Barter Books vs Waterstones:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Barter Books had more branded searches than Waterstones among bookstores in the United Kingdom. Barter Books had about 22,200 branded searches, while Waterstones had 9,900. Barter Books made up 6% of all bookstore searches we track, and Waterstones accounted for 2.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about bookstores, Barter Books and Waterstones each appeared in two of the four answers. Waterstones was mentioned before Barter Books in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
Barter Books, about 2 searches for every 1 for Waterstones
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 4 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Waterstones, named ahead of Barter Books in 2 of 3 answers
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Top bookstores in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Barter Books and Waterstones were each mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Waterstones was listed before Barter Books in two out of three answers.
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.
Daunt Books3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Foyles3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Topping & Company Booksellers3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
Blackwell's2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers- Barter Books2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Waterstones2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
WHSmith0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about bookstores
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which bookstore should I shop at in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best bookstores in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best bookstore in the UK for a good book selection?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bookstores uk”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bookshop uk”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 19, 2026.
Is Barter Books or Waterstones more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Barter Books and Waterstones by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven bookstores we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Barter Books, Waterstones. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | WHSmith | Blackwell's | Daunt Books | Barter Books | Waterstones | Foyles | Topping & Company Booksellers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 62.4% | 15.4% | 15.3% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 0.92% | 0.39% |
| Nov 2025 | 64.9% | 16% | 13% | 1.7% | 3.2% | 0.78% | 0.38% |
| Dec 2025 | 62% | 15.2% | 15.2% | 1.7% | 4.6% | 0.91% | 0.44% |
| Jan 2026 | 57.8% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1% | 0.65% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.1% | 18.4% | 22.5% | 3.7% | 3% | 1.6% | 0.75% |
| Mar 2026 | 52.8% | 19.4% | 19.4% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 1.2% | 0.68% |
| Apr 2026 | 54% | 19.9% | 16.3% | 6% | 2.2% | 0.97% | 0.67% |
| May 2026 | 52.1% | 19.2% | 19.2% | 5.8% | 2.1% | 0.93% | 0.72% |
| Jun 2026 | 47.4% | 21.3% | 21.3% | 5.2% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 44.9% | 24.6% | 20.1% | 6% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 0.92% |
| Aug 2026 | 43.4% | 23.8% | 19.5% | 8.7% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 1% |
| Sep 2026 | 44.7% | 24.5% | 20% | 6% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 0.92% |
How has the Barter Books and Waterstones comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Waterstones took it in November 2025, Barter Books took it in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Barter Books’ share of searches among bookstores in the United Kingdom moved from 3.1% to 6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 18.1K to 22.2K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Waterstones’ share of searches among bookstores in the United Kingdom moved from 2.5% to 2.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 14.8K to 9.9K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom bookstores in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Waterstones gained share of searches among bookstores in the United Kingdom, from 2.1% to 2.7%.
In September 2026, Barter Books lost share of searches among bookstores in the United Kingdom, from 8.7% to 6%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Barter Books’ and Waterstones’ 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.
Barter Books
1 branded search term
- barter books
Waterstones
1 branded search term
- waterstones books
Other head-to-heads among bookstores
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