How-to guide
Competitive landscape analysis compares the options a defined buyer can actually choose, including direct rivals and substitutes. Set the buyer, use case and market boundary; gather the same facts for each option; then write the decision the evidence changes. Use the free matrix below to make that comparison checkable.
Workspace
Write the buyer and decision first. Replace the illustrative rows with your offer, relevant direct rivals and a substitute. The manual editor is free; an optional AI draft requires sign-in and credits and must be verified.
Enter 2–10 options or actors. AI organizes them into a comparison matrix. Suggestions and scores are unverified hypotheses. The manual editor on this page is free.
Names and notes are sent to the configured AI provider. Do not enter confidential information or personal names.
Example labels are placeholders. Add your evidence before sharing a conclusion.
Method
Define one buyer, use case, geography and time frame. Shortlist the options that buyer would consider, including a different way to solve the same problem.
Compare the same customer, offer, price, strengths and limits for every option. Add a source and checked date; mark unavailable facts unknown rather than guessing.
Write one implication you can test with customers or sales evidence, assign a review trigger, and export the CSV before presenting the landscape.
Illustrative example: for an operations manager selecting a scheduling workflow, compare two software vendors and a spreadsheet process. If setup time appears decisive, ask buyers to rank it before treating it as a product opportunity.
Make the first draft useful
Start with a segment and purchase situation, not a list of famous brands. The U.S. SBA frames competition by product or service and market segment, including indirect rivals. UK government guidance also recommends looking beyond obvious leaders to direct, indirect, local and regional options.
U.S. SBA: competitive setUse common fields for each option: buyer, offer, price, sales channel and a buyer-relevant difference. Check official pricing and published accounts where available; record the source and date. If a price is quote-only, say so rather than inventing a number.
business.gov.uk: pricing and positioning sourcesA sparse cell in your matrix or map only shows what you recorded. Before changing strategy, ask prospective buyers whether the missing option solves a problem they value, and separate observed customer perception from your own positioning claim.
HBS Online: buyer attributes and perceptual mapsChoose by the question
| Map type | Choose it when… | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape matrix | You need a checkable comparison of buyer alternatives and the evidence behind each row. | Use the free matrix above |
| Perceptual map | You have customer evidence for two attributes and need to visualize perceived positions. | HBS Online method |
| Industry-level analysis | Your decision depends on entry barriers, substitutes, suppliers or customer bargaining power beyond a firm-by-firm table. | U.S. SBA market-analysis guidance |
Common question
Set a review date that matches your decision cycle, then revisit sooner when a rival launches, a price changes or buyers mention a new substitute. Keep the checked date beside each row so readers know which facts may have aged.
Explore the competitive-landscape workspaceKeep exploring
Compare your offer with direct rivals and substitutes in a free editable template. Record pricing, strengths, sources and checked dates, then download a CSV.
Compare competitors side by side, turn observations into a decision, and export your working matrix.
Map the competitive landscape around one buyer decision. Compare direct rivals, substitutes and manual options in a free, editable matrix with CSV export.
Prepare a concise, evidence-led overview of the alternatives a buyer considers.