New Balance vs Skechers:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, New Balance had more branded searches than Skechers among casual shoes brands in New Zealand. New Balance had about 65,700 branded searches, while Skechers had 25,900. New Balance made up 21.5% of all casual shoes brand searches we track, and Skechers accounted for 8.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about casual shoes brands, both New Balance and Skechers appeared in all five answers. Skechers was mentioned before New Balance in three out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
New Balance, about 3 searches for every 1 for Skechers
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Skechers, named ahead of New Balance in 3 of 5 answers
Follow New Balance vs Skechers 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
Top casual shoes brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both New Balance and Skechers showed up in all five answers. Skechers was listed before New Balance in three of them.
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.
New Balance5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Skechers5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
ASICS4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Ecco3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Adidas2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Nike0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Puma0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about casual shoes brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which casual shoes brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best casual shoes brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best casual shoes brand in New Zealand for everyday wear?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“casual shoes nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“walking shoes for women”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 19, 2026.
Is New Balance or Skechers more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for New Balance and Skechers by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven casual shoes brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for New Balance, Skechers. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Nike | Adidas | New Balance | ASICS | Puma | Skechers | Ecco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 27.1% | 22.1% | 19.9% | 12.6% | 8.2% | 9.5% | 0.59% |
| Nov 2025 | 28.3% | 22.7% | 18.8% | 11.8% | 7.4% | 10.5% | 0.54% |
| Dec 2025 | 30.6% | 20.7% | 18.8% | 10.7% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 0.46% |
| Jan 2026 | 28.9% | 19.1% | 19.5% | 15.1% | 7.8% | 9.1% | 0.53% |
| Feb 2026 | 26.8% | 20.7% | 19.3% | 16.6% | 7.4% | 8.7% | 0.49% |
| Mar 2026 | 26.6% | 22.6% | 18.9% | 14.3% | 8.2% | 8.9% | 0.54% |
| Apr 2026 | 25.4% | 21.9% | 20.5% | 14.4% | 8.3% | 9% | 0.54% |
| May 2026 | 24.2% | 22.8% | 22.9% | 13.6% | 7.5% | 8.3% | 0.59% |
| Jun 2026 | 23.4% | 21.3% | 22.9% | 12.8% | 11.2% | 7.8% | 0.56% |
| Jul 2026 | 24.5% | 22.7% | 20.2% | 14.5% | 10.6% | 7% | 0.48% |
| Aug 2026 | 25.3% | 21.6% | 20.8% | 14.4% | 9.2% | 8.2% | 0.49% |
| Sep 2026 | 23.8% | 21.9% | 21.5% | 14.5% | 9.3% | 8.5% | 0.61% |
How has the New Balance and Skechers comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- New Balance was ahead of Skechers in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, New Balance’s share of searches among casual shoes brands in New Zealand moved from 19.9% to 21.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 54.5K to 65.7K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Skechers’ share of searches among casual shoes brands in New Zealand moved from 9.5% to 8.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 25.9K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand casual shoes brands in September 2026?
1 change

In September 2026, New Balance gained share of searches among casual shoes brands in New Zealand, from 20.8% to 21.5%.
How are branded searches counted?
20 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using New Balance’s and Skechers’ 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.
New Balance
11 branded search terms
- new balance
- new balance 1080
- new balance 2002r
- new balance 530
- new balance 550
- new balance 574
- new balance 740
- new balance 9060
- new balance outlets
- newbalance
- newbalance 327
Skechers
9 branded search terms
- skechers
- skechers arch fit
- skechers go walk
- skechers henderson
- skechers sale
- skechers slip ons
- skechers slippers
- skechers uno
- skechers westgate
Other head-to-heads among casual shoes brands

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.