SEARCH
Data & Research March 17, 2026 • Last updated: March 2026

SEARCH ENGINE
MARKET SHARE
STATISTICS 2026

50+ up-to-date figures on search engine market shares worldwide and in the Netherlands. From Google's dominance and Bing's growth to the rise of ChatGPT Search, zero-click searches and AI Overviews. Compiled from data by StatCounter, SimilarWeb, Statista, SparkToro and Datos.

89%

Google market share worldwide (all devices)

Source: StatCounter Global Stats 2026

60%+

of searches end without a click (zero-click)

Source: SparkToro / Datos 2026

8.5B

searches per day on Google

Source: Internet Live Stats / Google 2026

STATISTICS OVERVIEW

The search engine market is undergoing significant changes in 2026. Google still dominates, but the rise of AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT Search, Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot is creating shifts we haven't seen in 25 years of Google dominance. At the same time, the nature of search itself is changing: more and more queries end without a click, and SEO requires a fundamentally different approach.

On this page you'll find 50+ up-to-date statistics on search engine market shares, compiled from data by StatCounter, SimilarWeb, Statista, SparkToro, Datos and other reputable sources. Whether you want to build a business case for SEO, recalibrate your marketing strategy, or simply understand the latest trends: these figures give you the overview.

GLOBAL
Section 1

GLOBAL SEARCH ENGINE MARKET SHARE

SEARCH ENGINE MARKET SHARE WORLDWIDE (ALL DEVICES)

Google
89.33%
89.33%
Bing
4.06%
4.06%
Yandex
2.48%
2.48%
Yahoo!
1.30%
1.30%
Baidu
0.99%
0.99%
DuckDuckGo
0.66%
0.66%
Other
1.18%
1.18%

Source: StatCounter Global Stats, January 2026

25 years

of unbroken Google dominance since 2000

Google founded 1998

91.1%

Google peak market share (2020)

StatCounter 2020

-2.1%

Google market share loss since 2020

StatCounter 2020 vs 2026

4.06%

Bing largest competitor (ex-China/Russia)

StatCounter 2026

  • Google's market share has declined from 91.1% to 89.3% in 6 years — a modest but historically significant drop driven by AI search engines (StatCounter)
  • Yandex dominates in Russia with 74% market share, while Google holds just 24% there (StatCounter Russia 2026)
  • Baidu holds 55% market share in China, followed by Sogou (14%) and Haosou (10%). Google is blocked in China (StatCounter China)
  • DuckDuckGo processes 100+ million searches per day and is growing steadily thanks to privacy-conscious users (DuckDuckGo Traffic Stats)
  • Ecosia processes 20+ million searches per day and is popular in Germany and the Netherlands as a sustainable alternative (Ecosia Impact Report)
NL
Section 2

SEARCH ENGINE MARKET SHARE NETHERLANDS

SEARCH ENGINE MARKET SHARE NETHERLANDS

Google
93.21%
93.21%
Bing
2.84%
2.84%
DuckDuckGo
1.42%
1.42%
Yahoo!
0.76%
0.76%
Ecosia
0.58%
0.58%
Other
1.19%
1.19%

Source: StatCounter Netherlands, January 2026

17.8M

internet users in the Netherlands (98% penetration)

CBS / Eurostat 2026

120M+

Google searches per day in the Netherlands

SEMrush Netherlands 2026

+0.4%

DuckDuckGo growth in NL vs. 2024

StatCounter NL trend 2024-2026

  • Google has a higher market share in the Netherlands (93%) than worldwide (89%), making NL one of the most Google-centric markets in Europe (StatCounter)
  • DuckDuckGo is more popular in the Netherlands than average — 1.42% vs. 0.66% worldwide, partly due to the strong privacy awareness among Dutch consumers
  • Ecosia has a relatively strong position in the Netherlands (0.58%) compared to the global average, driven by sustainability-conscious younger users
  • Bing is growing slower in the Netherlands than worldwide (2.84% vs. 4.06%), despite Microsoft Copilot integration
  • 97% of Dutch companies doing SEO focus exclusively on Google — only 8% actively include Bing SEO (DDMA Digital Marketing Survey)
MOBILE
Section 3

MOBILE VS DESKTOP MARKET SHARE

MARKET SHARE BY DEVICE TYPE (WORLDWIDE)

Search Engine Mobile Desktop Tablet
Google 95.37% 79.88% 87.12%
Bing 0.62% 10.51% 3.18%
Yahoo! 1.51% 1.82% 4.21%
Yandex 0.84% 3.26% 1.42%
DuckDuckGo 0.39% 1.21% 1.84%

