Apple’s absence leaves a spot for Samsung to take
YouTube and Doctolib most popular among the 18-24 year olds
Amazon firmly established in the top three
Vinted, Leboncoin and Instagram far behind them
March 16th, 2026 – At a time when debates on artificial intelligence, personal data protection and online platforms’ responsibilities rule, French people’s relationship towards tech brands changes deeply. Scale, investment and brand awareness are no longer enough to drive preference.
This is the main conclusion to be taken from the first 2026 Barometer of French people’s favourite tech brand, conducted by Ifop for La Nouvelle Agence, an independent PR and communications agency.
By assessing fifty leading digital brands based on four notions – brand awareness, trust in data protection, perceived usefulness and ability to build an emotional connection – the study reveals a shift : French preference is becoming more rational, demanding and critical. For La Nouvelle Agence, this evolution marks the end of the aspiring tech era, and the start of the responsible tech one.
The end of automatic admiration
For years, the tech industry benefited from exceptional public imagery, associating it with innovation, progress and modernity. In 2026, this aura now appears to have faded.
The barometer shows that visibility has lost its decisive advantage. Some high-profile brands see their public preference weakened by a lack of trust or tangible usefulness. On the contrary, those seen as less “spectacular” actors of this industry thrive, deeply integrated in the day to day life.
Preference is no longer driven by fascination. It has now shown itself as an informed decision.
Isabelle Trévilly, Ifop’s Media & Digital pole’s Director, declares : “By combining notoriety, trust in data protection, perceived usefulness and ability to form bonds, this barometer suggests a complete view of the public preference. It highlights the fact that leading brands are those who can make lasting relations, built upon performance and trust equally.”
Doctolib in the lead : usefulness and trust at the forefront
Among the fifty brands that were evaluated, Doctolib stands in first place in front of Amazon and Google. An even more significant result considering both of them still dominate the public space, with 94% each, above Facebook (93%) and Samsung (92%).
However, the ranking changes when qualitative factors are taken into account. Fifth in terms of brand awareness with 91%, Doctolib tops the overall ranking thanks to its performance in terms of usefulness and trust. The digital healthcare company achieves the highest score for perceived usefulness with 7.75/10, ahead of Google (7.66) and Amazon (7.40), and stands out clearly in terms of personal data protection with 7.45/10 – nearly one point above Microsoft (6.62)
In a climate where the average score for the fifty brands assessed stands at around 6 out of 10 across several qualitative dimensions, these differences – whilst modest – make all the difference. They reflect the French public’s heightened expectations: consumer preference no longer rewards visibility or marketing clout alone, but rather a brand’s ability to demonstrate its practical value and credibility.
Stanislas Niox-Chateau, co-founder and CEO of Doctolib, said: “Being ranked as the French people’s favourite tech brand, ahead of global players, confirms that a European company, built here and true to its values, can compete with the biggest names. We have achieved this by focusing on what really matters: simplifying the daily lives of healthcare professionals and helping everyone to live healthier lives. Today, 500,000 healthcare professionals and 90 million patients place their trust in us. We owe this trust to our unwavering commitment to protecting their data with the highest level of security and developing useful, practical and reliable services. This has been our mission from day one. We’ve been around for twelve years, yet we still feel as though we’re at the very beginning of our journey.”
This finding illustrates the emergence of a new category of players, who are seen as genuine facilitators of everyday life. In a saturated and sometimes uncertain digital environment, consumers favour brands that simplify life and offer reassurance, rather than those that promise to revolutionise it.
A clear generational divide
Among 18–24-year-olds, YouTube tops the list of favourite brands, ahead of Doctolib and Netflix, illustrating a more cultural and experiential relationship with technology. Among those aged 50 and over, the top three are Doctolib, Google and Amazon, reflecting an approach more focused on reliability and the organisation of daily life.
Yet, these differences relate less to brand awareness than to the level of trust placed in the brands and their perceived usefulness. Tech does not share the same place depending on the generation : for some, it entertains ; for others, it structures.
Data protection, a new marker of legitimacy
Another key point : personal data protection is emerging as a key factor for public preference.
Some high-profile brands achieve trust scores below 6/102, revealing a fragility in their relationships with the public, such as TikTok (5.1/10), Facebook (5.41/10) and Instagram (5.42/10), whose trust is far from being firmly established. Conversely, players deemed to be more responsible are converting their brand recognition into lasting credibility, such as Doctolib, Amazon and Google.
In a society where digital usage has become everyday life, transparency is no longer a differentiating factor: it has become a prerequisite. Technological performance no longer compensates for a lack of trust.
A shift in the relationship between technology and society
Beyond the rankings, this first edition of the barometer highlights a more profound shift: the normalisation of technology.
Digital brands are no longer perceived as symbols of the future or of abstract innovation. They have become part of everyday infrastructure, subject to the same demands for accountability, utility and consistency as traditional players in the consumer goods and public services sectors.
Preference is akin to a conditional vote of confidence. It rewards brands that are able to demonstrate their tangible impact and integrity.
For La Nouvelle Agence, this barometer marks the starting point for an annual survey set to analyse how the relationship between the French public and digital brands is evolving, at a time when communication in the technology sector can no longer be limited to the promise of innovation.
Sana Lirin-Hales, co-founder of La Nouvelle Agence, concludes : “Tech is no longer immune to public scrutiny. The French are no longer content simply to be impressed. They evaluate. They compare. They judge. Preference now hinges on demonstrating usefulness and credibility when it comes to personal data. For brands, this implies a profound change: communication can no longer focus solely on performance or innovation; it must demonstrate responsibility.”
Note to editors
See the main rankings at the end of this press release.
The scores out of 10 are based on those familiar with the brand
Index 100 = average of the 50 brands assessed (The higher the index, the greater the brand’s overall impact)
The four dimensions contribute to an Impact Score, which provides an indication of overall preference. Index 100 = average of the 50 brands assessed (the higher the index, the greater the brand’s overall impact)
Methodology
- Survey conducted by Ifop for La Nouvelle Agence
- Field work: 14–19 January 2026
- Online data collection
- Sample: 1,000 French adults aged 18 and over
- Quota method based on gender, age, socio-professional category, region and size of urban area
- Assessment based on four dimensions: aided brand awareness, trust in personal data protection, perceived usefulness and connection through communication
About the Ifop Group
Founded in 1938 by the sociologist Jean Stoetzel, Ifop is a pioneer in polling methods and was the first organisation in France to conduct a public opinion survey. Over the years, Ifop has expanded across Europe, the United States and China, establishing itself as a leading specialist in consumer and citizen insights, and has grown into a multi-disciplinary group comprising Sociovision, Occurrence, Deep Opinion and Brain Value.
Driven by the conviction that it is people who make the world go round, and inspired by a passion for people, a culture of expertise, a commitment to objectivity and a spirit of inquiry, the Ifop Group has set itself the mission of connecting with people and, by analysing their expectations, attitudes and behaviours, providing comprehensive support to its clients to help them identify the drivers that enable them to create value and chart a course towards a positive future.
Attachments – Top 10 rankings from the “IFOP x La Nouvelle Agence 2026 Barometer: Favourite tech brands” survey
