How popular isMessenger in search?
In August 2026, there were an estimated 5.9K branded searches for Messenger in New Zealand which held steady over the last 11 months. Messenger holds 1.8% estimated Share of Search among New Zealand messaging apps and is ranked 4th of 6 competitors for search popularity.
Follow Messenger 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 messaging apps compete with Messenger?
Share of Search by month for WhatsApp, Discord, WeChat, Messenger. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Discord | Messenger | Viber | Signal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 51.3% | 42.2% | 2.7% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.69% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.8% | 44.1% | 2.3% | 1.8% | 1.5% | 0.54% |
| Dec 2025 | 49% | 43.7% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 0.79% |
| Jan 2026 | 53.1% | 39.6% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 0.88% |
| Feb 2026 | 53.8% | 39.8% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 0.78% |
| Mar 2026 | 53.7% | 40.3% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 0.67% |
| Apr 2026 | 51.4% | 42.5% | 2.4% | 1.7% | 1.3% | 0.7% |
| May 2026 | 54% | 40.4% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.79% |
| Jun 2026 | 58% | 35.7% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 0.76% |
| Jul 2026 | 55.4% | 38.1% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 0.81% |
| Aug 2026 | 58% | 35.9% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.73% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 58% | 194K | +11.2% | +2.6 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 35.9% | 120K | +0.08% | -2.2 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 2.4% | 8K | +0.76% | -0.1 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 1.8% | 5.9K | -2.5% | -0.2 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 1.2% | 4.2K | +4.3% | 0 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 0.73% | 2.4K | -5.1% | -0.1 points |
1.
WhatsApp58%
held 1st · 194K estimated branded searches · +11.2% vs prior month · +2.6 points
2.
Discord
35.9%
held 2nd · 120K estimated branded searches · +0.08% vs prior month · -2.2 points
3.
WeChat
2.4%
held 3rd · 8K estimated branded searches · +0.76% vs prior month · -0.1 points
1.8%
held 4th · 5.9K estimated branded searches · -2.5% vs prior month · -0.2 points
5.
Viber1.2%
held 5th · 4.2K estimated branded searches · +4.3% vs prior month · 0 points
6.
Signal0.73%
held 6th · 2.4K estimated branded searches · -5.1% vs prior month · -0.1 points
Compare search popularity between Messenger and its closest rivals
How has branded search demand for Messenger changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months?
2 findings
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Messenger in New Zealand held steady, from 5.8K to 5.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Messenger’s estimated Share of Search among messaging apps in New Zealand held steady, from 1.7% to 1.8%.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand messaging apps in August 2026?
4 changes
In August 2026, WhatsApp gained estimated Share of Search among messaging apps in New Zealand, from 55.4% to 58%.
In August 2026, Discord lost estimated Share of Search among messaging apps in New Zealand, from 38.1% to 35.9%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for WeChat in New Zealand fell 13.1% over 11 measured months, from 9.2K to 8K in August 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Viber in New Zealand fell 11.5% over 11 measured months, from 4.7K to 4.2K in August 2026.
How is Messenger measured?
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Messenger’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
8 branded search terms
- deleted messages messenger
- disappearing messages messenger
- fb messenger app
- fb messenger app download
- messenger app
- messenger app for desktop
- messenger chat
- messenger messages
Who owns Messenger?
Messenger is owned by 
Meta. Brandwave also tracks 
Facebook, 
Instagram, Meta Ads, 
Meta Quest, 
Threads, WhatsApp and 
Do you work for Messenger? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.
Is Messenger your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.