Lowe's vs Menards:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Lowe's had more branded searches than Menards among hardware store brands in the United States. Lowe's had about 13.6 million branded searches, while Menards had 6.1 million. Lowe's made up 25.4% of all hardware store brand searches we track, and Menards accounted for 11.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about hardware store brands, both Lowe's and Menards appeared in all three answers. Lowe's was mentioned before Menards in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Lowe's, about 2 searches for every 1 for Menards
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Lowe's, named ahead of Menards in every answer
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Top hardware store brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, both Lowe's and Menards showed up in all three answers. Lowe's was listed before Menards in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Home Depot1st- Lowe's2nd
Ace Hardware3rd
Menards4th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Home Depot3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Lowe's3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Menards3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Ace Hardware3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about hardware store brands
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which hardware store brand should I shop at in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best hardware store brands in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best hardware store brand in the US for home repairs?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“home improvement store”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“cheap hardware store”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 19, 2026.
Is Lowe's or Menards more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Lowe's and Menards by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all four hardware store brands we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Lowe's, Menards. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Home Depot | Lowe's | Menards | Ace Hardware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 56.1% | 25.1% | 11.3% | 7.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 57.3% | 25.6% | 9.4% | 7.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 60.1% | 22% | 9.9% | 8.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 57.3% | 25.6% | 9.4% | 7.7% |
| Feb 2026 | 57.3% | 25.6% | 9.4% | 7.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 58.1% | 25.9% | 9.6% | 6.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 56.9% | 25.4% | 11.4% | 6.3% |
| May 2026 | 56.1% | 25% | 11.3% | 7.5% |
| Jun 2026 | 53.8% | 24.1% | 13.2% | 8.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 56.1% | 25.1% | 11.3% | 7.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 56.1% | 25.1% | 11.3% | 7.5% |
| Sep 2026 | 56.9% | 25.4% | 11.4% | 6.3% |
How has the Lowe's and Menards comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Lowe's was ahead of Menards in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Lowe's’ share of searches among hardware store brands in the United States moved from 25.1% to 25.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 13.6M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Menards’ share of searches among hardware store brands in the United States moved from 11.3% to 11.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 6.1M.
How did search popularity change for United States hardware store brands in September 2026?
0 changes
Neither Lowe's nor Menards moved beyond provider rounding among hardware store brands in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Lowe's’ and Menards’ 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 hardware store brands
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