How popular isCostco?
In September 2026, people searched for Costco by name about 1.7 million times in the United States, a 7% decrease from the previous year. These searches made up 8.9% of all United States tire retailer searches, placing Costco third out of six retailers. When we asked both ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about tire retailers, Costco appeared in all answers and was the second most recommended of the six.
Costco is the third most searched of 6 competitors and the second most recommended in AI answers.
Discount TireShare of searches 64.1%Mentioned in 3 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 1st
Tire RackShare of searches 10.5%Mentioned in 3 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 3rd
CostcoShare of searches 8.9%Mentioned in 3 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 2nd
Big O TiresShare of searches 7%Mentioned in 1 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations 5th
Belle TireShare of searches 4.7%Mentioned in 0 of 3 AI answersPlace in AI recommendations –
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Top tire retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, Costco appeared in all three answers. Costco is the second most recommended of the six.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Discount Tire1st
- Costco2nd
- Tire Rack3rd
Les Schwab4th- Big O Tires5th
- Belle Tire–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Discount Tire3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Tire Rack3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Costco3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Les Schwab2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Big O Tires1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Belle Tire0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about tire retailers
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which tire retailer should I shop at in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best tire retailers in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best tire retailer in the US for new tires?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“tire shop”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“cheap tires”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 19, 2026.
Which tire retailers compete with Costco?
Share of searches by month for Discount Tire, Tire Rack, Costco, Big O Tires, Belle Tire, Les Schwab. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Discount Tire | Tire Rack | Costco | Big O Tires | Belle Tire | Les Schwab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 59.3% | 11.9% | 10.1% | 8% | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 63.4% | 10.4% | 8.8% | 7% | 5.7% | 4.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 62.7% | 10.3% | 8.7% | 6.9% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| Jan 2026 | 64.4% | 10.6% | 8.4% | 7.1% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 61.3% | 15% | 8% | 6.7% | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Mar 2026 | 63.6% | 12.8% | 7.2% | 7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 60.5% | 12.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| May 2026 | 65.1% | 10.7% | 7.4% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 4.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 66.4% | 8.9% | 7.6% | 7.3% | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 66.4% | 8.9% | 7.6% | 7.3% | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| Aug 2026 | 64.1% | 10.5% | 8.9% | 7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Sep 2026 | 64.1% | 10.5% | 8.9% | 7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Rank | Brand | Share of searches | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 64.1% | 4.1M | 0% | 0 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 10.5% | 673K | 0% | 0 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 8.9% | 569K | 0% | 0 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 7% | 450K | 0% | 0 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 4.7% | 301K | 0% | 0 points | |
| 6, held 6th | 4.7% | 301K | 0% | 0 points |
64.1%
Held 1st. 4.1M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
10.5%
Held 2nd. 673K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
3.
Costco8.9%
Held 3rd. 569K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
7%
Held 4th. 450K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
4.7%
Held 5th. 301K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
4.7%
Held 6th. 301K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share 0 points.
Compare popularity between Costco and its closest rivals
Every comparison with Costco
25 comparisons
- Costco vs CVS Pharmacy
- Costco vs Walgreens
- Costco vs Walmart Pharmacy
- Costco vs Discount Tire
- Costco vs Tire Rack
- Big O Tires vs Costco
- Belle Tire vs Costco
- Costco vs Les Schwab
- Amazon Pharmacy vs Costco
- 1-800 Contacts vs Costco
- America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses vs Costco
- Costco vs Eyemart Express
- Costco vs LensCrafters
- Costco vs Pearle Vision
- Costco vs Visionworks
- Costco vs Walmart
- Costco vs Warby Parker
- Costco vs HearUSA
- Contacts Direct vs Costco
- Costco vs Hubble
- Costco vs Miracle-Ear
- Costco vs LensDirect
- Contact Lens King vs Costco
- Beltone vs Costco
- Costco vs HearingLife
How has branded search demand for Costco changed in the United States over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, estimated monthly branded searches for Costco in the United States fell from 1.8M to 1.7M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Costco’s share of searches among tire retailers in the United States decreased from 10.1% to 8.9%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Costco’s share of searches among tire retailers in the United States peaked at 10.1% in October 2025 and was lowest at 7.2% in March 2026.
How did search popularity change for United States tire retailers in September 2026?
5 changes
Estimated monthly branded searches for Costco in the United States fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 696K to 569K in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Tire Rack in the United States fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 823K to 673K in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Belle Tire in the United States fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 368K to 301K in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Les Schwab in the United States fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 368K to 301K in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Big O Tires in the United States fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 550K to 450K in September 2026.
How are Costco’s branded searches counted?
6 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Costco’s name. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brand is growing, holding steady, or fading.
- costco contacts
- costco hearing aid center
- costco optical
- costco pharmacy
- costco tire center
- costco tires
Do you work for Costco? To request corrections or removal please contact us via our support page and we will be happy to assist.
Where does Costco compete?
| Competitor set | Rank | Share of searches | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacies | 4th of 5 | 1.6% | Show ranking |
| Tire retailers | 3rd of 6 | 8.9% | Shown above |
| Optical retail chains | 8th of 8 | 2.9% | Show ranking |
| Contact lens retailers | 2nd of 6 | 19.3% | Show ranking |
| Hearing aid centers | 1st of 5 | 63% | Show ranking |
Is Costco your brand?
Put your own campaigns, spend and outcomes next to this demand line, so you can see which of your marketing lined up with the movements above.