Module 02 · 25 min
How to run a competitor analysis
A useful analysis follows a short process: know your goals, know who you are comparing, collect the same points for each app, then write a summary that can convince a teammate or stakeholder.
- 01Goals
- 02Competitors
- 03Compare
- 04Summarise
Step 1 — Understand your goals
Keep your product goals in front of you while you analyse. Refer back to them so you do not collect random facts that never affect the design.
Step 2 — Know your competitors
Direct competitors do what your app does already — same kind of product or service. Example for a Bazaar shopping app: Flipkart.
Indirect competitors offer something similar, even if it is not their main focus. Example for Bazaar: Myntra.
Common points to capture
Use the same checklist for every app so the comparison is fair.
- App description
- Ratings on the app store
- Target audience — age, gender, location, income
- Product categories
- Common features
- Unique features
- Look and feel — design and aesthetic
- Usability — easy or difficult to use, and where
Step 4 — Analyse and summarise
Write a short summary of what you found and what impact it has on your design. Use that summary to argue for a change or for innovation with teammates and stakeholders.
Example: Bazaar competitor report
Here is a sample comparison table for a practice shopping app. Fill a similar table for your own topic from Module 1.