Key Takeaways

  1. B2B SaaS growth slowed to 11% CAGR in 2026, so competitor benchmarking now directly supports efficiency and Rule of 40 compliance.
  2. A free downloadable template walks you through a 6-step analysis: competitor ID, business overview, features and pricing, GTM tactics, SWOT, and conquest planning.
  3. You can uncover pricing gaps, feature advantages, and high-intent keywords like “[rival] pricing” that lower CAC and increase ARR.
  4. A quarterly refresh using tools like Ahrefs and Similarweb keeps your insights current as the market shifts.
  5. Ready to execute today, not six months from now, book a discovery call with SaaSHero for proven campaign execution and 650% ROI.

Context Before You Start Your Analysis

Set yourself up with Google Sheets or Excel, a list of 3-5 direct competitors, and a working grasp of ARR, CAC, and churn. Competitor conquesting targets high-intent keywords such as “[rival] pricing” or “[competitor] alternatives” so you reach buyers who already compare options. GTM analysis reviews advertising channels, positioning, and acquisition tactics to show where competitors win deals.

Plan for 30 minutes to set up the template and about 1 hour for a full first pass. Companies with AI deeply incorporated into products grow 70% faster in the $1-5M ARR range, so feature comparison in 2026 directly affects your competitive position.

Six-Part Framework For SaaS Competitor Analysis

This 6-step framework breaks down competitor strategy into clear, repeatable pieces. The steps cover competitor identification, business overview comparison, features and pricing, GTM and marketing tactics, SWOT using reviews, and a conquest opportunity map. Each step feeds the next so you can make confident decisions on pricing, roadmap priorities, and paid acquisition.

Step

Focus Area

Key Output

1

Competitor ID

Target list with funding and ARR estimates

2

Business Overview

Market positioning comparison

3

Features/Pricing

Competitive pricing matrix

4

GTM/Marketing

Channel strategy analysis

5

SWOT/Reviews

Strengths and weaknesses mapping

6

Conquest Plan

Keyword targeting strategy

Download Links: Excel Template | Google Sheets | PowerPoint | Word | PDF

Step-by-Step Instructions For Using The Template

Step 1: Build Your Competitor Shortlist

Start by listing direct competitors that serve your target market with similar products. Run Google searches for your core keywords, review industry reports, and scan G2 or Capterra category pages. Include funded startups and established vendors, so you see both emerging threats and entrenched leaders.

Competitor

Estimated ARR

Last Funding

Source

Competitor A

$5M-10M

Series A $15M

Crunchbase

Competitor B

$1M-3M

Seed $2M

Industry report

Competitor C

$20M+

Series B $40M

Public filings

Competitor D

$500K-1M

Bootstrap

LinkedIn research

Step 2: Capture Each Competitor’s Business Profile

Document core positioning, target segments, and market focus for every competitor. This snapshot becomes the base for later steps and highlights positioning gaps you can claim.

Metric

Competitor 1

Competitor 2

Competitor 3

Target Audience

Enterprise HR

SMB Operations

Mid-market Finance

G2 Score

4.3/5 (127 reviews)

4.1/5 (89 reviews)

4.5/5 (203 reviews)

Employee Count

150-200

25-50

300-500

Geographic Focus

North America

Global

US + EU

Step 3: Compare Features And Pricing Tiers

Map each product’s feature set against its pricing tiers so you can see clear value gaps. Usage-based pricing models yield 10% higher net revenue retention and 22% lower churn, so hybrid pricing details matter for 2026 planning.

Feature/Pricing Tier

Your Product

Competitor A

Competitor B

Starter Plan

$29/user/month

$39/user/month

$25/user/month

AI-Powered Analytics

✓ (Pro tier)

✓ (Enterprise only)

✗

API Access

✓ (All plans)

✓ (Pro+)

✓ (Enterprise)

Usage-Based Add-ons

$0.10/transaction

Fixed pricing

$0.15/transaction

Step 4: Analyze GTM Channels And Marketing Tactics

Review each competitor’s marketing channels, keyword themes, and acquisition tactics to see where they spend and win. PPC intelligence reveals competitors’ Google Ads strategies, ad copy, bidding keywords, and estimated monthly spend, which exposes specific conquest targets.

See exactly what your top competitors are doing on paid search and social

Marketing Channel

Target Keywords

Estimated CAC

Monthly Spend

Google Ads

“HR software”, “employee management”

$150-200

$15K-25K

LinkedIn Ads

Job titles: HR Director, CHRO

$300-400

$10K-15K

Content Marketing

“HR best practices”, “compliance guide”

$50-75

$5K-8K

Partner Channel

HRIS integrations

$100-150

Revenue share

If your template reveals clear gaps, SaaSHero can turn them into live conquest campaigns with 650% ROI. Book a discovery call to turn this analysis into a pipeline.

