Gelish vs OPI:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Gelish had more branded searches than OPI among gel polish brands in New Zealand. Gelish had about 2,180 branded searches, while OPI had 2,110. Gelish made up 21.4% of all gel polish brand searches we track, and OPI accounted for 20.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about gel polish brands, Gelish appeared in four of the five answers and OPI in two. Gelish was mentioned before OPI in three out of four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Gelish and OPI are searched for about as often as each other.
Who does AI recommend more?
Gelish, named ahead of OPI in 3 of 4 answers
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Top gel polish brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Gelish was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. OPI was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Gelish was listed before OPI in three out of four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Gelish1st
- Gelous2nd
OPI3rd
CND Shellac4th
DND5th
Essie–
Sally Hansen–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Gelous4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Gelish4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- OPI2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- DND2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- CND Shellac2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Essie0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Sally Hansen0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about gel polish brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which gel polish brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best gel polish brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best gel polish brand in New Zealand for at home nails?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“gel nail polish nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“home gel manicure”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Gelish or OPI more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Gelish and OPI by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven gel polish brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Gelish, OPI. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Gelous | Gelish | OPI | Essie | Sally Hansen | DND | CND Shellac |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 48.5% | 20.8% | 19.2% | 7% | 3.3% | 0.63% | 0.45% |
| Nov 2025 | 51.8% | 18.2% | 17.9% | 7.2% | 3.4% | 0.86% | 0.55% |
| Dec 2025 | 45.3% | 23.4% | 19.8% | 6.9% | 3.2% | 1.2% | 0.27% |
| Jan 2026 | 43% | 23.1% | 20.2% | 8.2% | 3.7% | 1.4% | 0.56% |
| Feb 2026 | 43.5% | 20% | 23.3% | 7.7% | 3.7% | 1.4% | 0.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 42.8% | 19.6% | 23.8% | 8.4% | 3.4% | 1.4% | 0.68% |
| Apr 2026 | 41.3% | 19% | 25.5% | 8.7% | 3.5% | 1.3% | 0.66% |
| May 2026 | 40.1% | 18.4% | 28.3% | 8% | 3.6% | 1.3% | 0.27% |
| Jun 2026 | 45.6% | 17% | 26% | 6.8% | 3.1% | 1.2% | 0.34% |
| Jul 2026 | 40.8% | 18.7% | 26.5% | 9.4% | 3% | 1.3% | 0.37% |
| Aug 2026 | 42.7% | 19.6% | 23.4% | 8.9% | 3.9% | 1.4% | 0.19% |
| Sep 2026 | 43.2% | 21.4% | 20.7% | 9% | 3.9% | 1.4% | 0.29% |
How has the Gelish and OPI comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: OPI took it in February 2026, Gelish took it in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Gelish’s share of searches among gel polish brands in New Zealand moved from 20.8% to 21.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.3K to 2.2K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, OPI’s share of searches among gel polish brands in New Zealand moved from 19.2% to 20.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 2.1K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand gel polish brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Gelish overtook OPI to rank 2nd among gel polish brands in New Zealand, with 21.4% of the searches.
In September 2026, OPI lost share of searches among gel polish brands in New Zealand, from 23.4% to 20.7%.
How are branded searches counted?
8 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Gelish’s and OPI’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 gel polish brands
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