A simple framework for comparing products
Score options objectively instead of trusting your gut.
Weight each criterion by importance, score every option 1-5, and let the totals — not marketing — pick the winner.
A good comparison is just a weighted scorecard. Strip away the marketing and you are left with one question: which option scores highest on the things that matter to you? Build the scorecard once and the decision makes itself.
Pick four to six criteria
Choose only the criteria that actually change your outcome — price, support, the one integration you need, the learning curve. More than six and everything blurs; fewer than four and you are deciding on vibes. If you are unsure which belong on the list, start from your own needs the way choosing a tool lays out.
Weight what matters
Not every criterion is equal. Give each a weight — say, 1 to 3 — so a win on price does not quietly outweigh a deal-breaker on support. The weights are where your priorities become explicit instead of accidental.
Score and total
Rate each option 1 to 5 on every criterion, multiply by the weight, and add it up. The totals decide, not the brand you already liked. This is exactly the structure behind a finished Product A vs Product B comparison: the facts sit in a table, scored the same way for both sides.
Sanity-check the winner
If the math picks an option that feels wrong, do not overrule it — interrogate it. Usually either a weight is off or a criterion is missing. Fix the scorecard, not the result. Run the same method across a whole category and you have a ranking.