Advil vs Aleve:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Advil had more branded searches than Aleve among pain relief brands in the United States. Advil had about 201,000 branded searches, while Aleve had 165,000. Advil made up 16.6% of all pain relief brand searches we track, and Aleve accounted for 13.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about pain relief brands, Advil appeared in all five answers and Aleve in four. Advil was mentioned before Aleve in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Advil, about 22% more searches than Aleve
Who does AI mention more?
Advil, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Advil, named ahead of Aleve in every answer
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Top pain relief brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Advil appeared in all five answers. Aleve was mentioned in four out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Advil was listed before Aleve in every answer.
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.
- Advil5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Tylenol4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Aleve4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Motrin4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Excedrin1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Icy Hot0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Bayer Aspirin0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about pain relief brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best over-the-counter pain reliever?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best thing to take for a migraine?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's good for back pain?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“pain reliever”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best pain reliever”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 27, 2026.
Is Advil or Aleve more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Advil and Aleve by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven pain relief brands we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Advil, Aleve. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Tylenol | Advil | Aleve | Excedrin | Motrin | Icy Hot | Bayer Aspirin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 45.6% | 13.6% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 6.1% | 1% |
| Nov 2025 | 38.5% | 14.1% | 14.1% | 14.1% | 11.6% | 6.3% | 1.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 36.7% | 16.4% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 4.9% | 1.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 36.2% | 16.2% | 13.3% | 13.3% | 13.3% | 6% | 1.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 39.9% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 12% | 12% | 5.4% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 38.3% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 11.5% | 6.3% | 1.9% |
| Apr 2026 | 34.7% | 15.6% | 15.6% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 7% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 35.2% | 15.8% | 15.8% | 12.9% | 12.9% | 5.8% | 1.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 36% | 16.2% | 16.2% | 13.2% | 10.8% | 5.9% | 1.8% |
| Jul 2026 | 40.3% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 12.1% | 9.8% | 6.6% | 1.6% |
| Aug 2026 | 38.4% | 14.1% | 14.1% | 14.1% | 11.5% | 6.3% | 1.5% |
| Sep 2026 | 37.2% | 16.6% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 11.2% | 6.1% | 1.5% |
How has the Advil and Aleve comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Advil was ahead of Aleve in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Advil’s share of searches among pain relief brands in the United States moved from 13.6% to 16.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 201K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Aleve’s share of searches among pain relief brands in the United States moved from 11.2% to 13.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 165K.
How did search popularity change for United States pain relief brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Advil gained share of searches among pain relief brands in the United States, from 14.1% to 16.6%.
Aleve’s share of searches among pain relief brands in the United States has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 16.2% to 13.7% in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Advil’s and Aleve’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.
Other head-to-heads among pain relief brands
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