Ferry companies in the United Kingdom:Which are most popular?

Name: Ferry companies in the United Kingdom: Which are searched most?
Creator: Brandwave
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Brittany Ferries and CalMac tie for the highest share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom, at 18.8% each in September 2026. When we checked with ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, P&O Ferries showed up in every answer. DFDS was recommended most often, coming first in one out of four responses.

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Top ferry companies in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, P&O Ferries appeared every time. DFDS was recommended most often, coming first in one out of four answers. P&O Ferries was second, and Brittany Ferries was third. Red Funnel, which ranked eighth in searches, was not mentioned at all.

Most recommended by AI

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

Mentioned by AI

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

How many AI answers named each brand
Brand	ChatGPT	Google	Answers that named it
P&O Ferries	Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 1 of 1 Google AI Overviews	4 of 4
Brittany Ferries	Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 1 of 1 Google AI Overviews	3 of 4
DFDS	Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 1 of 1 Google AI Overviews	3 of 4
Irish Ferries	Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 1 of 1 Google AI Overviews	3 of 4
Stena Line	Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 0 of 1 Google AI Overviews	2 of 4
CalMac	Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 0 of 1 Google AI Overviews	1 of 4
Wightlink	Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 0 of 1 Google AI Overviews	1 of 4
Red Funnel	Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 0 of 1 Google AI Overviews	0 of 4
Condor Ferries	Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers	Named in 0 of 1 Google AI Overviews	0 of 4

P&O Ferries4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Brittany Ferries3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
DFDS3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Irish Ferries3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Stena Line2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
CalMac1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Wightlink1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Red Funnel0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Condor Ferries0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers

See every answer about ferry companies

4 answers

Asked ChatGPT
“Which ferry company should I use to get to France from the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best ferry companies in the UK?”
1. 1Brittany Ferries
2. 2DFDS
3. 3Stena Line
4. 4P&O Ferries
5. 5CalMac
6. 6Wightlink
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best ferry company for taking a car to Ireland from the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ferries”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ferry to france”

Not named in any answer:

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.

Which ferry companies do people search for most?

This chart shows how often people search Google for each ferry company by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine ferry companies we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.

Share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom, by month

Month	Brittany Ferries	CalMac	P&O Ferries	Stena Line	DFDS	Wightlink	Irish Ferries	Red Funnel	Condor Ferries
Oct 2025	17.5%	17.5%	14.4%	17.5%	9.6%	7.9%	7.9%	6.5%	1.1%
Nov 2025	17.3%	14.1%	14.1%	17.3%	11.5%	7.7%	9.4%	7.7%	0.84%
Dec 2025	16.5%	16.5%	13.5%	16.5%	11%	9%	9%	7.4%	0.8%
Jan 2026	21.3%	14.3%	14.3%	17.4%	9.6%	7.8%	7.8%	6.4%	1%
Feb 2026	18.7%	15.4%	15.4%	15.4%	10.3%	8.4%	8.4%	6.9%	0.92%
Mar 2026	19.1%	19.1%	12.8%	15.5%	8.5%	8.5%	8.5%	7%	0.93%
Apr 2026	19.1%	19.1%	12.8%	15.5%	8.5%	8.5%	8.5%	7%	0.93%
May 2026	21.6%	14.4%	14.4%	14.4%	9.7%	9.7%	7.9%	6.5%	1.3%
Jun 2026	22.5%	15%	15%	15%	8.2%	8.2%	8.2%	6.7%	1.1%
Jul 2026	19.9%	16.3%	13.3%	16.3%	10.9%	7.3%	8.9%	6%	0.98%
Aug 2026	19.7%	13.2%	16.2%	16.2%	8.9%	8.9%	8.9%	7.2%	0.97%
Sep 2026	18.8%	18.8%	15.4%	15.4%	8.4%	8.4%	6.9%	6.9%	0.92%

Rank	Brand	Share of searches	Estimated monthly branded searches	vs prior month	Share change
1, held 1st	Brittany Ferries	18.8%	110K	-33.3%	-1 points
2, moved from 4th to 2nd	CalMac	18.8%	110K	0%	+5.6 pointsmoved from 4th to 2nd
3, moved from 2nd to 3rd	P&O Ferries	15.4%	90.5K	-33%	-0.7 pointsmoved from 2nd to 3rd
4, moved from 3rd to 4th	Stena Line	15.4%	90.5K	-33%	-0.7 pointsmoved from 3rd to 4th
5, held 5th	DFDS	8.4%	49.5K	-33.1%	-0.4 points
6, moved from 7th to 6th	Wightlink	8.4%	49.5K	-33.1%	-0.4 pointsmoved from 7th to 6th
7, moved from 6th to 7th	Irish Ferries	6.9%	40.5K	-45.3%	-1.9 pointsmoved from 6th to 7th
8, held 8th	Red Funnel	6.9%	40.5K	-33.1%	-0.3 points
9, held 9th	Condor Ferries	0.92%	5.4K	-33.3%	0 points

