1-800 Contacts vs Costco:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, 1-800 Contacts had more branded searches than Costco among contact lens retailers in the United States. 1-800 Contacts had about 560,000 branded searches, while Costco had 160,000. 1-800 Contacts made up 67.8% of all contact lens retailer searches we track, and Costco accounted for 19.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about contact lens retailers, both 1-800 Contacts and Costco appeared in all five answers. 1-800 Contacts was mentioned before Costco in three out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
1-800 Contacts, about 4 searches for every 1 for Costco
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
1-800 Contacts, named ahead of Costco in 3 of 5 answers
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Top contact lens retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both 1-800 Contacts and Costco showed up in all five answers. 1-800 Contacts was listed before Costco in three of them.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- 1-800 Contacts5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Costco5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Contacts Direct5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
LensDirect3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Contact Lens King3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Hubble0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about contact lens retailers
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where should I order contact lenses online in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best places to buy contacts online in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the cheapest place to buy contact lenses online in the US?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“contact lenses online”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“buy contacts online”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 22, 2026.
Is 1-800 Contacts or Costco more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for 1-800 Contacts and Costco by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six contact lens retailers we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for 1-800 Contacts, Costco. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | 1-800 Contacts | Costco | Contacts Direct | Hubble | LensDirect | Contact Lens King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 64.8% | 20.5% | 4.3% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 2.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 65.4% | 20.7% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 2.9% | 2.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 65.6% | 20.7% | 5.5% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 2% |
| Jan 2026 | 65.4% | 20.6% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Feb 2026 | 68.7% | 18.7% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 2.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 70.3% | 18.1% | 4% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 67.9% | 20.4% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 2.5% | 2% |
| May 2026 | 69.8% | 18.1% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 2.5% | 2.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 70.4% | 17.3% | 3.6% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 2% |
| Jul 2026 | 68.8% | 19.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 70.8% | 18.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Sep 2026 | 67.8% | 19.3% | 4% | 4% | 2.7% | 2.2% |
How has the 1-800 Contacts and Costco comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- 1-800 Contacts was ahead of Costco in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, 1-800 Contacts’ share of searches among contact lens retailers in the United States moved from 64.8% to 67.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 503K to 560K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Costco’s share of searches among contact lens retailers in the United States moved from 20.5% to 19.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 160K.
How did search popularity change for United States contact lens retailers in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Costco gained share of searches among contact lens retailers in the United States, from 18.3% to 19.3%.
In September 2026, 1-800 Contacts lost share of searches among contact lens retailers in the United States, from 70.8% to 67.8%.
How are branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using 1-800 Contacts’ and Costco’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.
1-800 Contacts
3 branded search terms
- 1-800 contacts
- 1800 contacts
- 1800contacts
Costco
2 branded search terms
- costco contacts
- costco optical
Other head-to-heads among contact lens retailers
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