Strategy & Planning
Software Comparison Matrix
Compare software options against weighted criteria and get a ranking you can defend.
- Time: 30 to 60 min
- With: The people who will use and pay for the tool
- You get: A ranked shortlist with visible reasoning
How to use this worksheet
- Agree on the criteria before you look at tools: functionality, cost, ease of use, integrations, security, support.
- Give each criterion a weight: bigger number means more important.
- Score each tool per criterion from 1 to 10, ideally after a trial and by more than one person.
- Read the ranking, then change the weights slightly: if the winner changes, discuss your priorities.
Criteria and weights
Higher weight means more important.
Scores
Score each tool from 1 to 10 per criterion.
Trial findings, pricing assumptions, open questions.
Prompts and example
Example
Tool C needs a paid add-on for SSO. Tool A trial ends 12 Nov.
Ranking
Before you finish
- Criteria were agreed before looking at tools.
- Scores come from a trial or demo, not from marketing pages.
- You checked how sensitive the winner is to the weights.
About weighted scoring
A weighted scoring matrix makes selection criteria explicit. Each tool gets a score per criterion, multiplied by the criterion weight and divided by the sum of weights.
It helps most when several people disagree: it moves the discussion from tools to criteria and priorities.