Step 5: Run A SWOT Using Real Customer Reviews

Combine G2, Capterra, and forum reviews to map strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for each competitor. This view uncovers messaging angles and feature gaps that you can highlight in campaigns and sales calls.

SWOT Element

Competitor A

Competitor B

Competitor C

Strengths

Strong enterprise features

Simple UI, fast setup

Comprehensive integrations

Weaknesses

Complex pricing, slow support

Limited reporting

Expensive for SMBs

Opportunities

SMB market expansion

Enterprise feature gaps

International markets

Threats

New AI-native competitors

Feature commoditization

Economic downturn impact

Step 6: Build Your Competitor Conquest Keyword Plan

Create a keyword plan that targets buyers who research your competitors by name. Prioritize modifiers such as “pricing,” “alternatives,” and “vs [your brand]” so you reach prospects in active evaluation.

Keyword Type

Examples

Negative Keywords

Landing Page Focus

Pricing Intent

“[competitor] pricing”, “cost”

“free”, “trial”

Pricing comparison

Alternative Seeking

“[competitor] alternatives”

Brand name only

Feature comparison

Problem/Complaint

“[competitor] problems”, “issues”

“support”, “help”

Solution-focused

Comparison

“[competitor] vs [your brand]”

Unrelated products

Head-to-head analysis

How To Measure And Validate Conquest Performance

Track performance with keyword ranking gains, CAC changes, and pipeline attribution from conquest traffic. Aim for 10 or more ranking position improvements on target terms and a 20% CAC reduction against your baseline. Maintain LTV:CAC ratios of 3-5x for sustainable unit economics. Use Google Sheets formulas for competitive scoring and connect HubSpot for attribution.

Refresh your analysis every quarter so you catch pricing changes, feature launches, and new entrants. Watch funding news and product announcements that signal shifts in strategy and adjust your plan accordingly.

Advanced Ways To Extend This Framework

Level up your analysis with Similarweb for traffic data and Ahrefs for keyword gaps. Pair those insights with conversion rate audits so your conquest landing pages convert the traffic you win. Advanced teams can automate monitoring through APIs and alerts that flag major changes.

Connect these findings to revenue operations by tying competitor weaknesses to sales objection handling and customer success playbooks. This shift turns a static spreadsheet into a living competitive intelligence system that supports marketing, sales, and CS.

Summary And Practical Next Steps

This competitor analysis template gives you a clear base for data-backed positioning and conquest campaigns. Next, fill in competitor data, pick your top three positioning gaps, launch focused conquest campaigns, and set a quarterly review rhythm. SaaSHero’s flat-fee model at $1,250+ per month has already driven outcomes such as TripMaster’s $504K ARR growth.

TripMaster adds $504,758 in Net New ARR in One Year
TripMaster adds $504,758 in Net New ARR in One Year

Download every template format and pair it with SaaSHero’s execution support. Book a discovery call and turn competitor analysis into measurable revenue growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I download and customize the Excel template?

Use the Google Drive links above to access Excel, Google Sheets, PowerPoint, Word, and PDF versions. The Excel file includes pre-built formulas for competitive scoring and accepts your own industry metrics and competitor list. Replace the placeholder data with your research and adjust weights as needed.

Can this template be adapted for specific verticals like HR Tech?

The framework works across B2B SaaS categories with light customization. For HR Tech, emphasize compliance features, payroll and HRIS integrations, and employee experience metrics. TestGorilla’s results show how vertical-specific benchmarks can support investor confidence and sharpen positioning.

How quickly can I expect results from competitor conquest campaigns?

You usually see initial data within 2-4 weeks and clearer conversion trends by the second month. SaaSHero clients often reach 80-day payback periods when they pair deep competitor analysis with expert campaign build and management. The template gives you the intelligence you need for fast deployment.

How does this integrate with SaaSHero’s services?

This template acts as the strategy layer for SaaSHero’s conquest execution. Our flat-fee retainer starts at $1,250 per month with no long-term contracts and focuses on Net New ARR, not vanity metrics. We turn your competitor insights into focused landing pages and tightly targeted ad campaigns.

SaaS Hero: The client-friendly SaaS marketing agency that proves pipeline
SaaS Hero: The client-friendly SaaS marketing agency that proves pipeline

What’s the difference between direct and indirect competitors in this analysis?

Direct competitors sell similar solutions to the same customer segments. Indirect competitors solve the same problem in a different way or serve adjacent markets. Include both types in your template. Direct competitors guide pricing and feature decisions, while indirect competitors highlight expansion paths and alternative threats.