Messenger vs WeChat:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, WeChat had more branded searches than Messenger among messaging apps in New Zealand. WeChat was estimated to have 8K branded searches compared to Messenger’s 5.9K, and held a 2.4% Share of Search versus Messenger’s 1.8%.
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Which is more popular in search, Messenger or WeChat?
Compare the messaging apps New Zealanders chat on. 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 WeChat, Messenger. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Discord | Messenger | Viber | Signal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 51.3% | 42.2% | 2.7% | 1.7% | 1.4% | 0.69% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.8% | 44.1% | 2.3% | 1.8% | 1.5% | 0.54% |
| Dec 2025 | 49% | 43.7% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 0.79% |
| Jan 2026 | 53.1% | 39.6% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 0.88% |
| Feb 2026 | 53.8% | 39.8% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 0.78% |
| Mar 2026 | 53.7% | 40.3% | 2.4% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 0.67% |
| Apr 2026 | 51.4% | 42.5% | 2.4% | 1.7% | 1.3% | 0.7% |
| May 2026 | 54% | 40.4% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 0.79% |
| Jun 2026 | 58% | 35.7% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 0.76% |
| Jul 2026 | 55.4% | 38.1% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 0.81% |
| Aug 2026 | 58% | 35.9% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.73% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Messenger and WeChat comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- WeChat was ahead of Messenger in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Messenger’s estimated Share of Search among messaging apps in New Zealand moved from 1.7% to 1.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5.8K to 5.9K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, WeChat’s estimated Share of Search among messaging apps in New Zealand moved from 2.7% to 2.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 9.2K to 8K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand messaging apps in August 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for WeChat in New Zealand fell 13.1% over 11 measured months, from 9.2K to 8K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Messenger’s and WeChat’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.
Messenger
8 branded search terms
- deleted messages messenger
- disappearing messages messenger
- fb messenger app
- fb messenger app download
- messenger app
- messenger app for desktop
- messenger chat
- messenger messages
WeChat
15 branded search terms
- qr wechat
- wechat app
- wechat app desktop
- wechat app download
- wechat chat
- wechat com
- wechat desktop
- wechat dl
- wechat for windows
- wechat near me
- wechat nz
- wechat online
- wechat pay
- wechat web
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.