Freely vs NOW:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, NOW had more branded searches than Freely among TV providers in the United Kingdom. NOW had about 550,000 branded searches, while Freely had 27,100. NOW made up 62.2% of all TV provider searches we track, and Freely accounted for 3.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about TV providers, NOW appeared in all five answers and Freely in two. NOW was mentioned before Freely in every answer.
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Top TV providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, NOW appeared in all five answers. Freely was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. NOW was listed before Freely in every answer.
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.
NOW5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Sky5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
EE5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Virgin Media5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
BT4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Freeview2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Freely2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about TV providers
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which TV provider should I choose in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best TV providers in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best value TV and broadband package in the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“tv packages”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“broadband and tv”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.
Is Freely or NOW more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Freely and NOW by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven TV providers we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for NOW, Freely. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | NOW | Sky | Freeview | Freely | EE | Virgin Media | BT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 53.2% | 18.7% | 10.6% | 7.2% | 2.6% | 6.7% | 0.96% |
| Nov 2025 | 57.6% | 16.5% | 11.6% | 6.3% | 2.3% | 4.9% | 0.85% |
| Dec 2025 | 60.8% | 13.5% | 12.2% | 8.2% | 2% | 2.5% | 0.73% |
| Jan 2026 | 62.9% | 16.1% | 12.6% | 3.8% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 0.76% |
| Feb 2026 | 64.4% | 15.8% | 10.5% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 3.2% | 0.77% |
| Mar 2026 | 64.6% | 16.3% | 10.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 0.78% |
| Apr 2026 | 64.3% | 15.7% | 12.9% | 2.6% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 0.63% |
| May 2026 | 63.9% | 14.3% | 10.5% | 5.7% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 0.63% |
| Jun 2026 | 55.8% | 18.1% | 13.6% | 7.5% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 0.82% |
| Jul 2026 | 63.9% | 14.9% | 12.8% | 3.8% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 0.63% |
| Aug 2026 | 67.2% | 15.6% | 9% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 1.9% | 0.66% |
| Sep 2026 | 62.2% | 17.1% | 12.4% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 0.75% |
How has the Freely and NOW comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- NOW was ahead of Freely in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Freely’s share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom moved from 7.2% to 3.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 74K to 27.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, NOW’s share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom moved from 53.2% to 62.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 550K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom TV providers in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, NOW lost share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom, from 67.2% to 62.2%.
Freely’s share of searches among TV providers in the United Kingdom has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 7.5% to 3.1% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Freely’s and NOW’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.
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