Qcells vs REC:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Qcells had more branded searches than REC among solar panel brands worldwide. Qcells had about 14,800 branded searches, while REC had 6,800. Qcells made up 10.7% of all solar panel brand searches we track, and REC accounted for 4.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about solar panel brands, Qcells and REC each appeared in three of the five answers. REC was mentioned before Qcells in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
Qcells, about 2 searches for every 1 for REC
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 3 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
REC, named ahead of Qcells in 2 of 3 answers
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Top solar panel brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Qcells and REC were each mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. REC was listed before Qcells in two out of three answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- REC1st
- Qcells2nd
- Maxeon3rd
Canadian Solar4th
Jinko Solar–
SunPower–- Trina Solar–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Canadian Solar3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Qcells3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- REC3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Maxeon3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Jinko Solar0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- SunPower0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Trina Solar0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about solar panel brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which solar panel brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best solar panel brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best solar panel brand for home solar systems?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“monocrystalline solar panels”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“solar panels for home”
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 21, 2026.
Is Qcells or REC more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Qcells and REC by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven solar panel brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Qcells, REC. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Jinko Solar | Canadian Solar | SunPower | Trina Solar | Qcells | REC | Maxeon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 19.6% | 23.9% | 19.6% | 19.6% | 8.7% | 5.5% | 3.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 19.7% | 24.1% | 16.1% | 24.1% | 8.8% | 4.5% | 2.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 20% | 16.4% | 29.9% | 20% | 7.3% | 4.1% | 2.2% |
| Jan 2026 | 22% | 18% | 26.9% | 18% | 8% | 4.6% | 2.4% |
| Feb 2026 | 24.6% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 7.3% | 5.2% | 2.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 26.6% | 17.8% | 17.8% | 21.8% | 8% | 5.6% | 2.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 26% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 21.2% | 7.8% | 6.8% | 3.5% |
| May 2026 | 23.5% | 19.2% | 19.2% | 19.2% | 8.6% | 7.1% | 3.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 28.1% | 18.8% | 15.4% | 18.8% | 10.3% | 6.1% | 2.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 22.5% | 22.5% | 18.4% | 18.4% | 10.1% | 5.6% | 2.4% |
| Aug 2026 | 23.7% | 19.4% | 19.4% | 19.4% | 10.6% | 5.4% | 2.1% |
| Sep 2026 | 23.8% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 10.7% | 4.9% | 2.1% |
How has the Qcells and REC comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Qcells was ahead of REC in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Qcells’ share of searches among solar panel brands worldwide moved from 8.7% to 10.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 14.8K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, REC’s share of searches among solar panel brands worldwide moved from 5.5% to 4.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 9.3K to 6.8K.
How did search popularity change for solar panel brands worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
REC’s share of searches among solar panel brands worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 6.1% to 4.9% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Qcells’ and REC’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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