Compare suppliers on everything that matters for one purchase, not on price alone. This free supplier comparison scorecard lets you choose up to 10 criteria, give each one a weight, and score up to eight suppliers from 1 to 5. It works out a weighted score for each supplier, out of 5 and as a percentage of the maximum, then ranks them side by side. The editable sample compares three fictional coffee suppliers for a small shop.
The scorecard organizes your own judgment. It does not look suppliers up, contact them or check what they tell you.
Make a supplier comparison scorecard
- Name the comparison, and add your business and the date if you want them printed.
- List your supplier selection criteria, such as unit price, lead time, minimum order, reliability and payment terms.
- Give each criterion a whole-number weight from 1 to 100. The weights do not need to add up to 100: the tool shows each criterion's share of the total.
- For each criterion, write what a 5 means, such as "delivers within three working days of the order". Scores are easier to give consistently when the top of the scale is written down.
- Add each supplier, with notes on what you checked, such as references, a sample or a trial order.
- Score every supplier from 1 to 5 on every criterion. A supplier gets a total and a rank once all of its criteria are scored.
Removing a criterion asks first, because it removes every supplier's score for it. Start blank keeps five common criteria at equal weights and clears the suppliers; Reset sample brings back the example.
How the weighted score works
Each score is multiplied by its criterion's weight to give points. The weighted score is the total points divided by the total weight, so it stays on the same 1 to 5 scale as the scores you entered. The percentage compares the points with the most a supplier could get, a 5 on every criterion.
In the sample, the weights are unit price 30, lead time 20, minimum order 15, reliability 25 and payment terms 10, a total of 100. Riverbend Supply Co. scores 4, 5, 5, 3 and 2, which gives 120 + 100 + 75 + 75 + 20 = 390 points. That is 390 ÷ 100 = 3.90 out of 5, or 78% of the 500-point maximum. Hillside Roasters gets 385 points (3.85) and Northgate Wholesale 355 (3.55), so Riverbend ranks first.
Riverbend leads by five points while scoring only 3 on reliability, the criterion Hillside scored highest. A gap that small is a reason to reread your notes and ask another question, not a verdict. Suppliers with the same points share a rank, marked as a tie.
How to compare suppliers fairly
Decide the criteria and weights before the quotes arrive, so one low price does not reshape the list after the fact. Common vendor evaluation criteria for a shop include the delivered unit price, lead time, minimum order quantity, delivery reliability, the quality of a sample, payment terms and how returns or shortages are handled. A short list you can score from evidence is more useful than a long one you have to guess at.
Score from what you have seen: a written quote, a sample, a trial order, or a reference from another business that buys from them. Put the source in the notes, so anyone reading the printout knows why a supplier got a 2 or a 5. If you cannot score a criterion yet, leave it unscored; the supplier stays unranked instead of getting a guessed number.
Check the business and the terms before you sign anything. In the UK, the Companies House register lets you search for a company and see its registered details. GOV.UK's guide to late commercial payments explains that an agreed payment date between businesses must usually be within 60 days. Read minimum order, delivery charges, returns and notice periods in the supplier's own terms. This scorecard is not legal or financial advice.
If a minimum order would make you buy more than you sell, the economic order quantity calculator estimates an order size that balances ordering and holding costs. The same layout works for a vendor comparison of services, such as cleaning or repairs: change the criteria to suit.
Print or download the comparison
Print / PDF opens your browser's print dialog, where you can print the comparison or save it as a PDF. The printout shows the criteria and weights, every score, each supplier's weighted score, percentage and rank, your notes, and a reminder to check references, contract terms and samples. The text download holds the same comparison in plain text. The CSV has one row for each supplier and criterion, with the weight, its share, the score and the weighted points, plus a total row for each supplier.
The draft stays in this browser tab if you refresh. Download or print a copy before you close the tab.
Once you have chosen, write the order with the purchase order generator and check the first delivery with the delivery receiving checklist. Keep the criteria and you can reuse the sheet as a supplier evaluation scorecard at review time, scoring the supplier you use against what they delivered. The guide to keeping a supplier list covers the contact details to record. To compare job candidates the same way, use the interview scorecard.
Frequently asked questions
Can I compare suppliers without an account?
Yes. The scorecard opens with a fictional sample and works without a login or email address. Nothing you type is uploaded or sent, and no supplier is contacted.
Do the weights have to add up to 100?
No. Use any whole numbers from 1 to 100. The scorecard divides by the total weight and shows each criterion's share as a percentage, so weights of 3, 2 and 1 rank suppliers the same way as 30, 20 and 10.
What if two suppliers get the same score?
They share a rank, marked as a tie. Look again at the criteria with the largest weights, or ask both for a sample or a trial order before you decide.
Should the cheapest supplier always win?
Only if price is all that matters for the purchase. A low price with late or incomplete deliveries can cost more in lost sales and time. The weights let you decide in advance how much price counts against the other criteria.