The methanol to aromatics conversion is shown to contribute significantly to the benzene methylation with methanol at 400 °C over acidic ZSM-5 catalysts but such contribution over all catalysts is negligible at 250 °C. Benzene-only conversion shows only negligible contribution at both temperatures over the catalysts studied. However, it appears that the methanol-only conversion can be minimised, to enhance the benzene methylation with methanol (and indirectly the oxidative benzene methylation with methane), by using NaZSM-5 with highly reduced Brönsted acidity.