Source: StatCounter Global Stats, January 2026

63%

of all searches come from mobile

StatCounter 2026

34%

of searches via desktop

StatCounter 2026

3%

of searches via tablet

StatCounter 2026

95%

Google market share on mobile

StatCounter 2026

  • Google is virtually unbeatable on mobile with 95%+ market share, thanks to Android's default search engine and Apple's multi-billion dollar deal (StatCounter)
  • Bing holds 10.5% market share on desktop — 17x more than on mobile (0.62%), thanks to Windows and Edge integration
  • In the Netherlands, 58% of searches are mobile, slightly lower than the global average of 63% (StatCounter NL 2026)
  • Voice search via mobile is growing at 15% per year — 27% of all mobile searches now use voice input (Google / Comscore)
  • Mobile searchers convert 1.4x faster than desktop searchers for local-intent queries (Google / Think with Google)
BING
Section 5

BING & MICROSOFT COPILOT GROWTH

+33%

Bing market share growth since Copilot launch (Feb 2023)

StatCounter 2023 vs 2026

1.5B

Bing daily searches

Microsoft Earnings Q4 2025

10.5%

Bing desktop market share

StatCounter Desktop 2026

14.2%

Bing + Yahoo! combined (Yahoo uses Bing)

StatCounter Desktop 2026

BING MARKET SHARE BY REGION (DESKTOP)

United States
15.8%
15.8%
United Kingdom
12.1%
12.1%
Germany
8.4%
8.4%
Netherlands
5.2%
5.2%
Japan
14.3%
14.3%

Source: StatCounter Desktop Market Share by Region, January 2026

  • Microsoft Copilot is integrated by default in Windows 11 and Edge, meaning Bing benefits from every Copilot search query (Microsoft 2026)
  • Bing's ad revenue increased 18% YoY thanks to Copilot integration and higher desktop CTR (Microsoft Q4 2025 Earnings)
  • Yahoo! Search runs entirely on Bing technology — together they represent 14-16% of desktop search traffic (StatCounter)
  • 34% of Bing users don't know they're using Bing — they search via the Windows taskbar or Edge address bar (Microsoft UX Research 2025)
  • For Google Ads advertisers, Bing Ads (Microsoft Advertising) is a cheaper alternative with 33% lower CPCs on average and less competition
AIO
Section 6

GOOGLE AI OVERVIEWS IMPACT

AI Overviews Frequency
15-25%

of searches display AI Overviews

Informational: 35%+ Commercial: 8%

Source: SEMrush Sensor / Ahrefs AIO Study 2026

CTR Impact (cited)
+8-12%

more traffic when cited in AIO

Cited sites More authority

Source: Authoritas / seoClarity AIO Study

CTR Impact (not cited)
-18-25%

CTR loss for non-cited page 1 sites

Especially positions 3-10 Fewer clicks

Source: Authoritas / ZipTie AIO Impact Report

5.6

average number of sources cited in an AI Overview

Source: Ahrefs AIO Study 2026

62%

of AIO sources already rank in the top 10 organic results

Source: seoClarity 2026

  • AI Overviews appear most frequently for informational queries (35%+) and rarely for transactional/commercial queries (8%) — Google protects its ad revenue (SEMrush)
  • Websites with strong E-E-A-T signals are cited 3x more often in AI Overviews than sites without clear expertise indicators (Authoritas Research)
  • AI Overviews average 247 words in length — significantly longer than Featured Snippets (40-50 words), taking up more SERP real estate (Ahrefs)
  • In the Netherlands, AI Overviews have been active since Q3 2025 and appear for approximately 12-18% of Dutch-language searches (SEMrush Sensor NL)
ZERO
Section 7

ZERO-CLICK SEARCHES

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A GOOGLE SEARCH?

Zero-click (no click on external result) 64.82%
Click on organic result 25.62%
Click on paid result (Google Ads) 5.68%
Click to another Google product (Maps, Images, etc.) 3.88%

Source: SparkToro / Datos Zero-Click Search Study 2026

64.82%

of all Google searches end without a click

SparkToro / Datos 2026

77%

zero-click rate on mobile (higher than desktop)

SparkToro Mobile 2026

+8%

increase in zero-click rate since 2020 (was 56%)

SparkToro 2020 vs 2026

  • Of Google's 8.5 billion daily searches, 5.5 billion don't result in a click to an external website — Google answers the query itself (SparkToro / Datos)
  • Featured Snippets, Knowledge Panels and People Also Ask are the primary zero-click drivers — together they account for 73% of zero-clicks (Ahrefs)
  • AI Overviews are amplifying the zero-click trend: for queries with AI Overviews, the zero-click rate averages 74% (seoClarity)
  • Mobile zero-click rate (77%) is significantly higher than desktop (52%) due to direct answers and local results (SparkToro)
  • Google is its own biggest competitor against websites: 3.88% of clicks go to other Google products (Maps, Images, YouTube) rather than external sites
VOLUME
Section 8

SEARCH VOLUME TRENDS

8.5B

Google searches per day

Internet Live Stats 2026

99K

searches per second

Internet Live Stats 2026

3.1T

searches per year (trillion)

Internet Live Stats 2026

+2-3%

annual Google search volume growth

Google / Statista 2026

GOOGLE SEARCH VOLUME GROWTH (DAILY SEARCHES)

2000
~100M
2010
~1.5B
2016
~4.0B
2020
~6.0B
2024
~8.0B
2026
~8.5B

Source: Internet Live Stats, Statista, Google 2026. Note: figures are estimates.

