College application platforms in United States:Which are searched most?
In September 2026, Common App was the most searched among college application platforms in United States, with an estimated 2.2M branded searches and 89.1% estimated Share of Search within this set.
Common App89.1%
ApplyTexas6.6%
QuestBridge4.4%
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Share of SearchLeaderboard
Compare the platforms students apply to universities through. 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 Common App, ApplyTexas, QuestBridge. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Common App | ApplyTexas | QuestBridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 86.1% | 11.6% | 2.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 90.2% | 8.1% | 1.6% |
| Dec 2025 | 87.1% | 6.5% | 6.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 87.9% | 9.7% | 2.4% |
| Feb 2026 | 80.8% | 13.3% | 5.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 78.5% | 12.9% | 8.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 75.8% | 18.6% | 5.6% |
| May 2026 | 79.3% | 15.9% | 4.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 81.7% | 13.4% | 4.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 84.5% | 11.4% | 4.2% |
| Aug 2026 | 88.5% | 8% | 3.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 89.1% | 6.6% | 4.4% |
This month’s ranking, September 2026
| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 89.1% | 2.2M | +49.3% | +0.6 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 6.6% | 165K | +22.2% | -1.4 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 4.4% | 110K | +81.8% | +0.8 points |
89.1%
Held 1st. 2.2M estimated branded searches, +49.3% vs prior month. Share +0.6 points.
6.6%
Held 2nd. 165K estimated branded searches, +22.2% vs prior month. Share -1.4 points.
4.4%
Held 3rd. 110K estimated branded searches, +81.8% vs prior month. Share +0.8 points.
Compare search popularity between leading brands
Which brand is most popular in search among college application platforms in United States?
3 brands
In September 2026, Common App was the most searched among college application platforms in United States, with an estimated 2.2M branded searches and 89.1% estimated Share of Search within this set. ApplyTexas is in 2nd place, 82.5 percentage points behind at 6.6% Share of Search.
| Brand | Share of Search | Peak | Low | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common App | 86.1% → 89.1% | 90.2%Nov 2025 | 75.8%Apr 2026 | 1st |
| ApplyTexas | 11.6% → 6.6% | 18.6%Apr 2026 | 6.5%Dec 2025 | 2nd |
| QuestBridge | 2.3% → 4.4% | 8.6%Mar 2026 | 1.6%Nov 2025 | 3rd |
Each finding as a sentence
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Common App’s estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States increased from 86.1% to 89.1%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, ApplyTexas’ estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States decreased from 11.6% to 6.6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, QuestBridge’s estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States increased from 2.3% to 4.4%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Common App’s estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States peaked at 90.2% in November 2025 and was lowest at 75.8% in April 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, ApplyTexas’ estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States peaked at 18.6% in April 2026 and was lowest at 6.5% in December 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, QuestBridge’s estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States peaked at 8.6% in March 2026 and was lowest at 1.6% in November 2025.
How did search popularity change for United States college application platforms in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, QuestBridge gained estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States, from 3.6% to 4.4%.
In September 2026, Common App gained estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States, from 88.5% to 89.1%.
In September 2026, ApplyTexas lost estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States, from 8% to 6.6%.
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