---
title: "First Direct vs NatWest: Which is searched more in the United Kingdom?"
description: "Is First Direct or NatWest more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Banks set in the United Kingdom. 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."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/uk/compare/first-direct-vs-natwest"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# First Direct vs NatWest: Which is searched more in the United Kingdom?

Is First Direct or NatWest more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Banks set in the United Kingdom. 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.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: First Direct and NatWest
- **Competitive set**: Banks
- **Market**: United Kingdom
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **First Direct Share of Search**: 1.5%
- **NatWest Share of Search**: 10.1%

## Is First Direct or NatWest more popular in search?

- In September 2026, NatWest had more branded searches than First Direct among banks in the United Kingdom. NatWest had about 1 million branded searches, while First Direct had 150,000. NatWest made up 10.1% of all bank searches we track, and First Direct accounted for 1.5%.
- NatWest was ahead of First Direct in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, First Direct’s share of searches among banks in the United Kingdom moved from 1.6% to 1.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 180K to 150K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, NatWest’s share of searches among banks in the United Kingdom moved from 13.3% to 10.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.5M to 1M.

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

- Estimated monthly branded searches for NatWest in the United Kingdom fell 33.3% over 12 measured months, from 1.5M to 1M in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for First Direct in the United Kingdom fell 16.7% over 12 measured months, from 180K to 150K in September 2026.

## Month by month

| Month | First Direct estimated searches | First Direct Share of Search | First Direct rank | NatWest estimated searches | NatWest Share of Search | NatWest rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 180K | 1.6% | 9 | 1.5M | 13.3% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | 177K | 1.7% | 9 | 1.2M | 11.5% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | 177K | 1.8% | 8 | 1.2M | 12.2% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | 216K | 1.9% | 9 | 1.2M | 10.8% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | 177K | 1.9% | 9 | 1M | 10.7% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | 177K | 1.7% | 9 | 1.2M | 11.7% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | 177K | 1.7% | 9 | 1.2M | 11.5% | 4 |
| May 2026 | 177K | 1.8% | 9 | 1M | 10% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | 177K | 1.8% | 9 | 1.2M | 12.5% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | 180K | 1.9% | 9 | 1M | 10.4% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | 150K | 1.6% | 9 | 1M | 10.6% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | 150K | 1.5% | 9 | 1M | 10.1% | 4 |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using First Direct’s and NatWest’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.

- **First Direct**: Measured on the search terms “first direct” and “first direct bank”, summed into one figure.
- **NatWest**: Measured on the search term “natwest”.

- [First Direct profile](/demand/uk/brands/first-direct)
- [NatWest profile](/demand/uk/brands/natwest)
- [All banks in the United Kingdom](/demand/uk/categories/uk-banks): The set both shares are measured inside, 12 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Direct or NatWest more popular in search?

In September 2026, NatWest had more branded searches than First Direct among banks in the United Kingdom. NatWest had about 1 million branded searches, while First Direct had 150,000. NatWest made up 10.1% of all bank searches we track, and First Direct accounted for 1.5%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "First Direct vs NatWest: Which is searched more in the United Kingdom?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/uk/compare/first-direct-vs-natwest

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/uk/compare/first-direct-vs-natwest. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.