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 11.9% | 23.9% | 42.2% | 11.3% | 8.7% | 1.6% | 0.36% |
| Jan 2026 | 11% | 40.9% | 33.1% | 7.8% | 5.6% | 1.2% | 0.26% |
| Feb 2026 | 22.1% | 39.2% | 25.8% | 7.3% | 4.5% | 1% | 0.16% |
| Mar 2026 | 17.9% | 45.2% | 23.8% | 7.9% | 4% | 0.92% | 0.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 23.5% | 40.9% | 22% | 8.8% | 3.7% | 0.85% | 0.19% |
| May 2026 | 32.5% | 34.9% | 19.6% | 7.5% | 4.5% | 0.88% | 0.16% |
| Jun 2026 | 31.5% | 31.3% | 25.3% | 6.4% | 4.3% | 1% | 0.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 38.3% | 30.8% | 20.7% | 4.8% | 4% | 1.1% | 0.19% |
| Aug 2026 | 35.9% | 29.5% | 23.7% | 5.4% | 3.7% | 1.6% | 0.2% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the OpenAI Codex and Windsurf comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- OpenAI Codex was ahead of Windsurf in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, OpenAI Codex’s estimated Share of Search among AI coding tools worldwide moved from 16.4% to 35.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.2M to 4.4M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Windsurf’s estimated Share of Search among AI coding tools worldwide moved from 9.6% to 3.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 723K to 458K.
How did search popularity change for AI coding tools worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, OpenAI Codex lost estimated Share of Search among AI coding tools worldwide, from 38.3% to 35.9%.
Windsurf’s estimated Share of Search among AI coding tools worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 4.5% to 3.7% in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using OpenAI Codex’s and Windsurf’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.
OpenAI Codex
28 branded search terms
- ai codex
- chatgpt codex
- Codex
- codex agent
- codex ai
- codex ai coding
- codex app
- codex chat gpt
- codex chatgpt
- codex cli
- codex coding
- codex desktop
- codex extension
- codex github
- codex ide
- codex mac
- codex open ai
- codex openai
- codex pricing
- codex vscode
- open ai codex
- openai codex
- openai codex cli
- openai codex download
- openai codex github
- openai codex pricing
- openai's codex
- openaicodex
Windsurf
21 branded search terms
- codeium
- codeium ai
- codeium windsurf
- Windsurf
- windsurf ai
- windsurf ai code editor
- windsurf ai download
- windsurf ai ide
- windsurf ai pricing
- windsurf app
- windsurf cascade
- windsurf code
- windsurf code editor
- windsurf codeium
- windsurf coding
- windsurf com
- windsurf download
- windsurf editor
- windsurf ide
- windsurf pricing
- windsurf.com
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.