1.Brittany Ferries
18.8%
Held 1st. 110K estimated branded searches, -33.3% vs prior month. Share -1 points.
2.CalMac
18.8%
Moved from 4th to 2nd. 110K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +5.6 points.
3.P&O Ferries
15.4%
Moved from 2nd to 3rd. 90.5K estimated branded searches, -33% vs prior month. Share -0.7 points.
4.Stena Line
15.4%
Moved from 3rd to 4th. 90.5K estimated branded searches, -33% vs prior month. Share -0.7 points.
5.DFDS
8.4%
Held 5th. 49.5K estimated branded searches, -33.1% vs prior month. Share -0.4 points.
6.Wightlink
8.4%
Moved from 7th to 6th. 49.5K estimated branded searches, -33.1% vs prior month. Share -0.4 points.
7.Irish Ferries
6.9%
Moved from 6th to 7th. 40.5K estimated branded searches, -45.3% vs prior month. Share -1.9 points.
8.Red Funnel
6.9%
Held 8th. 40.5K estimated branded searches, -33.1% vs prior month. Share -0.3 points.
9.Condor Ferries
0.92%
Held 9th. 5.4K estimated branded searches, -33.3% vs prior month. Share 0 points.

Which brand is most popular in search among ferry companies in the United Kingdom?

9 brands

Brittany Ferries and CalMac tie for the highest share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom, at 18.8% each in September 2026.

United Kingdom ferry companies, last 12 months ending September 2026
Brand	Share of searches	Peak	Low	Rank
Brittany Ferries	17.5% → 18.8%	22.5%Jun 2026	16.5%Dec 2025	1st
CalMac	17.5% → 18.8%	19.1%Mar 2026	13.2%Aug 2026	2nd
P&O Ferries	14.4% → 15.4%	16.2%Aug 2026	12.8%Mar 2026	4th → 3rd
Stena Line	17.5% → 15.4%	17.5%Oct 2025	14.4%May 2026	3rd → 4th
DFDS	9.6% → 8.4%	11.5%Nov 2025	8.2%Jun 2026	5th
Wightlink	7.9% → 8.4%	9.7%May 2026	7.3%Jul 2026	7th → 6th
Irish Ferries	7.9% → 6.9%	9.4%Nov 2025	6.9%Sep 2026	6th → 7th
Red Funnel	6.5% → 6.9%	7.7%Nov 2025	6%Jul 2026	8th
Condor Ferries	1.1% → 0.92%	1.3%May 2026	0.8%Dec 2025	9th

Each finding as a sentence

Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Brittany Ferries’ share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom increased from 17.5% to 18.8%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, CalMac’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom increased from 17.5% to 18.8%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, P&O Ferries’ share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom increased from 14.4% to 15.4%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Stena Line’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom decreased from 17.5% to 15.4%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, DFDS’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom decreased from 9.6% to 8.4%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wightlink’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom increased from 7.9% to 8.4%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Irish Ferries’ share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom decreased from 7.9% to 6.9%.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Brittany Ferries’ share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 22.5% in June 2026 and was lowest at 16.5% in December 2025.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, CalMac’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 19.1% in March 2026 and was lowest at 13.2% in August 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, P&O Ferries’ share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 16.2% in August 2026 and was lowest at 12.8% in March 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Stena Line’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 17.5% in October 2025 and was lowest at 14.4% in May 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, DFDS’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 11.5% in November 2025 and was lowest at 8.2% in June 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wightlink’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 9.7% in May 2026 and was lowest at 7.3% in July 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Irish Ferries’ share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 9.4% in November 2025 and was lowest at 6.9% in September 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Red Funnel’s share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom peaked at 7.7% in November 2025 and was lowest at 6% in July 2026.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, P&O Ferries rose from 4th to 3rd among ferry companies in the United Kingdom.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Stena Line fell from 3rd to 4th among ferry companies in the United Kingdom.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wightlink rose from 7th to 6th among ferry companies in the United Kingdom.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Irish Ferries fell from 6th to 7th among ferry companies in the United Kingdom.
Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Red Funnel and Condor Ferries held steady: their share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

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

8 changes

In September 2026, CalMac overtook P&O Ferries and Stena Line to rank 2nd among ferry companies in the United Kingdom, with 18.8% of the searches.
In September 2026, Irish Ferries lost share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom, from 8.9% to 6.9%.
In September 2026, Brittany Ferries lost share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom, from 19.7% to 18.8%.
In September 2026, P&O Ferries lost share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom, from 16.2% to 15.4%.
In September 2026, Stena Line lost share of searches among ferry companies in the United Kingdom, from 16.2% to 15.4%.
In September 2026, Wightlink rose from 7th to 6th among ferry companies in the United Kingdom.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Condor Ferries in the United Kingdom fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 6.6K to 5.4K in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for DFDS in the United Kingdom fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 60.5K to 49.5K in September 2026.

How are branded searches counted for ferry companies?

9 search terms

Each brand's share of searches among ferry companies comes from the terms listed under its name. When people mostly search for a brand because of something else it sells, only the searches that name this product count here.