PACER vs Westlaw:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Westlaw had more branded searches than PACER among court records platforms in the United States. Westlaw had about 201,000 branded searches, while PACER had 7,900. Westlaw made up 83.6% of all court records platform searches we track, and PACER accounted for 3.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about court records platforms, PACER appeared in all five answers and Westlaw in four. PACER and Westlaw were each mentioned first in two of the four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Westlaw, about 25 searches for every 1 for PACER
Who does AI mention more?
PACER, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 2 of 4 answers.
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Top court records platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, PACER appeared in all five answers. Westlaw was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. PACER and Westlaw were each listed first in two of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- PACER1st
CourtListener2nd- Westlaw3rd
UniCourt4th
Trellis5th
Lex Machina–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- PACER5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Westlaw4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- CourtListener4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- UniCourt2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Trellis1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Lex Machina0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about court records platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which court records platform should I use in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best court records platforms in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best court records platform in the US for legal research?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“search court records”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“legal research platform”
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 PACER or Westlaw more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for PACER and Westlaw by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six court records platforms we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Westlaw, PACER. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Westlaw | CourtListener | PACER | Trellis | UniCourt | Lex Machina |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 82% | 4.9% | 5.7% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 65.4% | 5.9% | 20.4% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 1.7% |
| Dec 2025 | 65.5% | 7.2% | 17.1% | 4.8% | 3.2% | 2.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 71% | 6.4% | 14.9% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 75.3% | 8.3% | 9% | 3% | 2.5% | 2% |
| Mar 2026 | 68.3% | 9.2% | 12% | 5% | 3.3% | 2.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 68.7% | 7.5% | 14.6% | 4.1% | 2.7% | 2.2% |
| May 2026 | 69.4% | 11.4% | 8.4% | 5.1% | 3.4% | 2.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 76.5% | 10.3% | 4% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 2.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 75.3% | 10.1% | 3.4% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 3% |
| Aug 2026 | 79% | 8.7% | 3.9% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 2.1% |
| Sep 2026 | 83.6% | 7.5% | 3.3% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.5% |
How has the PACER and Westlaw comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Westlaw was ahead of PACER in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, PACER’s share of searches among court records platforms in the United States moved from 5.7% to 3.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 14K to 7.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Westlaw’s share of searches among court records platforms in the United States moved from 82% to 83.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 201K.
How did search popularity change for United States court records platforms in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Westlaw gained share of searches among court records platforms in the United States, from 79% to 83.6%.
In September 2026, PACER lost share of searches among court records platforms in the United States, from 3.9% to 3.3%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using PACER’s and Westlaw’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.
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