Decision Matrix Maker | Free Weighted Scoring Tool

What is a weighted decision matrix?

A decision matrix turns a hard choice into a clear ranking. List your options and the criteria that matter, give each criterion a weight, score every option, and the tool calculates a weighted score out of 10, ranks the options and shows how much each criterion contributed. Price, commute or risk can be marked ‘lower is better’ so you can score raw amounts. Not sure how to weight things? Compare criteria two at a time and let the tool turn your answers into weights. A robustness check shows whether the winner survives if a weight changes, and a Pugh matrix mode compares everything against a baseline. Start from templates for job offers, cars, laptops, homes, vendors, hires or universities, save several decisions and share any of them with a link.

A weighted decision matrix (also called a decision grid, weighted scoring model or prioritisation matrix) compares options against several criteria at once. Each criterion gets a weight for how much it matters, each option gets a score on each criterion, and multiplying and adding gives every option a single comparable number. It doesn't make the decision for you, but it forces you to name what matters, stops one vivid factor from dominating, and makes your reasoning easy to explain to someone else.

Features

Weighted scoring matrix with 0–10 or 0–5 scores and weights from 0 to 10
Pugh matrix mode: ++ / + / S / − / −− against a baseline option you choose
“Lower is better” criteria for price, cost, commute, risk and effort
Pairwise comparison helper that converts “which matters more?” answers into weights
Recommended choice with the winning margin and a plain-language verdict
Ranking bars split by criterion, so you see why an option won
Radar chart comparing the top three options
Robustness check: how far each weight can move before the winner changes
Heat-coloured score grid with a sticky first column on mobile
Pros, cons and notes for every option
Seven templates: job offer, car, laptop, place to live, vendor, candidate, university
Multiple saved decisions, duplicate and rename
Share link, CSV, print / PDF, JSON export and import, undo on delete
Free and private: saved in your browser

How to use Decision Matrix

1
Start a decision
Name it, or pick a template like “Which job offer should I take?” to start with sensible criteria.
2
List your options
Add every choice you're considering, including “do nothing” or “stay as I am” if that's realistic.
3
Add criteria and weights
Add what matters and drag each weight slider. Mark costs such as price or commute as “lower is better”.
4
Weigh by comparing (optional)
Press “Weigh by comparing” and pick the more important criterion in each pair; the tool sets weights from your answers.
5
Score every option
Fill in the grid. Colours show strong and weak scores at a glance.
6
Read the result
Check the recommended choice, what each criterion contributed, the radar chart and whether the winner is stable.
7
Share or save
Copy a share link, export CSV or JSON, or print the matrix. Try Pugh mode for a quick comparison against a baseline.

Common use cases

Choosing between job offers on salary, growth, commute and culture
Buying a car, laptop, phone or house with several trade-offs
Vendor and software selection for a team
Hiring decisions with consistent criteria across candidates
Picking a university, course or city to move to
Product and engineering teams comparing design options (Pugh matrix)
Group decisions where everyone scores the same shared matrix

Detailed guide

How the score is calculated

Weights are normalised to percentages, so their absolute values don't matter, only their ratios. Each score is converted to a 0–1 value (inverted for ‘lower is better’ criteria), multiplied by its weight share and summed into a score out of 10. A worked example for one job offer:

Criterion	Weight	Share	Score (0–10)	Contribution
Salary	9	36%	8	2.88
Growth	8	32%	6	1.92
Commute (lower is better)	4	16%	3 → counts as 7	1.12
Culture	4	16%	9	1.44
Total	25	100%		7.36 / 10

Choosing weights without guessing

Rating every criterion from 1 to 10 at once is hard. Comparing two at a time is easy: is salary more important than commute? The pairwise helper asks exactly that for every pair, counts the wins (a tie counts as half for each), and scales the result to weights from 1 to 10. It's a lightweight version of the pairwise comparison used in the Analytic Hierarchy Process, and it usually produces weights people trust more.

Is the winner robust?

A close result can flip if one weight is slightly off. The robustness panel varies each criterion's weight from zero to three times its current value, keeping everything else fixed, and shows the range where the current winner stays on top. A green ‘stable’ label means no reasonable change to that weight alters the outcome; a ‘sensitive’ label tells you exactly which option takes over and at what weight, a good prompt to double-check that score or weight before deciding.

Weighted matrix or Pugh matrix?

Both are standard decision tools; they suit different moments:

	Weighted scoring	Pugh matrix
Scores	Absolute 0–10 (or 0–5) per option	Relative to a baseline: −2 to +2
Best for	Final choices with measurable criteria	Early concept selection, quick comparisons
Result	Score out of 10 per option	Weighted sum of better/worse, with + and − counts
Tip	Mark costs as lower-is-better	Try a different baseline to confirm the result

Related decision tools

When the question is what to do first rather than which option to pick, use a prioritisation matrix instead.

Priority Matrix (impact vs effort, RICE, ICE)Eisenhower Matrix Picker Wheel

Frequently asked questions

What is a decision matrix?

A table that compares options against several criteria. Each criterion is weighted by importance, each option is scored on each criterion, and the weighted totals rank the options.

How is the weighted score calculated?

Weights are converted to percentages of the total, each score is scaled to 0–1 (inverted for “lower is better” criteria), multiplied by its weight share and summed into a score out of 10.

How do I handle price or cost, where lower is better?

Toggle the criterion to “Lower is better” and score the raw amount: a high price gets a high number, and the tool counts it against the option.

How should I choose the weights?

Drag each slider, or press “Weigh by comparing” and pick the more important criterion in each pair. Your answers become weights from 1 to 10.

What does the robustness check show?

It varies each weight from 0× to 3× and shows the range where the winner stays the same. “Sensitive” means a realistic weight change would make another option win.

What is a Pugh matrix?

A concept-selection method that compares every option with a baseline on each criterion: much better (++), better (+), same (S), worse (−) or much worse (−−), multiplied by the weights.

Is there a decision matrix template?

Yes: templates for a job offer, car, laptop, place to live, vendor or software, job candidate and university, each with criteria and weights you can edit.

Can I compare more than three options?

Yes. Add as many options and criteria as you need; the grid scrolls sideways on small screens with the option names pinned.

Can I save more than one decision?

Yes. Every decision is saved in your browser and you can switch, duplicate, rename and delete them.

How do I share my decision matrix?

Share copies a link that opens the exact matrix for anyone. You can also export CSV for Excel or Google Sheets, JSON, or print it.

Can I add pros and cons?

Yes. Each option has a notes box for pros, cons and anything the numbers don't capture.

What's the difference between a decision matrix and a priority matrix?

A decision matrix picks the best option among alternatives. A priority matrix (impact vs effort, RICE or ICE) orders tasks or ideas you might do.

Is it free and private?

Yes. No signup, and your decisions are stored only in your browser unless you share a link.

When should I use a decision matrix?

When a choice has several competing factors and no obvious winner, job offers, vendors, products, or roadmap priorities.

Is it better than a pros and cons list?

Usually, because weighting lets more important factors count more, giving a ranking that reflects your real priorities rather than a flat tally.

Decision Matrix: Free Weighted Decision Matrix Maker

What is a weighted decision matrix?

Features

How to use Decision Matrix

Start a decision

List your options

Add criteria and weights

Weigh by comparing (optional)

Score every option

Read the result

Share or save

Common use cases