--- title: "Toptal vs Zealancer: Which is more popular in New Zealand?" description: "Is Toptal or Zealancer more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Freelance marketplaces 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/toptal-vs-zealancer" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Toptal vs Zealancer: Which is more popular in New Zealand? Is Toptal or Zealancer more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Freelance marketplaces 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**: Toptal and Zealancer - **Competitive set**: Freelance marketplaces - **Market**: New Zealand - **Month measured**: Oct 2026 - **Toptal Share of Search**: 1.3% - **Zealancer Share of Search**: 0.11% ## Is Toptal or Zealancer more popular in search? - In October 2026, Toptal had more branded searches than Zealancer among freelance marketplaces in New Zealand. Toptal had about 120 branded searches, while Zealancer had 10. Toptal made up 1.3% of all freelance marketplace searches we track, and Zealancer accounted for 0.11%. - Toptal was ahead of Zealancer in every measured month of the 12 months ending October 2026. - Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Toptal’s share of searches among freelance marketplaces in New Zealand moved from 1.4% to 1.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 190 to 120. - Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Zealancer’s share of searches among freelance marketplaces in New Zealand moved from 0.3% to 0.11%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40 to 10. ## Top freelance marketplaces in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Toptal was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Zealancer was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Toptal and Zealancer were each listed first in two of the four answers. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Upwork | 1st | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Fiverr | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Contra | 3rd | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Zealancer | 4th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Toptal | 5th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Freelancer | 5th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | 99designs | 7th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | DesignCrowd | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about freelance marketplaces - Asked ChatGPT "Which freelance marketplace should I use in New Zealand?": 1. Upwork, 2. Fiverr, 3. Contra, 4. Toptal - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best freelance marketplaces in New Zealand?": 1. Upwork, 2. Fiverr, 3. Contra, 4. Freelancer, 5. Zealancer, 6. 99designs - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best freelance marketplace in New Zealand for a small business hiring contractors?": 1. Upwork, 2. Zealancer, 3. Fiverr, 4. Freelancer - Searched Google, AI Overview "best freelance marketplace": 1. Upwork, 2. Fiverr, 3. Toptal, 4. 99designs - Searched Google, AI Overview "hire contractors online": 1. Upwork Not named in any answer: DesignCrowd. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in New Zealand on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for New Zealand freelance marketplaces in October 2026? - In October 2026, Zealancer fell from 7th to 8th among freelance marketplaces in New Zealand. - Estimated monthly branded searches for Toptal in New Zealand fell 36.8% over 12 measured months, from 190 to 120 in October 2026. ## How has branded search for Toptal and Zealancer changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months? | Month | Toptal estimated searches | Toptal Share of Search | Toptal rank | Zealancer estimated searches | Zealancer Share of Search | Zealancer rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Nov 2025 | 190 | 1.4% | 3 | 40 | 0.3% | 7 | | Dec 2025 | 180 | 1.4% | 3 | 20 | 0.15% | 7 | | Jan 2026 | 210 | 1.5% | 3 | 30 | 0.21% | 7 | | Feb 2026 | 150 | 1.1% | 3 | 20 | 0.15% | 7 | | Mar 2026 | 220 | 1.5% | 3 | 30 | 0.2% | 7 | | Apr 2026 | 170 | 1.2% | 3 | 30 | 0.21% | 7 | | May 2026 | 170 | 1.2% | 3 | 20 | 0.15% | 7 | | Jun 2026 | 150 | 1.1% | 3 | 10 | 0.07% | 8 | | Jul 2026 | 140 | 1.2% | 3 | 10 | 0.08% | 8 | | Aug 2026 | 180 | 1.5% | 3 | 20 | 0.17% | 7 | | Sep 2026 | 120 | 1% | 3 | 20 | 0.17% | 7 | | Oct 2026 | 120 | 1.3% | 3 | 10 | 0.11% | 8 | ## How are Toptal’s and Zealancer’s branded searches counted? Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Toptal’s and Zealancer’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. - **Toptal**: Measured on the search terms “toptal”, “toptal freelance” and “toptal hire”, summed into one figure. - **Zealancer**: Measured on the search term “zealancer”. - [Toptal profile](/demand/nz/brands/toptal) - [Zealancer profile](/demand/nz/brands/zealancer) - [All freelance marketplaces in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/nz-freelance-marketplaces): The set both shares are measured inside, 8 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Toptal or Zealancer more popular in search? In October 2026, Toptal had more branded searches than Zealancer among freelance marketplaces in New Zealand. Toptal had about 120 branded searches, while Zealancer had 10. Toptal made up 1.3% of all freelance marketplace searches we track, and Zealancer accounted for 0.11%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Toptal vs Zealancer: Which is more popular in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/toptal-vs-zealancer This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/toptal-vs-zealancer. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.