Northgate vs Thrifty:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Northgate had more branded searches than Thrifty among van hire companies in the United Kingdom. Northgate had about 9,900 branded searches, while Thrifty had 480. Northgate made up 15.1% of all van hire company searches we track, and Thrifty accounted for 0.73%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about van hire companies, neither Northgate nor Thrifty appeared in any of the three answers.
Who do people search for more?
Northgate, about 21 searches for every 1 for Thrifty
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 0 of 3 answers.
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Top van hire companies in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, neither Northgate nor Thrifty showed up in any of the three answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Arnold Clark1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers- Northgate0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Hertz0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Europcar0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
Thrifty0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about van hire companies
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where's the best place to hire a van in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which van hire company should I use for moving house?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Who has the cheapest van hire in the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“van hire”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 27, 2026.
Is Northgate or Thrifty more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Northgate and Thrifty by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six van hire companies we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Northgate, Thrifty. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Enterprise Rent-A-Car | Arnold Clark | Northgate | Hertz | Europcar | Thrifty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 39.9% | 39.9% | 9.7% | 8% | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 35.3% | 43.1% | 10.5% | 8.6% | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 40.8% | 40.8% | 9.9% | 6.6% | 0.88% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 40.6% | 40.6% | 9.9% | 6.6% | 0.88% | 1.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 38.5% | 38.5% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 0.83% | 1.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 39.3% | 39.3% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 0.86% | 1.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 42.5% | 34.8% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 0.92% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 39.4% | 39.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 0.86% | 1% |
| Jun 2026 | 42.6% | 34.9% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 0.93% | 0.93% |
| Jul 2026 | 38.6% | 38.6% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 1% | 0.84% |
| Aug 2026 | 38.6% | 38.6% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 1% | 0.84% |
| Sep 2026 | 41.3% | 33.8% | 15.1% | 8.2% | 0.9% | 0.73% |
How has the Northgate and Thrifty comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Northgate was ahead of Thrifty in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Northgate’s share of searches among van hire companies in the United Kingdom moved from 9.7% to 15.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.6K to 9.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Thrifty’s share of searches among van hire companies in the United Kingdom moved from 1.5% to 0.73%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1K to 480.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom van hire companies in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Northgate gained share of searches among van hire companies in the United Kingdom, from 11.5% to 15.1%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Thrifty in the United Kingdom fell 52% over 12 measured months, from 1K to 480 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Northgate’s and Thrifty’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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