Pentel vs Tombow:Which is more popular?
In October 2026, Tombow had more branded searches than Pentel among brush pen brands worldwide. Tombow had about 16,700 branded searches, while Pentel had 9,900. Tombow made up 43.3% of all brush pen brand searches we track, and Pentel accounted for 25.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about brush pen brands, Tombow appeared in all five answers and Pentel in four. Tombow was mentioned before Pentel in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Tombow, about 69% more searches than Pentel
Who does AI mention more?
Tombow, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Tombow, named ahead of Pentel in every answer
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Top brush pen brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Tombow appeared in all five answers. Pentel was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Tombow was listed before Pentel in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Tombow5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Pentel4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Kuretake2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Faber-Castell2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Sakura1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Ecoline0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Arteza0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Sharpie0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about brush pen brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best brush pens for lettering?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which brush pens should I buy for calligraphy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best brush pen for beginners?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“brush pens”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“calligraphy pens”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 27, 2026.
Is Pentel or Tombow more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Pentel and Tombow by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight brush pen brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Tombow, Pentel. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Tombow | Pentel | Kuretake | Ecoline | Faber-Castell | Arteza | Sakura | Sharpie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 40.1% | 24.2% | 19.8% | 8.8% | 4.6% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.51% |
| Dec 2025 | 48.6% | 19.6% | 16% | 8.7% | 4.7% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.51% |
| Jan 2026 | 38.4% | 33.9% | 15.2% | 6.8% | 3.6% | 0.73% | 0.9% | 0.49% |
| Feb 2026 | 43.7% | 25.2% | 16.8% | 7.4% | 4.1% | 0.99% | 1.2% | 0.66% |
| Mar 2026 | 44.6% | 25% | 16.6% | 7.3% | 4% | 0.81% | 0.98% | 0.66% |
| Apr 2026 | 41.7% | 24.1% | 19.7% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.63% |
| May 2026 | 45.9% | 22.7% | 18.5% | 6.7% | 3.6% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 0.59% |
| Jun 2026 | 49.9% | 20.1% | 16.4% | 7.3% | 4% | 0.79% | 0.97% | 0.52% |
| Jul 2026 | 52.5% | 21.3% | 14.2% | 6.3% | 3.4% | 0.84% | 1% | 0.45% |
| Aug 2026 | 48.9% | 23.6% | 15.7% | 5.7% | 3.8% | 0.76% | 0.93% | 0.5% |
| Sep 2026 | 39.4% | 27.9% | 18.6% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 0.48% |
| Oct 2026 | 43.3% | 25.7% | 17.1% | 7.5% | 4.2% | 0.83% | 0.83% | 0.54% |
Pentel sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “pentel brush pen”.
How has branded search for Pentel and Tombow changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Tombow was ahead of Pentel in every measured month of the 12 months ending October 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Pentel’s share of searches among brush pen brands worldwide moved from 24.2% to 25.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 9.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Tombow’s share of searches among brush pen brands worldwide moved from 40.1% to 43.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 16.4K to 16.7K.
How did search popularity change for brush pen brands worldwide in October 2026?
2 changes
In October 2026, Tombow gained share of searches among brush pen brands worldwide, from 39.4% to 43.3%.
In October 2026, Pentel lost share of searches among brush pen brands worldwide, from 27.9% to 25.7%.
How are Pentel’s and Tombow’s branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Pentel’s and Tombow’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.
Other head-to-heads among brush pen brands
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