Contacts Direct vs Costco:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Costco had more branded searches than Contacts Direct among contact lens retailers in the United States. Costco had about 160,000 branded searches, while Contacts Direct had 33,100. Costco made up 19.3% of all contact lens retailer searches we track, and Contacts Direct accounted for 4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about contact lens retailers, both Contacts Direct and Costco appeared in all five answers. Costco was mentioned before Contacts Direct in four out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Costco, about 5 searches for every 1 for Contacts Direct
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Costco, named ahead of Contacts Direct in 4 of 5 answers
Follow Contacts Direct vs Costco and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top contact lens retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both Contacts Direct and Costco showed up in all five answers. Costco was listed before Contacts Direct in four 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 Contacts Direct or Costco more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Contacts Direct 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 Costco, Contacts Direct. 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 Contacts Direct and Costco comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Costco was ahead of Contacts Direct in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Contacts Direct’s share of searches among contact lens retailers in the United States moved from 4.3% to 4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 33.1K.
- 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, Contacts Direct gained share of searches among contact lens retailers in the United States, from 3.3% to 4%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Contacts Direct’s 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.
Contacts Direct
1 branded search term
- contacts direct
Costco
2 branded search terms
- costco contacts
- costco optical
Other head-to-heads among contact lens retailers
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.