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Free Competitive Matrix Feature Comparison Chart

Blog Author: Productside Marketing

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The competitive matrix feature comparison chart (Excel template file) allow you to create a competitive matrix chart for use inside or outside of your company. Read our previous post about the Top Ten Product Launch Mistakes. This template is included in the of the Product Launch Toolkit™.

The Competitive Matrix Comparison Chart Is Included In Our Free Resources

Competitive Matrix Feature Comparison Chart: Step-by-Step Guide

  • Insert your product’s category name at the top of the “Competitive Feature Matrix” sheet.
  • Insert your product’s name in column C, row 3.
  • Insert your competitor’s product names in columns D through N in row 3.
  • Group your features into categories. Enter the category name and the top 3 features for each category.
  • Make sure the categories go from strongest to weakest in terms of top to bottom of the page.
  • Copy the filled in, empty and grey squares from the legend and paste them into the squares as appropriate.
  • Make sure you fill this in using the strongest possible spin for your product while still remaining credible

Note:

You may wish to fill in the squares using a rating scale (i.e. three solid boxes is better than one solid box). This approach provides a visual picture implying a stronger relative ranking.

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Productside Marketing

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Frequently Asked Questions

A competitive matrix feature comparison chart is a visual tool used to compare your product against competitors across key features and categories. It helps teams clearly see relative strengths, weaknesses, and differentiation. Product managers and marketers use it internally for strategy and externally to support positioning, sales enablement, and launch planning.
A competitive feature matrix helps product managers prioritize features, validate positioning, and understand where their product stands in the market. By grouping features into meaningful categories and ranking competitors visually, teams can align roadmap decisions with market expectations and identify gaps or advantages that influence customer buying decisions.
A competitive matrix should be created early in the product launch process and refined as launch approaches. It informs messaging, pricing, and feature emphasis while ensuring the team understands competitive dynamics. Using it before launch helps avoid positioning mistakes and ensures sales and marketing communicate credible, differentiated value.
Best practices include grouping features into clear categories, ordering them from strongest to weakest, and using consistent, credible scoring across competitors. The goal is to highlight differentiation honestly without exaggeration. A well-constructed matrix balances persuasive storytelling with accuracy to maintain trust with internal teams and customers.
Yes, a competitive matrix can be used externally when carefully framed for sales or customer-facing conversations. When adapted appropriately, it helps buyers understand trade-offs and reinforces your product’s strengths. However, externally shared versions should be simplified and positioned as informative rather than overtly promotional to maintain credibility.

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