Brandwave

Shopify vs WordPress.com:Which is more popular?

In September 2026, Shopify had more branded searches than WordPress.com among website builders in New Zealand. Shopify had about 24,300 branded searches, while WordPress.com had 4,560. Shopify made up 30.2% of all website builder searches we track, and WordPress.com accounted for 5.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about website builders, WordPress.com appeared in all five answers and Shopify in four. Shopify was mentioned before WordPress.com in three out of five answers.

Among website builders in New Zealand in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

Shopify, about 5 searches for every 1 for WordPress.com

Shopify 24.3K searchesWordPress.com 4.6K searches

Who does AI mention more?

WordPress.com, mentioned in every answer we collected

WordPress.com in 5 of 5Shopify in 4 of 5

Who does AI recommend more?

Shopify, named ahead of WordPress.com in 3 of 5 answers

Shopify first in 3WordPress.com first in 2

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Top website builders in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, WordPress.com appeared in all five answers. Shopify was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Shopify was listed before WordPress.com in three out of five answers.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Wix1st
  2. Squarespace2nd
  3. WordPress.com3rd
  4. Rocketspark4th
  5. Shopify5th
  6. WordPress6th
  7. Webflow7th
  8. GoDaddy–
  9. Hostinger–
  10. Framer–

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • Wix5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • WordPress.com5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Rocketspark5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • WordPress5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Shopify4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Squarespace4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Webflow2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • GoDaddy0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Hostinger0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Framer0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about website builders

5 answers

Not named in any answer:

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 19, 2026.

Is Shopify or WordPress.com more popular in search?

This chart shows how often people search Google for Shopify and WordPress.com by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten website builders we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.

Shopify and WordPress.com among website builders in New Zealand, by month

Share of searches by month for Shopify, WordPress.com. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthShopifyWixSquarespaceGoDaddyWordPress.comHostingerWebflowRocketsparkFramerWordPress
Oct 202525.2%24.3%19.9%12.1%6.7%5.1%3.8%2.3%0.25%0.38%
Nov 202532.3%21.5%17.4%10.6%6%5.5%4.1%2.1%0.27%0.33%
Dec 202531.6%20.9%17.3%12.8%6.3%5.3%3.2%2%0.22%0.4%
Jan 202631%21%16.8%12.4%7.2%5.1%3.8%2%0.26%0.32%
Feb 202632%21.8%16.8%12.4%6.3%5%3.2%2%0.21%0.32%
Mar 202628.4%23.6%17.8%10.7%7.8%5.3%3.4%2.6%0.18%0.28%
Apr 202629.7%21.4%19.5%11.7%6.7%5.7%3%1.9%0.25%0.16%
May 202629.2%22%19%11.3%6.9%5.7%3.5%2.1%0.24%0.1%
Jun 202629.6%21.3%19.7%11.4%7.2%4.8%3.5%2.2%0.24%0.08%
Jul 202629.9%21.4%20%11.8%6.4%4.9%3%2.2%0.25%0.13%
Aug 202629.8%20.9%20.3%12%6.5%4.9%3%2.3%0.25%0.13%
Sep 202630.2%20.5%20.3%12.4%5.7%5.1%3.1%2.4%0.32%0.09%

How has the Shopify and WordPress.com comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings
  • Shopify was ahead of WordPress.com in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Shopify’s share of searches among website builders in New Zealand moved from 25.2% to 30.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 21K to 24.3K.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, WordPress.com’s share of searches among website builders in New Zealand moved from 6.7% to 5.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5.6K to 4.6K.

How did search popularity change for New Zealand website builders in September 2026?

2 changes

  1. In September 2026, WordPress.com lost share of searches among website builders in New Zealand, from 6.5% to 5.7%.

  2. Estimated monthly branded searches for Shopify in New Zealand rose 15.7% over 12 measured months, from 21K to 24.3K in September 2026.

How are branded searches counted?

27 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Shopify’s and WordPress.com’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.

Shopify

13 branded search terms

  • my shopify
  • shopify
  • shopify apps
  • shopify dropshipping
  • shopify fees
  • shopify partners
  • shopify payments
  • shopify plus
  • shopify pos
  • shopify pos lite
  • shopify stores
  • shopify themes
  • shopify web

WordPress.com

14 branded search terms

  • hosting wordpress
  • wordpress
  • wordpress blog
  • wordpress cms
  • wordpress com
  • wordpress com templates
  • wordpress developer
  • wordpress page builder
  • wordpress plugins
  • wordpress seo plugins
  • wordpress templates
  • wordpress themes
  • wordpress web
  • wordpresscom

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Other head-to-heads among website builders

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