Pencil vs Semrush:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Pencil had more branded searches than Semrush among AI marketing platforms worldwide. Pencil had about 6,990 branded searches, while Semrush had 1,000. Pencil made up 5.4% of all AI marketing platform searches we track, and Semrush accounted for 0.78%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about AI marketing platforms, Semrush appeared in two of the five answers and Pencil in none.
Who do people search for more?
Pencil, about 7 searches for every 1 for Semrush
Who does AI mention more?
Semrush, mentioned in 2 of 5 answers, Pencil in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Semrush, the only one of the two named
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Top AI marketing platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Semrush was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Pencil did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
See every answer about AI marketing platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best AI marketing tools?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which AI platform is best for creating marketing content at scale?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What AI tools do marketing teams use to run campaigns?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai marketing tools”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ai marketing platform”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 23, 2026.
Is Pencil or Semrush more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Pencil and Semrush by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 12 AI marketing platforms we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Pencil, Semrush. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Pencil | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 2.3% | 0.78% |
| Dec 2025 | 2.5% | 0.71% |
| Jan 2026 | 6.1% | 0.63% |
| Feb 2026 | 11.8% | 0.56% |
| Mar 2026 | 15.2% | 0.58% |
| Apr 2026 | 8.3% | 0.48% |
| May 2026 | 6.9% | 0.73% |
| Jun 2026 | 7% | 0.74% |
| Jul 2026 | 5.7% | 0.88% |
| Aug 2026 | 4.8% | 0.7% |
| Sep 2026 | 5.4% | 0.78% |
| Oct 2026 | — | — |
Semrush sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “semrush ai”.
How has branded search for Pencil and Semrush changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Pencil was ahead of Semrush in every measured month of the 11 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending September 2026, Pencil’s share of searches among AI marketing platforms worldwide moved from 2.3% to 5.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.9K to 7K.
- Across the 11 months ending September 2026, Semrush’s share of searches among AI marketing platforms worldwide held steady at 0.78%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.4K to 1K.
How did search popularity change for AI marketing platforms worldwide in September 2026?
4 changes
In September 2026, Typeface overtook HubSpot Breeze and 3 others to rank 7th among AI marketing platforms worldwide, with 4.2% of the searches.
In September 2026, Klaviyo overtook Persado and Semrush to rank 10th among AI marketing platforms worldwide, with 1.5% of the searches.
In September 2026, Pencil gained share of searches among AI marketing platforms worldwide, from 4.8% to 5.4%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Semrush worldwide fell 58.3% over 11 measured months, from 2.4K to 1K in September 2026.
How are Pencil’s and Semrush’s branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Pencil’s and Semrush’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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