Your shortlist.
Your priorities.
Compare two software options against the work your team actually needs to do. Set the importance, record the evidence and take a useful scorecard to your next discussion.
How the weighted score works
For each product, the score is 100 × sum(importance × rating) ÷ (5 × sum of importance). The maximum is 100. Both products use the same criteria and weights. A zero means the product does not meet that criterion; an unknown rating stays blank and prevents an overall score.
A two-criterion example
Suppose workflow fit has importance 5 and export has importance 3. Product 1 scores 4 and 2: its weighted points are (5 × 4) + (3 × 2) = 26 out of a possible 40, or 65/100. Product 2 scores 3 and 5: (5 × 3) + (3 × 5) = 30 out of 40, or 75/100. These are invented ratings explaining the arithmetic, not results for real products.
If Product 2 fails a required permission check, its 75 does not remove that blocker. Record why it failed, whether a different retained plan fixes it, and what the revised quote would cost before continuing.
Collect evidence before assigning a rating
Use the same small, authorised workflow in both products. For a CRM, import synthetic contacts, assign a follow-up and export the result. For a support inbox, test ownership, a private note and a handover. For an automation platform, include a failed step, a retry and the usage record. Keep the plan name, date, screenshot or export reference with each rating.
Involve the people who will operate the software. Ask each to perform the same task, then discuss differences in their scores. A demonstration by a vendor can identify capabilities; it does not establish that your team can run the workflow with the permissions and plan you intend to buy.
Test whether the decision depends on one assumption
After completing a scorecard, change one disputed weight or rating and observe the totals. If the order changes easily, investigate that assumption instead of treating a small numerical gap as decisive. Keep a copy of the original assessment so your team can explain what changed.
Cost needs its own model. A rating of 4 for affordability does not replace the number of seats, usage, onboarding fees and renewal terms in a real quote. Use the software cost calculator alongside the scorecard and record any unpriced dependency.
Keep the shortlist connected to the research
Start with the software categories, read a detailed comparison, then agree your evaluation brief with the software buying checklist. The scorecard records your judgement after that work; it does not supply product facts or third-party reviews.
Scorecard questions
How do I calculate a weighted software comparison score?
Multiply each rating by its importance, add those products, then divide by five times the total importance and multiply by 100. This tool uses ratings from zero to five and importance from one to five.
What happens when a rating is unknown?
Leave it unassessed. The tool shows assessment coverage and withholds both overall scores until every criterion has a rating for both products. Unknown does not mean zero.
Can a higher score override a failed requirement?
No. A must-have check remains a separate blocker. A high weighted score does not establish that a product meets security, export, integration or other mandatory requirements.
Are these SoftwareRadar product ratings?
No. The scorecard uses your own priorities, ratings and evidence. It does not contain vendor review scores or automatically recommend a winner.
Is the scorecard saved to my account?
No. Entries remain in this browser tab and are lost on reload. Download a CSV copy to keep the ratings, evidence and calculation.