A competitor matrix compares your product with direct and indirect competitors and substitutes on the criteria that weigh on the customer’s choice. Each criterion gets a weight and each name gets a score from 1 to 5; the weighted score sorts the list. The value is not in the final number but in seeing where the product wins, where it loses and which criteria actually tell the options apart.
How to use
- List three to six criteria that weigh on the customer’s choice and give each a weight from 1 to 5.
- List your product (type "Our product"), the competitors and the substitutes.
- Score each name from 1 to 5 on each criterion: column C1 is the first criterion, and so on.
- Read the ranking, your position, the criterion by criterion table and the list of where you win and lose.
- Export as PNG, CSV or Markdown, or create a link to review with the team.
What each field asks for
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Criterion | E.g. price for a small fleet |
| Weight | From 1 to 5. Empty counts as 1. |
| Name | E.g. RouteMax |
| Type | |
| C 1 | Score from 1 to 5 |
| C 2 | Score from 1 to 5 |
| C 3 | Score from 1 to 5 |
| C 4 | Score from 1 to 5 |
| C 5 | Score from 1 to 5 |
| C 6 | Score from 1 to 5 |
Example
A fictional route planner for small hauliers compares itself with two direct competitors and a substitute (spreadsheet and map) on five criteria, with price for a small fleet weighted 5. It comes first, with a weighted score of 4.31, ahead of RouteMax (3.38), FleetPro (3.13) and the spreadsheet (2.25). The reading shows it leads alone on time to build the route, ties on price with the spreadsheet and on delivery note integration with FleetPro, and loses on route optimisation (5 against 3) and support (5 against 3), the points to discuss in the roadmap.
When to use
- When entering a market, to understand who the product competes with and on what.
- Before defining positioning, to find the criterion only you win on.
- In the roadmap review, to see whether the gaps sit on the criteria that weigh most.
- When a new competitor appears and the team needs a quick, explicit comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is a competitor matrix?
It is a table that compares your product with the customer’s alternatives on defined criteria, with scores and weights. It makes explicit what usually stays as loose opinions: who is better at what and how much that matters.
Which criteria should I use?
The ones that weigh on the customer’s decision, not the ones the team finds important. Look for them in interviews, lost-deal reasons and public reviews. Three to six criteria are enough; more than that dilutes the comparison.
How do I set the weights?
Give more weight to what most influences the choice of the segment you want to win. If the team disagrees on weights, run two versions and see whether the ranking changes: that shows how much the conclusion depends on the assumption.
Should I include substitutes?
Yes. A spreadsheet, a manual process or simply doing nothing is often the customer’s main alternative. Ignoring them makes the matrix too optimistic.
Where do the scores come from?
From using the products, customer tests, public reviews and the sales team. Record the source of each score where you can: a score without evidence is an opinion.
What should I do with the result?
Look first at where you lose on high-weight criteria: those are risks for the roadmap or positioning. Then at the criterion only you lead on: it is a candidate point of difference.