Costco vs Discount Tire:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Discount Tire had more branded searches than Costco among tire retailers in the United States. Discount Tire had about 4.1 million branded searches, while Costco had 569,000. Discount Tire made up 64.1% of all tire retailer searches we track, and Costco accounted for 8.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about tire retailers, both Costco and Discount Tire appeared in all three answers. Discount Tire was mentioned before Costco in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Discount Tire, about 7 searches for every 1 for Costco
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Discount Tire, named ahead of Costco in every answer
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Top tire retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, both Costco and Discount Tire showed up in all three answers. Discount Tire was listed before Costco in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Discount Tire1st
Costco2nd
Tire Rack3rd
Les Schwab4th
Big O Tires5th
Belle Tire–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Discount Tire3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Tire Rack3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Costco3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Les Schwab2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Big O Tires1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Belle Tire0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about tire retailers
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which tire retailer should I shop at in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best tire retailers in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best tire retailer in the US for new tires?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“tire shop”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“cheap tires”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 19, 2026.
Is Costco or Discount Tire more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Costco and Discount Tire by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six tire retailers we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Discount Tire, Costco. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Discount Tire | Tire Rack | Costco | Big O Tires | Belle Tire | Les Schwab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 59.3% | 11.9% | 10.1% | 8% | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 63.4% | 10.4% | 8.8% | 7% | 5.7% | 4.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 62.7% | 10.3% | 8.7% | 6.9% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| Jan 2026 | 64.4% | 10.6% | 8.4% | 7.1% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 61.3% | 15% | 8% | 6.7% | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Mar 2026 | 63.6% | 12.8% | 7.2% | 7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 60.5% | 12.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| May 2026 | 65.1% | 10.7% | 7.4% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 4.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 66.4% | 8.9% | 7.6% | 7.3% | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 66.4% | 8.9% | 7.6% | 7.3% | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| Aug 2026 | 64.1% | 10.5% | 8.9% | 7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Sep 2026 | 64.1% | 10.5% | 8.9% | 7% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
How has the Costco and Discount Tire comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Discount Tire was ahead of Costco in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Costco’s share of searches among tire retailers in the United States moved from 10.1% to 8.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 696K to 569K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Discount Tire’s share of searches among tire retailers in the United States moved from 59.3% to 64.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 4.1M.
How did search popularity change for United States tire retailers in September 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for Costco in the United States fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 696K to 569K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Costco’s and Discount Tire’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.
Costco
2 branded search terms
- costco tire center
- costco tires
Discount Tire
1 branded search term
- discount tire
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