Costco vs LensDirect:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Costco had more branded searches than LensDirect among contact lens retailers in the United States. Costco had about 160,000 branded searches, while LensDirect had 22,200. Costco made up 19.3% of all contact lens retailer searches we track, and LensDirect accounted for 2.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about contact lens retailers, Costco appeared in all five answers and LensDirect in three. Costco was mentioned before LensDirect in four out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Costco, about 7 searches for every 1 for LensDirect
Who does AI mention more?
Costco, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Costco, named ahead of LensDirect in 4 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, Costco appeared in all five answers. LensDirect was mentioned in three out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Costco was listed before LensDirect in four out of five answers.
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 Costco or LensDirect more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Costco and LensDirect 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, LensDirect. 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 Costco and LensDirect comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Costco was ahead of LensDirect in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- 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.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, LensDirect’s share of searches among contact lens retailers in the United States moved from 2.9% to 2.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 22.2K.
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, LensDirect rose from 6th to 5th among contact lens retailers in the United States.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Costco’s and LensDirect’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 contacts
- costco optical
LensDirect
2 branded search terms
- lens direct
- lensdirect
Other head-to-heads among contact lens retailers
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