Brandwave

HSBC vs Santander:Which is searched more in the United Kingdom?

In September 2026, Santander had more branded searches than HSBC among banks in the United Kingdom. Santander had about 2.1 million branded searches, while HSBC had 723,000. Santander made up 20.9% of all bank searches we track, and HSBC accounted for 7.3%.

Share of searches among banks in the United Kingdom in September 2026Is HSBC or Santander more popular in search?
HSBC7.3%723K searches
vs
Santander20.9%2.1M searches

Follow HSBC vs Santander and get free monthly updates on what changed

By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy

Track your brand against a rival →

Is HSBC or Santander more popular in search?

Compare the high street banks and building societies people in the UK bank with. 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.

HSBC and Santander among banks in the United Kingdom, by month

Share of searches by month for Santander, HSBC. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthLloyds BankSantanderBarclaysNatWestHSBCNationwideHalifaxMonzoFirst DirectTSBStarling BankChase UK
Oct 202533.1%18.4%12.8%13.3%9.5%4%3.9%1.8%1.6%0.97%0.65%0.18%
Nov 202533.6%19.6%13.7%11.5%8.5%4.2%3.6%1.9%1.7%0.85%0.7%0.15%
Dec 202530.5%21.2%12.7%12.2%8.8%5.5%3.8%1.6%1.8%1.1%0.6%0.15%
Jan 202631.4%23%12.8%10.8%7.8%4.8%3.4%2.2%1.9%0.97%0.8%0.22%
Feb 202631.1%22.7%12.7%10.7%7.7%5.9%3.3%2.1%1.9%0.96%0.79%0.22%
Mar 202631%21.1%13.9%11.7%8.5%4.3%3.9%1.9%1.7%1.1%0.71%0.19%
Apr 202630.6%21.5%12%11.5%8.2%6.4%3.9%1.9%1.7%1.3%0.85%0.18%
May 202630.7%22%11.9%10%7.2%8.2%3.8%2%1.8%1.4%0.74%0.19%
Jun 202631.3%21.8%13%12.5%7.4%4.6%3.6%2.1%1.8%0.93%0.76%0.16%
Jul 202632%22.3%13.3%10.4%7.5%4.7%4%2.1%1.9%0.95%0.77%0.2%
Aug 202632.4%21.9%13.5%10.6%7.5%4.8%3.1%2.6%1.6%1.2%0.78%0.16%
Sep 202635.9%20.9%12.8%10.1%7.3%4.5%2.6%2.5%1.5%0.91%0.75%0.14%

How has the HSBC and Santander comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings
  • Santander was ahead of HSBC in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, HSBC’s share of searches among banks in the United Kingdom moved from 9.5% to 7.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.1M to 723K.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Santander’s share of searches among banks in the United Kingdom moved from 18.4% to 20.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 2.1M.

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

2 changes
  1. In September 2026, Santander lost share of searches among banks in the United Kingdom, from 21.9% to 20.9%.

  2. Estimated monthly branded searches for HSBC in the United Kingdom fell 32.7% over 12 measured months, from 1.1M to 723K in September 2026.

How are branded searches counted?

4 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using HSBC’s and Santander’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.

HSBC

2 branded search terms

  • hsbc
  • hsbc uk

Santander

2 branded search terms

  • santander
  • santander uk

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Other head-to-heads among banks

Creator with pink hair and a pink jacket

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.