NorthTec vs Unitec:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Unitec had more branded searches than NorthTec among polytechnics in New Zealand. Unitec was estimated to have 19.2K branded searches compared to NorthTec’s 3K, and held a 12.4% Share of Search versus NorthTec’s 2%.
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Which is more popular in search, NorthTec or Unitec?
Compare New Zealand polytechnics and institutes of technology offering vocational and applied study. 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 Unitec, NorthTec. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Open Polytechnic | Unitec | Otago Polytechnic | Wintec | Ara Institute of Canterbury | Toi Ohomai | Whitireia | UCOL | Manukau Institute of Technology | SIT | NMIT | EIT | WelTec | NorthTec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 28.5% | 12.3% | 10% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.3% | 6.5% | 3.9% | 4.4% | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Nov 2025 | 31.2% | 12.9% | 9% | 8.8% | 6.7% | 6.5% | 5.3% | 3.5% | 4% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 36.1% | 12.7% | 8.5% | 7.5% | 5.6% | 6.2% | 2.9% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 2% | 1.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 32.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% | 8.4% | 6.2% | 6.8% | 2.8% | 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.5% | 2.4% | 3% | 2.3% | 1.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 26.1% | 13.2% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 4.9% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 26.1% | 13.3% | 11.1% | 7.7% | 8.3% | 8% | 5.9% | 3.6% | 4% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| Apr 2026 | 33.2% | 11.8% | 9.7% | 8.3% | 7.5% | 6% | 5.1% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| May 2026 | 28.4% | 12.3% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 5.2% | 3.4% | 3.7% | 3.3% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 2% | 1.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 29% | 12.6% | 10.2% | 8.6% | 7.3% | 7.4% | 4.8% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 4.1% | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.7% |
| Jul 2026 | 28% | 14.6% | 9.9% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 6.2% | 4.7% | 3.9% | 4.4% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 1.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 28.2% | 12.4% | 10.1% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 7.5% | 5% | 4% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the NorthTec and Unitec comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Unitec was ahead of NorthTec in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, NorthTec’s estimated Share of Search among polytechnics in New Zealand moved from 1.9% to 2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 3K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Unitec’s estimated Share of Search among polytechnics in New Zealand moved from 12.3% to 12.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 19.2K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand polytechnics in August 2026?
1 change

In August 2026, Unitec lost estimated Share of Search among polytechnics in New Zealand, from 14.6% to 12.4%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using NorthTec’s and Unitec’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.
NorthTec
6 branded search terms
- northtec
- northtec ac nz
- northtec courses
- northtec near me
- northtec new zealand
- northtec nz
Unitec
13 branded search terms
- unitec
- unitec ac nz
- unitec courses
- unitec enrol
- unitec gym
- unitec library hours
- unitec near me
- unitec nz
- unitec online
- unitec sports centre
- unitec student portal
- unitec study
- unitec website

Put your own brand in this comparison
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