--- title: "Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is searched more in New Zealand?" description: "Is Buffer or Sprout Social more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Social media analytics platforms set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-social-media-analytics-platforms/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is searched more in New Zealand? Is Buffer or Sprout Social more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Social media analytics platforms set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Buffer and Sprout Social - **Competitive set**: Social media analytics platforms - **Market**: New Zealand - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Buffer Share of Search**: 42.4% - **Sprout Social Share of Search**: 8.5% ## Is Buffer or Sprout Social more popular in search? - In September 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Sprout Social among social media analytics platforms in New Zealand. Buffer had about 1,600 branded searches, while Sprout Social had 320. Buffer made up 42.4% of all social media analytics platform searches we track, and Sprout Social accounted for 8.5%. - Buffer was ahead of Sprout Social in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Buffer’s share of searches among social media analytics platforms in New Zealand moved from 42.7% to 42.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.6K. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sprout Social’s share of searches among social media analytics platforms in New Zealand moved from 12.8% to 8.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 480 to 320. ## Top social media analytics platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Sprout Social was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Buffer was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Sprout Social was listed before Buffer in every answer. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Metricool | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Sprout Social | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Hootsuite | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Agorapulse | 4th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Buffer | 5th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Iconosquare | 6th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | Rival IQ | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | | SocialPilot | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about social media analytics platforms - Asked ChatGPT "Which social media analytics platform should I use in New Zealand?": 1. Metricool, 2. Sprout Social, 3. Hootsuite, 4. Buffer - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best social media analytics platforms in New Zealand?": 1. Metricool, 2. Sprout Social, 3. Agorapulse, 4. Buffer, 5. Hootsuite, 6. Iconosquare - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best social media analytics platform in New Zealand for a marketing team?": 1. Agorapulse, 2. Sprout Social, 3. Metricool, 4. Hootsuite - Searched Google, AI Overview "social media reporting tools": 1. Metricool, 2. Hootsuite, 3. Sprout Social - Searched Google, AI Overview "social media dashboard": named none of the brands we track Not named in any answer: Rival IQ and SocialPilot. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in New Zealand on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for New Zealand social media analytics platforms in September 2026? - In September 2026, Hootsuite overtook Sprout Social to rank 3rd among social media analytics platforms in New Zealand, with 8.5% of the searches. - In September 2026, Buffer lost share of searches among social media analytics platforms in New Zealand, from 45.1% to 42.4%. - In September 2026, Sprout Social lost share of searches among social media analytics platforms in New Zealand, from 9.3% to 8.5%. ## Month by month | Month | Buffer estimated searches | Buffer Share of Search | Buffer rank | Sprout Social estimated searches | Sprout Social Share of Search | Sprout Social rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 1.6K | 42.7% | 1 | 480 | 12.8% | 4 | | Nov 2025 | 1.9K | 48.6% | 1 | 390 | 10% | 4 | | Dec 2025 | 1K | 39.2% | 1 | 320 | 12.5% | 4 | | Jan 2026 | 1.3K | 40.1% | 1 | 320 | 9.9% | 4 | | Feb 2026 | 1.3K | 39.4% | 1 | 390 | 11.8% | 4 | | Mar 2026 | 1.6K | 43% | 1 | 390 | 10.5% | 4 | | Apr 2026 | 1.6K | 46.8% | 1 | 260 | 7.6% | 4 | | May 2026 | 1.9K | 51.2% | 1 | 320 | 8.6% | 4 | | Jun 2026 | 1.6K | 46.2% | 1 | 320 | 9.2% | 4 | | Jul 2026 | 1.6K | 45.1% | 1 | 390 | 11% | 4 | | Aug 2026 | 1.9K | 45.1% | 1 | 390 | 9.3% | 3 | | Sep 2026 | 1.6K | 42.4% | 1 | 320 | 8.5% | 4 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Buffer’s and Sprout Social’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. - **Buffer**: Measured on the search term “buffer app”. - **Sprout Social**: Measured on the search terms “sprout social” and “sproutsocial”, summed into one figure. - [Buffer profile](/demand/nz/brands/buffer) - [Sprout Social profile](/demand/nz/brands/sprout-social) - [All social media analytics platforms in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/nz-social-media-analytics-platforms): The set both shares are measured inside, 8 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Buffer or Sprout Social more popular in search? In September 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Sprout Social among social media analytics platforms in New Zealand. Buffer had about 1,600 branded searches, while Sprout Social had 320. Buffer made up 42.4% of all social media analytics platform searches we track, and Sprout Social accounted for 8.5%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is searched more in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-social-media-analytics-platforms/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-social-media-analytics-platforms/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.