Pencil vs Smartly:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Smartly had more branded searches than Pencil among AI ad creative tools worldwide. Smartly was estimated to have 33.1K branded searches compared to Pencil’s 6.6K, and held a 48.2% Share of Search versus Pencil’s 9.6%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Pencil or Smartly?
Compare the tools that generate advertising creative. 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 Smartly, Pencil. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Smartly | AdCreative.ai | Pencil | Creatopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 34.5% | 47.2% | 5.6% | 12.6% |
| Nov 2025 | 31.5% | 52.8% | 6.3% | 9.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 35.9% | 49.4% | 5.9% | 8.8% |
| Jan 2026 | 42.6% | 39% | 12.7% | 5.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 27.6% | 38% | 27.6% | 6.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 26.4% | 36.1% | 32.2% | 5.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 35.3% | 39.7% | 19.3% | 5.7% |
| May 2026 | 41% | 37.3% | 15% | 6.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 45.9% | 34.2% | 13.7% | 6.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 46.4% | 34.6% | 11.4% | 7.6% |
| Aug 2026 | 48.2% | 35.8% | 9.6% | 6.4% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — |
How has the Pencil and Smartly comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: Pencil took it in March 2026, Smartly took it in April 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Pencil’s estimated Share of Search among AI ad creative tools worldwide moved from 5.6% to 9.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 6.6K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Smartly’s estimated Share of Search among AI ad creative tools worldwide moved from 34.5% to 48.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40.5K to 33.1K.
How did search popularity change for AI ad creative tools worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Smartly gained estimated Share of Search among AI ad creative tools worldwide, from 46.4% to 48.2%.
In August 2026, Pencil lost estimated Share of Search among AI ad creative tools worldwide, from 11.4% to 9.6%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Pencil’s and Smartly’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.