---
title: "Baybus vs Metlink: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, Baybus or Metlink? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Public transport networks 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/compare/baybus-vs-metlink"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Baybus vs Metlink: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?

Which is more popular in search, Baybus or Metlink? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Public transport networks 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**: Baybus and Metlink
- **Competitive set**: Public transport networks
- **Market**: New Zealand
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **Baybus Share of Search**: 1.7%
- **Metlink Share of Search**: 48.6%

## Which is more popular in search, Baybus or Metlink?

- In August 2026, Metlink had more branded searches than Baybus among public transport networks in New Zealand. Metlink was estimated to have 69.2K branded searches compared to Baybus’ 2.4K, and held a 48.6% Share of Search versus Baybus’ 1.7%.
- Metlink was ahead of Baybus in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Baybus’ estimated Share of Search among public transport networks in New Zealand moved from 1.9% to 1.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.9K to 2.4K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Metlink’s estimated Share of Search among public transport networks in New Zealand moved from 46.3% to 48.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 69.9K to 69.2K.

## How did search popularity change for New Zealand public transport networks in August 2026?

- In August 2026, Metlink lost estimated Share of Search among public transport networks in New Zealand, from 49.2% to 48.6%.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Baybus in New Zealand fell 17.1% over 11 measured months, from 2.9K to 2.4K in August 2026.

## Month by month

| Month | Baybus estimated searches | Baybus Share of Search | Baybus rank | Metlink estimated searches | Metlink Share of Search | Metlink rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 2.9K | 1.9% | 5 | 69.9K | 46.3% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | 2.9K | 1.9% | 5 | 69.3K | 46.1% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | 2.4K | 1.7% | 5 | 70.2K | 50.3% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | 3K | 2% | 5 | 70.2K | 46.5% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | 2.9K | 1.7% | 5 | 85K | 48.7% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | 3.6K | 1.9% | 5 | 86K | 45.9% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | 2.9K | 1.7% | 5 | 88.2K | 51.5% | 1 |
| May 2026 | 3K | 1.9% | 5 | 72.5K | 46.7% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | 2.5K | 1.6% | 5 | 84.2K | 53.3% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | 2.9K | 2% | 5 | 72.2K | 49.2% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | 2.4K | 1.7% | 5 | 69.2K | 48.6% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Baybus’ and Metlink’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.

- **Baybus**: Measured on the search terms “baybus”, “baybus co nz” and “baybus near me”, summed into one figure.
- **Metlink**: Measured on the search terms “gold card metlink”, “metlink”, “metlink 1”, “metlink 2”, “metlink 24”, “metlink 25”, “metlink 83”, “metlink bus”, “metlink bus fare”, “metlink bus service”, “metlink bus times”, “metlink fare”, “metlink hutt valley line”, “metlink hvl”, “metlink johnsonville line”, “metlink kpl”, “metlink near me”, “metlink nz”, “metlink online”, “metlink org nz”, “metlink rail”, “metlink train”, “metlink train times”, “metlink wairarapa”, “metlink wairarapa line” and “metlink zones”, summed into one figure.

- [Baybus profile](/demand/nz/brands/baybus)
- [Metlink profile](/demand/nz/brands/metlink)
- [All public transport networks in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/nz-public-transport-networks): The set both shares are measured inside, 5 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, Baybus or Metlink?

In August 2026, Metlink had more branded searches than Baybus among public transport networks in New Zealand. Metlink was estimated to have 69.2K branded searches compared to Baybus’ 2.4K, and held a 48.6% Share of Search versus Baybus’ 1.7%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Baybus vs Metlink: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/baybus-vs-metlink

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/baybus-vs-metlink. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.