Comparison tables used to market products summarize and compare the key features, specs, or characteristics of different products in a structured and easy-to-understand format, helping readers make informed purchasing decisions.
These tables can also be used to allow visitors to see a product's features, specifications, or performance metrics side-by-side against competing products or alternative offerings on the same site. These type of tables are a common feature in “versus” articles: articles designed to compare a product with competing offerings.
Well-designed comparison tables aim to enable visitors to quickly scan and analyze the key differences that matter most in making an informed decision.
Best practices for effective comparison tables include:
- Limit tables to compare only distinctly comparable models or products, 4-8 maximum. Too many becomes overwhelming.
- Allow for sorting and filtering of attributes and metrics that matter most to the visitor task.
- Use concise but recognizable column headings, include definitions if terminology may be unfamiliar.
- Present quantitative metrics first, with the most decisive factors in making a decision closest to the product names.
- Keep background simple with good color contrast between text/numbers and background.
Following these established UX principles for comparison tables helps visitors efficiently find and compare the factors and figures relevant to choosing the right product.