Two data sets define Halloween 2026 costumes. Google's Frightgeist, released on October 14, 2026, ranks what people are searching for, and Buddy the Unicorn from the horror comedy Buddy is number one. The National Retail Federation's annual survey ranks what adults actually plan to wear, and there the witch (4.8 million people) and the vampire (4.2 million) still lead. Search shows what is new; the survey shows what people end up wearing.
This post walks through both lists, what changed from 2025, and how to try the top looks on camera. For live costume looks you can use today, start from the Halloween costume filter page.
Frightgeist ranks costumes by Google search interest in the US. The 2026 top 10, as published on October 14:
| Rank | Costume | From |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buddy the Unicorn | Buddy (2026 horror comedy) |
| 2 | NeeDoh | The squishy sensory toy |
| 3 | Nikki | Obsession |
| 4 | Agamemnon | The Odyssey |
| 5 | Lily Love Braids | Poppy Playtime |
| 6 | Oliver Tree | The musician |
| 7 | Verity | Minecraft |
| 8 | Carl | Dungeon Crawler Carl |
| 9 | Disco Scooby Doo | Scooby-Doo |
| 10 | Hazel Hook | Descendants |
Source: Google Frightgeist, as reported by Time Out and Haunted Attraction Network.
The pattern is clear: a movie released in late summer (Buddy opened on August 28, 2026), two more 2026 films, two games and a toy. A costume that trends on Frightgeist is usually something new enough that people need to search for what it looks like.
The NRF surveyed 7,889 consumers about their Halloween plans. The top adult costumes for 2026:
| Costume | Adults planning it (2026) | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Witch | 4.8 million | 5.6 million |
| Vampire | 4.2 million | 2.7 million |
| Batman | 2.0 million | n/a |
| Spider-Man | 1.5 million | n/a |
| Ghost | 1.4 million | n/a |
Source: NRF Halloween Data Center and NRF 2026 survey release.
2025 figures are shown only for the costumes NRF compared year over year. The vampire's rise of about 56% in one year is the standout. For children, Spider-Man leads.
Search and plans measure different things. Nobody needs to search what a witch looks like, so classics barely register on Frightgeist even though millions of people wear them. A new character like Buddy is the opposite: lots of searches from people working out the costume, fewer people actually building a full mascot suit. If you want a costume people will recognize, the NRF list is the safer guide; if you want the one people will talk about, look at Frightgeist.
Several of this year's costumes are hard to make: a full mascot suit, crested armor, a specific film outfit. A live camera filter lets you see the look on yourself in seconds and decide whether it is worth building. These pages each have a look already selected:
Each runs in the browser on a phone or laptop and moves with you live, so you can record a reveal clip or wear the look on a video call.
By search, Buddy the Unicorn, number one on Google's Frightgeist list released October 14, 2026. By what adults plan to wear, the witch, chosen by 4.8 million US adults in the NRF 2026 survey.
Buddy the Unicorn, NeeDoh and Nikki from Obsession, according to Google Frightgeist.
Yes. 4.2 million US adults plan to dress as a vampire in 2026, up from 2.7 million in 2025, which makes it the second most planned adult costume after the witch.
The NRF projects $13.5 billion in total Halloween spending for 2026, with $4.4 billion of it on costumes.
Buddy, a 2026 horror comedy directed by Casper Kelly that opened in theaters on August 28, 2026. Buddy hosts a 1999 children's show in the film.
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