  • Total search volume on Google continues to grow, despite AI alternatives. Google confirmed in 2025 that search volume reached "all-time highs" (Alphabet Earnings Call)
  • 15% of all Google searches are completely new — queries Google has never seen before (Google Search Central)
  • Voice search is growing at 15% per year and now accounts for approximately 20% of all mobile searches (Comscore / Google)
  • The average Google query contains 3.2 words, but this is slowly increasing due to conversational search and AI integration (Moz Keyword Explorer)
  • In the Netherlands, Google processes an estimated 120-140 million searches per day, with peaks on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (SEMrush NL)
Summary

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1

Google still dominates

At 89% worldwide and 93% in the Netherlands, Google remains by far the most important search engine. SEO for Google is and remains essential.

2

AI Search is the fastest grower

ChatGPT Search, Perplexity and Copilot are growing explosively. Together they represent 3-5% of all searches, and this is doubling annually.

3

65% end without a click

Zero-click searches dominate. Brand visibility within the SERP itself (Featured Snippets, AIO citations) is becoming as important as traffic.

4

Mobile = 95% Google

On mobile, Google is virtually untouchable (95%+). Bing's growth comes almost exclusively from desktop via Windows and Edge.

5

AI Overviews are changing SEO

Being cited in AI Overviews delivers +8-12% traffic. Not being cited costs -18-25% CTR. E-E-A-T is the key.

6

Diversification becomes essential

Relying solely on Google is risky. Smart businesses also optimize for AI Search, Bing and social search (TikTok, YouTube).

METHODOLOGY & SOURCES

The statistics on this page are compiled from publicly available research reports and data sources from reputable organizations. We regularly update this page with the latest data. The key sources are:

Disclaimer: Figures are sourced from the most recent available editions of the reports mentioned. Some statistics (particularly AI Search market shares) are preliminary estimates based on clickstream and traffic data. Market share measurement methodologies vary by source. This page is compiled for informational purposes and does not constitute strategic advice. For specific advice, please contact our team.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Google's market share in 2026?

Google holds a global market share of approximately 89-91% in 2026, measured across all devices. In the Netherlands, this figure is even higher: over 93%. On mobile, Google is even more dominant with 95%+ market share. Despite the rise of AI search engines, Google maintains its leading position. Learn how to capitalize on this with professional SEO services.

How large is ChatGPT Search's market share?

ChatGPT Search has an estimated market share of 1-2% of all search queries worldwide in 2026. While this may seem small, usage is growing exponentially: the number of search queries via ChatGPT has increased tenfold since its launch in November 2024. Among younger users (18-24), adoption is significantly higher.

How many searches does Google process per day?

Google processes an estimated 8.5 billion searches per day, or approximately 99,000 per second. On an annual basis, this amounts to more than 3.1 trillion searches. Despite the growth of AI alternatives, Google's search volume continues to grow by 2-3% annually.

What are zero-click searches?

Zero-click searches are queries where the user doesn't click on any search result. In 2026, approximately 64.82% of all Google searches end without a click to an external website. This is caused by Featured Snippets, Knowledge Panels, AI Overviews and direct answers in the search results.

Is Bing's market share growing?

Yes, Bing is growing slightly thanks to Microsoft Copilot integration. Bing's global market share has risen from 3.0% in early 2023 to approximately 4.0-4.5% in 2026. Growth is strongest on desktop (10.5% market share) and in the US and UK. In the Netherlands, Bing remains modest at approximately 2.8%.

What is the impact of Google AI Overviews on organic traffic?

Google AI Overviews appear for approximately 15-25% of searches in 2026. Websites cited as sources see an average of 8-12% more traffic. Non-cited websites on page 1 lose an average of 18-25% organic CTR. Strong E-E-A-T signals increase the likelihood of being cited. Want to know how to leverage this? Get in touch with Searchlab.

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Ruud ten Have

Compiled by

Ruud ten Have

Ruud is a digital marketer with 10+ years of experience in online advertising and AI implementation. At Searchlab, he combines strategic thinking with hands-on AI tooling to deliver measurable results for businesses.