BorrowBox vs Kobo:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Kobo had more branded searches than BorrowBox among audiobook and ebook services in New Zealand. Kobo was estimated to have 18.4K branded searches compared to BorrowBox’s 1.3K, and held a 25.2% Share of Search versus BorrowBox’s 1.7%.
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Which is more popular in search, BorrowBox or Kobo?
Compare the audiobook and ebook services New Zealand readers use. 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.
Share of Search by month for Kobo, BorrowBox. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Kindle | Kobo | Audible | Libby | BorrowBox | Storytel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 53.9% | 20.3% | 20% | 3.7% | 1.8% | 0.16% |
| Nov 2025 | 58.1% | 21.6% | 15.8% | 3% | 1.5% | 0.12% |
| Dec 2025 | 56% | 24.4% | 15.2% | 2.9% | 1.3% | 0.13% |
| Jan 2026 | 56.5% | 22.3% | 15.7% | 3.8% | 1.6% | 0.15% |
| Feb 2026 | 52.8% | 20.9% | 19.5% | 4.7% | 2% | 0.14% |
| Mar 2026 | 52% | 19.7% | 21.6% | 4.9% | 1.7% | 0.17% |
| Apr 2026 | 50.3% | 24% | 19.6% | 4.5% | 1.5% | 0.12% |
| May 2026 | 49.8% | 23% | 19.8% | 5.7% | 1.6% | 0.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 53.2% | 22.5% | 17.1% | 5.7% | 1.4% | 0.11% |
| Jul 2026 | 50.4% | 23.9% | 17.9% | 5.6% | 2.1% | 0.12% |
| Aug 2026 | 50% | 25.2% | 17.2% | 5.8% | 1.7% | 0.15% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the BorrowBox and Kobo comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Kobo was ahead of BorrowBox in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, BorrowBox’s estimated Share of Search among audiobook and ebook services in New Zealand moved from 1.8% to 1.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.3K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Kobo’s estimated Share of Search among audiobook and ebook services in New Zealand moved from 20.3% to 25.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 14K to 18.4K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand audiobook and ebook services in August 2026?
1 change

In August 2026, Kobo gained estimated Share of Search among audiobook and ebook services in New Zealand, from 23.9% to 25.2%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BorrowBox’s and Kobo’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.
BorrowBox
8 branded search terms
- borrowbox
- borrowbox app
- borrowbox audiobooks
- borrowbox com
- borrowbox ebooks
- borrowbox library
- borrowbox nz
- borrowbox online
Kobo
19 branded search terms
- e reader kobo
- kobo
- kobo app
- kobo audiobooks
- kobo clara
- kobo clara cover
- kobo clara2e
- kobo colour
- kobo com
- kobo cover
- kobo ebooks
- kobo inc
- kobo libra
- kobo libra 2
- kobo nia
- kobo nz
- kobo online
- kobo sage
- kobo stylus

Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.