ScoutBriefSaaS Competitive Analysis Template (With Example)
By Rijad Mujić · Published 2026-09-23 · Updated 2026-10-05
A generic competitor analysis template asks about pricing and positioning and calls it done. SaaS competes on a few things that template misses entirely: how pricing scales with usage, how hard it is to switch away once someone's in, and what happens after the free trial. Here's a version built around those.
If you haven't done a competitor analysis before, start with the general guide first. This post assumes you already know who your competitors are and builds on top of that process.
What to add on top of the basics
- Pricing model, not just price: per-seat, usage-based, flat tiers? A competitor at "double your price" can still be cheaper for a small team if they charge per seat and you charge flat. Write down the model, not just the number on the pricing page.
- Where the free tier or trial cuts off: this tells you what they consider "core" versus "upsell." It's usually the single clearest signal of how a competitor thinks about their own product.
- Switching cost: how painful is it to leave once someone's set up? Data export, integrations, historical records. High switching cost is a real competitive advantage that a feature list won't show you.
- Integration ecosystem: for a lot of B2B SaaS, "does it connect to what I already use" matters more than any single feature.
- Churn signals: public complaints about broken integrations, slow support, or a recent price hike are often the earliest sign a competitor is vulnerable. G2 and Capterra reviews, sorted by most recent, are the fastest way to find these.
The template
One row per competitor, these columns, and keep each cell to a line. The example column is illustrative, not a real company.
| Column | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Competitor | Name and website | Competitor A |
| Target customer | Who they're built for | Agencies with 10 to 50 staff |
| Pricing model | Per seat, usage-based or flat tiers, and the entry price | Per seat, $12 per user a month |
| Free tier or trial | What's included and where it stops | 14-day trial, no free plan |
| Core features | The three to five your buyers care about | Timesheets, invoicing, client portal |
| Integrations | The ones your buyers ask about | Slack, QuickBooks, Google Drive |
| Switching cost | How hard it is to leave | CSV export only, no API |
| Churn signals | Recent complaints in reviews | Slow support since a price rise |
| Your angle | Where you can win against them | Flat price for teams under 10 |
Prefer a spreadsheet? The free competitor analysis template for Excel and Google Sheets has the general columns; add the SaaS ones above.
Where SaaS-specific research actually happens
- G2 / Capterra / TrustRadius: recent reviews, sorted newest first, for both praise and complaints.
- Their changelog or release notes: tells you what they're actively investing in right now, not a year ago.
- Job postings: a competitor hiring three "growth" roles and zero engineers tells you something different than the reverse.
- Their pricing page's history: the Wayback Machine (web.archive.org) shows you how a competitor's pricing has changed over time, which is often more informative than the current snapshot alone.
To see what a filled-in version looks like, here's a sample SaaS report.
Common questions
What should a SaaS competitive analysis include?
Beyond positioning and price: the pricing model (per seat, usage or flat), where the free tier or trial stops, switching cost, integrations, and churn signals from recent reviews.
Where do I find information about SaaS competitors?
Their pricing page and its history on the Wayback Machine, G2 and Capterra reviews sorted by newest, their changelog, and their job postings.
How many SaaS competitors should I analyse?
Three to five direct competitors in depth, plus the spreadsheet or manual process your buyers use today, which is often the biggest competitor of all.
Keep reading
- How to Do Competitor Analysis with ChatGPT (and Its Limits)Prompts that work for competitor research, the mistakes AI chatbots make, and how to check their answers.
- Competitive Analysis Section of a Business PlanThe competitive analysis section is where a lot of business plans get vague. Here's what to include instead.
- Ecommerce Competitor Analysis: How to Research Online StoresPricing, shipping, returns, reviews and ads: what to compare when you sell online, and how to find your edge.
Looking for advice for your trade? Competitor analysis by industry →