BIC vs uni-ball:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, BIC had more branded searches than uni-ball among pen brands in New Zealand. BIC had about 1,400 branded searches, while uni-ball had 870. BIC made up 31% of all pen brand searches we track, and uni-ball accounted for 19.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about pen brands, uni-ball appeared in four of the five answers and BIC in three. uni-ball was mentioned before BIC in four out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
BIC, about 61% more searches than uni-ball
Who does AI mention more?
uni-ball, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, BIC in 3
Who does AI recommend more?
uni-ball, named ahead of BIC in 4 of 5 answers
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Top pen brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, uni-ball was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. BIC was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. uni-ball was listed before BIC in four out of five answers.
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.
- uni-ball4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Pilot4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Pentel4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- BIC3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Zebra3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Faber-Castell0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about pen brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which pen brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best pen brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best pen brand in New Zealand for everyday writing?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“pen brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ballpoint pens nz”
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 BIC or uni-ball more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for BIC and uni-ball by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six pen brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for BIC, uni-ball. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Faber-Castell | BIC | uni-ball | Pilot | Pentel | Zebra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 29.3% | 34.6% | 14.6% | 14.9% | 3.9% | 2.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 36.9% | 31.1% | 14% | 12.8% | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 44.6% | 29.9% | 11.1% | 10.8% | 2.1% | 1.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 33.8% | 32.3% | 17% | 13.5% | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 29.8% | 26.5% | 25.6% | 14.2% | 2.5% | 1.4% |
| Mar 2026 | 26.1% | 32.9% | 20% | 15.7% | 2.1% | 3.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 31.9% | 36.8% | 15.7% | 11.8% | 2.2% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 30.2% | 31.8% | 16.6% | 17.7% | 2% | 1.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 29.8% | 32.2% | 17.5% | 15.2% | 2.9% | 2.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 27.9% | 33.5% | 21.2% | 13.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| Aug 2026 | 28% | 29.3% | 24.3% | 14.2% | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Sep 2026 | 31.5% | 31% | 19.3% | 14.2% | 2% | 2% |
How has the BIC and uni-ball comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- BIC was ahead of uni-ball in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, BIC’s share of searches among pen brands in New Zealand moved from 34.6% to 31%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.2K to 1.4K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, uni-ball’s share of searches among pen brands in New Zealand moved from 14.6% to 19.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 520 to 870.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand pen brands in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, Faber-Castell overtook BIC to become the leader among pen brands in New Zealand, with 31.5% of the searches.
In September 2026, BIC gained share of searches among pen brands in New Zealand, from 29.3% to 31%.
In September 2026, uni-ball lost share of searches among pen brands in New Zealand, from 24.3% to 19.3%.
How are branded searches counted?
10 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BIC’s and uni-ball’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 pen brands
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