Foyles vs Waterstones:Which is searched more in United Kingdom?
In September 2026, Waterstones had more branded searches than Foyles among bookstores in United Kingdom. Waterstones was estimated to have 9.9K branded searches compared to Foyles’ 4.4K, and held a 3.7% Share of Search versus Foyles’ 1.6%.
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Which is more popular in search, Foyles or Waterstones?
Compare the bookstores shoppers use. 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.
Share of Search by month for Waterstones, Foyles. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | WHSmith | Blackwell's | Waterstones | Foyles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 76.9% | 18.9% | 3.1% | 1.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 76.5% | 18.8% | 3.8% | 0.91% |
| Dec 2025 | 74.9% | 18.4% | 5.5% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 73.1% | 22% | 3.6% | 1.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 68.5% | 25.1% | 4.1% | 2.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 69.5% | 25.6% | 3.4% | 1.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 70.1% | 25.8% | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| May 2026 | 70.1% | 25.8% | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 65.6% | 29.4% | 3.2% | 1.7% |
| Jul 2026 | 61.6% | 33.8% | 3% | 1.6% |
| Aug 2026 | 61.3% | 33.6% | 3% | 2% |
| Sep 2026 | 61.2% | 33.5% | 3.7% | 1.6% |
How has the Foyles and Waterstones comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Waterstones was ahead of Foyles in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Foyles’ estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom moved from 1.1% to 1.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5.4K to 4.4K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Waterstones’ estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom moved from 3.1% to 3.7%, 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 estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom, from 3% to 3.7%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Foyles in United Kingdom fell 18.5% over 12 measured months, from 5.4K to 4.4K in September 2026.
Other head-to-heads among bookstores
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Foyles’ 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.
Foyles
1 branded search term
- foyles bookshop
Waterstones
1 branded search term
- waterstones books
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.