Brandwave

Garden of Life vs Optimum Nutrition:Which is more popular?

In September 2026, Optimum Nutrition had more branded searches than Garden of Life among protein powder brands in the United States. Optimum Nutrition had about 49,500 branded searches, while Garden of Life had 2,900. Optimum Nutrition made up 13.5% of all protein powder brand searches we track, and Garden of Life accounted for 0.79%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about protein powder brands, Optimum Nutrition appeared in all five answers and Garden of Life in none.

Among protein powder brands in the United States in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

Optimum Nutrition, about 17 searches for every 1 for Garden of Life

Optimum Nutrition 49.5K searchesGarden of Life 2.9K searches

Who does AI mention more?

Optimum Nutrition, mentioned in every answer we collected

Optimum Nutrition in 5 of 5Garden of Life in 0 of 5

Who does AI recommend more?

Optimum Nutrition, the only one of the two named

Optimum Nutrition first in 5Garden of Life never named

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Top protein powder brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Optimum Nutrition appeared in all five answers. Garden of Life did not appear in any of the five answers.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Optimum Nutrition1st
  2. Dymatize2nd
  3. Transparent Labs3rd
  4. Vega4th
  5. Naked Nutrition5th
  6. Orgain6th
  7. Isopure7th
  8. Ghost8th
  9. Momentous9th
  10. +5 more
  11. Garden of Life–

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • Optimum Nutrition5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Dymatize3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Transparent Labs3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Orgain2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Vega2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Naked Nutrition2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Isopure1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Ghost1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Momentous1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Garden of Life0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers

+5 more

See every answer about protein powder brands

5 answers

Not named in any answer:

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 26, 2026.

Is Garden of Life or Optimum Nutrition more popular in search?

This chart shows how often people search Google for Garden of Life and Optimum Nutrition by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 15 protein powder brands we track, month by month, from searches in United States.

Garden of Life and Optimum Nutrition among protein powder brands in the United States, by month

Share of searches by month for Optimum Nutrition, Garden of Life. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthClean Simple EatsOptimum NutritionOrgainDymatizeMyproteinRyseTransparent LabsIsopurePremier ProteinGhostVegaNaked NutritionMuscle MilkGarden of LifeMomentous
Oct 202522.9%10.3%15.3%4.6%8.4%8.4%4.6%5.6%3.7%3.1%4.6%3.1%2.1%2.1%1.4%
Nov 202531.8%9.5%9.5%4.3%11.7%9.5%4.3%4.3%2.9%2.9%3.5%2.3%1.6%1.3%0.68%
Dec 202522.4%10%12.2%5.5%10%10%4.5%5.5%3.7%3.7%5.5%3%2%1.3%0.88%
Jan 202622.7%10.2%15.3%5.6%8.4%8.4%4.6%5.6%3.7%3.1%4.6%3.7%2%1.4%0.74%
Feb 202621.8%9.8%14.6%5.4%8%9.8%4.4%6.5%4.4%3.6%4.4%3.6%2%1.3%0.7%
Mar 202624.4%11%13.4%4.9%7.4%7.4%4.9%6%4%4%4%4%2.2%1.5%0.8%
Apr 202624.7%9.1%13.6%6.1%7.4%7.4%6.1%6.1%4.1%3.3%4.1%4.1%1.8%1.2%0.81%
May 202625.1%11.3%11.3%6.2%7.5%7.5%6.2%6.2%4.1%3.4%4.1%3.4%1.8%1.2%0.66%
Jun 202618.9%12.7%12.7%6.9%6.9%8.5%5.7%6.9%4.6%3.8%3.8%3.8%2.5%1.4%0.92%
Jul 202616.3%10.9%24.3%6%6%7.3%6%6%4%3.3%2.7%3.3%2.2%0.97%0.8%
Aug 202617.2%11.5%14%7.7%7.7%7.7%7.7%6.3%5.1%4.2%3.4%3.4%2.3%1%0.83%
Sep 202616.5%13.5%13.5%7.4%7.4%7.4%7.4%6.1%5%4%4%3.3%2.7%0.79%0.79%

Garden of Life sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “garden of life protein”.

How has the Garden of Life and Optimum Nutrition comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings

How did search popularity change for United States protein powder brands in September 2026?

2 changes

  1. In September 2026, Optimum Nutrition overtook Orgain to rank 2nd among protein powder brands in the United States, with 13.5% of the searches.

  2. Estimated monthly branded searches for Garden of Life in the United States fell 64.2% over 12 measured months, from 8.1K to 2.9K in September 2026.

How are branded searches counted?

2 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Garden of Life’s and Optimum Nutrition’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.

Garden of Life

1 branded search term

  • garden of life protein

Optimum Nutrition

1 branded search term

  • optimum nutrition

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Other head-to-heads among protein powder brands

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