Common App vs QuestBridge:Which is searched more in United States?
In September 2026, Common App had more branded searches than QuestBridge among college application platforms in United States. Common App was estimated to have 2.2M branded searches compared to QuestBridge’s 110K, and held an 89.1% Share of Search versus QuestBridge’s 4.4%.
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Which is more popular in search, Common App or QuestBridge?
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, 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% |
How has the Common App and QuestBridge comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Common App was ahead of QuestBridge in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Common App’s estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States moved from 86.1% to 89.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3.4M to 2.2M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, QuestBridge’s estimated Share of Search among college application platforms in United States moved from 2.3% to 4.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 90.5K to 110K.
How did search popularity change for United States college application platforms in September 2026?
2 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%.
Other head-to-heads among college application platforms
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Common App’s and QuestBridge’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.
Common App
1 branded search term
- common app
QuestBridge
1 branded search term
- questbridge
Put your own brand in this comparison
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