Pairwise Comparison Method Calculator
The method of pairwise comparisons pits every option against every other option, one matchup at a time, and the option that wins the most matchups comes first. TeamSort runs it for a whole group: everyone ranks the list once by dragging, and every head-to-head is scored from those rankings. No preference schedule, no matrix by hand, no signup.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pairwise comparison method?
A voting method that compares every pair of options head-to-head. For each pair, count how many voters rank one above the other; the option preferred by more voters wins that matchup and earns a point. The option with the most points wins, and sorting by points gives the full ranking. It is also called the method of pairwise comparisons or Copeland's method, and an option that wins every one of its matchups is the Condorcet winner.
How many pairwise comparisons are there?
With n options there are n × (n − 1) ÷ 2 matchups: 6 for four options, 45 for ten, 190 for twenty. In TeamSort voters never answer them one by one. Each voter ranks the list once, and every matchup is read off those rankings.
What happens when a matchup is tied?
With an even number of voters, two options can split a matchup. The textbook method gives each of them half a point. TeamSort's Condorcet count gives a tied matchup to neither option, so when a poll has tied matchups, a hand count with half points can order the middle of the list differently. Options with the same number of wins share a rank, and a Condorcet winner is unaffected: it has to win every matchup outright.
What if no option wins every matchup?
Then there is no Condorcet winner. The group's preferences go in a circle (A beats B, B beats C, C beats A), which is known as the Condorcet paradox. The ranking still works: options are ordered by how many matchups they won, and options with the same number of wins share a place.
Is this the same as pairwise comparison in AHP or a decision matrix?
No. In the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), a person or panel compares criteria two at a time, rates how much more each matters, and computes weights. The pairwise comparison method here is a voting method: it compares the options themselves, using every voter's ranking, to find the one the group prefers. If a group needs to choose between options, this is the method to use.
Is TeamSort free?
Yes. A free poll needs no signup and takes up to 10 voters. It closes after 24 hours and its results lock, so download or copy the results as an image before then. Pro keeps polls open until you close them or until a date you pick, lifts the voter limit, and keeps the results.