# Competitor Analysis

> Analyze competitive landscape with feature matrices, positioning maps, and strategic gap analysis. Use when asked to analyze competitors, map the competitive landscape, find differentiation, or evaluate alternatives to a product.

- Skill: `assimovt/competitor-analysis` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add assimovt/competitor-analysis`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/assimovt/competitor-analysis/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: assimovt (https://skillmd.com/u/assimovt)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/assimovt/competitor-analysis

---


Analyze competitors to find positioning gaps, not to copy features. The goal is to understand where alternatives fail your ICP so you can win on what matters to them.

## Identify All Alternatives

List every alternative your ICP considers. Three categories:

1. **Direct competitors:** Products that solve the same problem for the same audience.
2. **Indirect competitors:** Products that solve the problem differently or serve an adjacent audience.
3. **Non-consumption:** "Do nothing" and "manual workaround" (spreadsheets, email, hiring someone). ALWAYS include these — they're often the biggest competitor.

## Feature Matrix

Build a comparison table focused on what YOUR ICP cares about, not every feature that exists.

| Capability | Your Product | Competitor A | Competitor B | Manual Workaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [ICP-relevant capability] | How you do it | How they do it | How they do it | How people hack it |

Rate each: Strong / Adequate / Weak / Missing. Don't use checkmarks — they hide nuance. Include pricing model in the matrix — it constrains product decisions.

Example row:
| Real-time collaboration | Strong (live cursors) | Weak (polling-based) | Missing | Google Docs + Slack — Adequate | **So what:** Their users are duct-taping two tools; our strength is their pain point.

## Positioning Map

Plot competitors on two axes that matter to your ICP. Choose axes where you can credibly win at least one.

Common axis pairs:
- Ease of use vs Power/flexibility
- Speed to value vs Depth of solution
- Price vs Completeness
- Self-serve vs White-glove

The empty quadrant is your opportunity. If no quadrant is empty, you need a different framing.

Example (project management tools, ICP = small remote teams):
```
                    Powerful
                       |
            Jira ------+------ Linear
                       |
  Easy ----------------+---------------- Hard
                       |
     Trello -----------+------ Asana
                       |
                    Simple
```
Empty quadrant: Powerful + Easy. That's the opportunity.

## Strategic Gap Analysis

For each competitor, answer:

1. **Who do they serve best?** (Their ICP vs yours)
2. **Where are they overserving?** (Features their users don't need — signals bloat)
3. **Where are they underserving?** (Complaints, missing features, workarounds their users build)
4. **What would make their users switch?** (The trigger event + unmet need)

## Guidelines

- CRITICAL: ALWAYS include "do nothing" and "manual workaround" as competitors. For most startups, inertia is the primary competitor.
- NEVER just list features. Analyze positioning, strategic choices, and gaps.
- ALWAYS focus on your ICP's needs, not the broadest possible comparison.
- NEVER copy competitor features without understanding why they built them and whether your ICP needs them.
- ALWAYS note competitor pricing and business model — these constrain their product decisions.
- NEVER present a feature matrix without strategic implications. "So what?" is the question every row should answer.

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*Skills from [productskills](https://github.com/assimovt/productskills).*