MaxDiff Analysis
Stop relying on flat rating scales. MaxDiff (Best-Worst Scaling) creates structured trade-off evidence so teams can review priority signals with appropriate caveats.
Available on Professional and Enterprise plans
Where MaxDiff Helps
Rating scales give you a sea of 4s and 5s. MaxDiff forces real choices, revealing what actually drives decisions.
Feature A: 4.2 / 5
Feature B: 4.1 / 5
Feature C: 4.3 / 5
Result: Everything seems equally important. No clear direction.
Feature A: moderate preference share
Feature B: weaker preference share
Feature C: strongest preference signal
Result: clearer relative priority, with uncertainty still visible.
How MaxDiff Works
Define Your Items
List the 8-20 items you want to prioritize (features, messages, attributes)
Respondents Choose
Each respondent sees subsets of items and picks the best and worst from each set
Algorithm Calculates
Aggregate scores summarize best–worst choices. Review the estimator and readiness flags before interpreting differences.
Get Ranked Results
Review rank ordering, uncertainty, and segment comparisons before making decisions
Popular Use Cases
Feature Prioritization
Compare customers’ stated feature priorities to inform your product backlog
Brand Attribute Ranking
Understand which brand attributes resonate most with your target audience
Message Testing
Find the most compelling marketing messages by forcing trade-offs
Employee Engagement
Identify which workplace factors matter most to your team
Why Teams Use MaxDiff
Makes Trade-offs Visible
Respondents choose best and worst items, helping you compare stated priorities within a study.
Structured Preference Scores
Review aggregate preference scores with base sizes and uncertainty caveats.
Respondent Friendly
Respondents compare small sets and select best/worst instead of ranking the full list.
Fewer Rating-Scale Effects
Best–worst choices avoid differences in rating-scale use. Sampling and task design can still affect results.
Decision Workflow
Screen Items
Remove duplicates and vague choices before fielding.
Review Uncertainty
Check bases, estimator readiness, uncertainty caveats and group comparability.
Translate Carefully
Use preference signals as evidence, not as automatic roadmap orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many items can I include in a MaxDiff study?
The current configuration accepts 3–50 items, with 3–8 per set. Larger lists need adequate task coverage; inspect achieved item exposure before interpreting ranks.
How many respondents do I need?
Required sample size depends on the item set, task design and comparisons you need. Low-base warnings identify limitations; they do not certify precision.
Can I compare results across segments?
Compare separately defined groups only when their item sets, collection and bases support it. Scores from different studies or scales are not automatically comparable.
What's the difference between MaxDiff and conjoint?
MaxDiff tells you relative importance of items (which feature is most important). Conjoint tells you how features trade off with each other (how much more would someone pay for Feature A vs. B). Use MaxDiff for prioritization, conjoint for product configuration and pricing.
MaxDiff is included in Professional
Get MaxDiff plus conjoint, Van Westendorp, and automated text analysis
Go Deeper
What is MaxDiff Analysis?
When to use best-worst scaling, how to design the item list, and how to read the outputs.
Pricing Research Suite
MaxDiff pairs with conjoint and Van Westendorp in one pricing research workflow.
UX & Product Researchers
How research teams use MaxDiff to prioritize features and messages with defensible evidence.
Ready to Prioritize with Confidence?
Start your first MaxDiff study today. No credit card required.