Competitor analysis template: framework, table and example
A free competitor analysis template for marketing teams: a table for positioning, pricing, channels, offers, creative themes, strengths and weaknesses, a five-step framework and a guide to filling it from public ad libraries. Download the CSV and add one column per competitor.
A competitor analysis template is a table that compares your brand with three to five rivals on the same dimensions: positioning, pricing, channels, offers, creative themes, strengths and weaknesses. This free template lists each dimension, where to find the evidence in public sources, and a filled example. Download the CSV and add one column per competitor.
Competitor analysis table template
Fill one column per competitor, plus one for your own brand, so the gaps are easy to spot.
| Dimension | What to capture | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Who they serve and their one-line promise | Homepage headline, About page, app store listing |
| Target audience | Segments, markets and languages they focus on | Ad libraries filtered by country, language versions of the site |
| Pricing | Plans, price points, minimums, free trials | Pricing page, checkout, marketplace listings |
| Offers | Discounts, bundles, guarantees, seasonal sales | Ad libraries, site banners, email sign-up |
| Channels | Which paid and organic channels they use | Ad libraries, social profiles, search results |
| Creative themes | Recurring hooks, formats, visuals and claims | Ad libraries, saved by theme |
| Proof | Reviews, ratings, case studies, client logos | Review sites, app stores, case study pages |
| Strengths | What they do better than you | Positive reviews, notes from lost deals |
| Weaknesses | Complaints and gaps | Negative reviews, social replies, support forums |
| Opportunity | The gap you will go after | Your conclusion from the rows above |
How to fill it in with public sources
- Meta Ad Library: Meta's Transparency Center says "people can search for all active ads running across products from Meta." Search each competitor, filter by country and log offers and formats.
- Google Ads Transparency Center: Google describes it as "a searchable repository of advertisers and the ads they've served on Google platforms like Search, Display, Gmail, and YouTube." Google's help page says you can search by advertiser or website name and filter by date and targeted location.
- TikTok Creative Center Top Ads: TikTok calls it "a collection of high-performing creatives," filterable by region, industry and campaign objective. Its help page says all featured ads "are authorized by advertisers," so treat it as a guide to category patterns, not a full list of a rival's ads.
- LinkedIn Ad Library: for B2B rivals. LinkedIn says you can search by advertiser, keyword, country or date range, and ads stay listed for one year after their last impression.
- Websites and reviews: pricing pages, app store listings and review sites show positioning, price and the complaints that become your opportunity.
Libraries show what competitors run, not how well it performs. An ad that keeps running for months is worth noting, but it is a signal, not proof.
Competitor analysis framework: from table to decisions
- Pick three to five competitors: two direct rivals, one alternative your buyers use instead and one brand you aspire to.
- Fill each cell with evidence: paste links or screenshots, not opinions.
- Score: rate each competitor from 1 to 5 on the dimensions your buyers care about most.
- Find the gap: look for an audience, message, channel or offer nobody owns.
- Decide: write one positioning change, one channel test and one offer test, each with an owner and a date.
Competitor analysis example (illustrative)
A fictional Dubai skincare brand compared with two fictional rivals.
| Dimension | Your brand | Rival A | Rival B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Skincare made for Gulf heat | Imported luxury | Budget pharmacy brand |
| Pricing | Mid-range | Premium | Low |
| Channels | Instagram, TikTok | Instagram, Snapchat, Google Search | Google Shopping, marketplaces |
| Offers | Bundles | Gift with purchase | Constant discounts |
| Creative themes | Ingredient education | Celebrities, unboxing | Price, before and after |
| Strengths | Clear climate story | Awareness | Distribution |
| Weaknesses | Low awareness | Price | Reviews mention irritation |
Opportunity: neither rival talks about heat and humidity, so the brand tests Arabic and English creator videos on that theme, plus a summer bundle.
How Grower helps
Grower's AI marketing planner drafts the market and competitive landscape, brand and positioning strategy, industry trends and competitor intelligence from your brand, and your team refines it. Pair it with our buyer persona template to match each gap to an audience.
Frequently asked questions
What should a competitor analysis include?
At minimum: positioning, target audience, pricing, offers, channels, creative themes, proof, strengths and weaknesses, plus the opportunity you take from them. Each cell should link to evidence such as an ad, a pricing page or a review. End with decisions, not just observations: what you will change in your message, channels and offers.
How many competitors should you analyze?
Three to five is enough for most teams. Include two direct rivals, one alternative buyers use instead, which can be a spreadsheet or an agency, and one brand you admire in another market. More than five turns into research nobody acts on, and fewer can miss the option your buyers actually compare you with.
Can you see a competitor's ad spend?
Usually not for ordinary commercial ads. The public libraries show the ads themselves, with filters such as country and date. Meta adds spend and reach for ads about social issues, elections or politics. For commercial rivals, estimate effort from the number of active ads, formats, markets and how often creative changes.
How often should you update a competitor analysis?
Refresh the full table every quarter and check the ad libraries monthly. Also review it before big seasons such as Ramadan or White Friday, when competitors change offers and creative, and whenever a rival launches, raises prices or enters your market. Keep dated screenshots so you can see how their positioning shifts.
Want competitor intelligence built into your marketing plan? Book a Grower demo for a live walkthrough with a specialist, tailored to your channels.