Brandwave

How popular isToolstation?

In September 2026, people searched for Toolstation by name about 1.5 million times in the United Kingdom, an 18% decrease from the previous year. These searches made up 0.11% of all United Kingdom plumbers merchant searches, placing Toolstation ninth out of nine brands. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about plumbers merchants, Toolstation appeared in two of the four answers and was the third most recommended of the nine.

Search and AI answers in September 2026

Toolstation is the ninth most searched of 9 competitors and the third most recommended in AI answers.

  1. City PlumbingShare of searches 58.7%Mentioned in 4 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
  2. Plumb CenterShare of searches 21.6%Mentioned in 4 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
  3. PlumbaseShare of searches 9.7%Mentioned in 1 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 5th
  4. PTSShare of searches 4.3%Mentioned in 0 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations –
  5. ToolstationShare of searches 0.11%Mentioned in 2 of 4 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd

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Top plumbers merchants in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Toolstation was mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Toolstation is the third most recommended of the nine.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. City Plumbing1st
  2. Plumb Center2nd
  3. Toolstation3rd
  4. Screwfix4th
  5. Plumbase5th
  6. PTS–
  7. PlumbNation–
  8. Plumbing Superstore–
  9. BSS–

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • City Plumbing4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
  • Plumb Center4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
  • Screwfix2 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
  • Toolstation2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
  • Plumbase1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
  • PTS0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
  • PlumbNation0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
  • Plumbing Superstore0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
  • BSS0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers

See every answer about plumbers merchants

4 answers

Not named in any answer:

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 28, 2026.

Which plumbers merchants compete with Toolstation?

Toolstation against plumbers merchants in the United Kingdom, by month

Share of searches by month for City Plumbing, Plumb Center, Plumbase, PTS, PlumbNation, Toolstation. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthCity PlumbingPlumb CenterPlumbasePTSPlumbNationPlumbing SuperstoreBSSScrewfixToolstation
Oct 202567%16.4%9%2.7%1.8%1.2%0.97%0.77%0.13%
Nov 202567%16.4%9%2.7%1.8%1.2%0.97%0.77%0.13%
Dec 202567%16.4%9%3.3%1.4%1.2%0.79%0.79%0.13%
Jan 202665.8%16.2%10.8%2.6%1.8%1.2%0.76%0.76%0.13%
Feb 202669.6%14%9.4%2.8%1.5%1.2%0.8%0.67%0.11%
Mar 202667.2%16.5%9%2.7%1.8%1.2%0.77%0.65%0.11%
Apr 202671.1%14.3%7.8%2.8%1.6%1%0.69%0.56%0.09%
May 202671.7%14.4%7.9%2.3%1.3%1%0.7%0.57%0.11%
Jun 202671.1%14.3%7.8%2.8%1.6%1%0.69%0.56%0.11%
Jul 202667.1%16.5%9%3.3%1.4%1.2%0.94%0.5%0.1%
Aug 202657.2%20.9%11.4%5.1%1.8%1.5%1.2%0.63%0.16%
Sep 202658.7%21.6%9.7%4.3%2.3%1.5%1%0.69%0.11%

  1. 1.City Plumbing

    58.7%

    Held 1st. 110K estimated branded searches, +21.5% vs prior month. Share +1.5 points.

  2. 2.Plumb Center

    21.6%

    Held 2nd. 40.5K estimated branded searches, +22.4% vs prior month. Share +0.7 points.

  3. 3.Plumbase

    9.7%

    Held 3rd. 18.1K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -1.8 points.

  4. 4.PTS

    4.3%

    Held 4th. 8.1K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.8 points.

  5. 5.PlumbNation

    2.3%

    Held 5th. 4.4K estimated branded searches, +51.7% vs prior month. Share +0.5 points.

  6. 6.Plumbing Superstore

    1.5%

    Held 6th. 2.9K estimated branded searches, +20.8% vs prior month. Share 0 points.

  7. 7.BSS

    1%

    Held 7th. 1.9K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.2 points.

  8. 8.Screwfix

    0.69%

    Held 8th. 1.3K estimated branded searches, +30% vs prior month. Share +0.1 points.

  9. 9.Toolstation

    0.11%

    Held 9th. 210 estimated branded searches, -19.2% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.

Toolstation and Screwfix sell other things too, so only their searches that name this product count here, like “toolstation plumbing”.

Compare popularity between Toolstation and its closest rivals

Every comparison with Toolstation

17 comparisons

How has branded search demand for Toolstation changed in the United Kingdom over the last 12 months?

2 findings
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Toolstation in the United Kingdom fell from 1.8M to 1.5M.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Toolstation’s share of searches among plumbers merchants in the United Kingdom held steady, from 0.13% to 0.11%.

How did search popularity change for United Kingdom plumbers merchants in September 2026?

6 changes

  1. In September 2026, City Plumbing gained share of searches among plumbers merchants in the United Kingdom, from 57.2% to 58.7%.

  2. In September 2026, Plumb Center gained share of searches among plumbers merchants in the United Kingdom, from 20.9% to 21.6%.

  3. In September 2026, PlumbNation gained share of searches among plumbers merchants in the United Kingdom, from 1.8% to 2.3%.

  4. In September 2026, Plumbase lost share of searches among plumbers merchants in the United Kingdom, from 11.4% to 9.7%.

  5. In September 2026, PTS lost share of searches among plumbers merchants in the United Kingdom, from 5.1% to 4.3%.

  6. Plumbing Superstore’s share of searches among plumbers merchants in the United Kingdom has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 1% to 1.5% in September 2026.

How are Toolstation’s branded searches counted?

3 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Toolstation’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.

  • toolstation
  • toolstation plumbing
  • toolstation power tools

Do you work for Toolstation? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Where does Toolstation compete?

Toolstation is ranked in three competitor sets. Each share is worked out among that set's brands, so it differs from set to set.
Competitor setRankShare of searchesRanking
Hardware retailers2nd of 518.8%Show ranking
Plumbers merchants9th of 90.11%Shown above
Power tool retailers8th of 80.08%Show ranking
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Is Toolstation your brand?

Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.

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