What is competitive landscape?

The competitive landscape is the complete picture of who competes in a market: direct competitors, indirect alternatives, substitutes (including spreadsheets and “do nothing”), and how each positions on price, features, and audience. Mapping it answers the question “what are my buyers comparing me against?”

A useful landscape map is small and opinionated — the five to ten alternatives that actually appear in your deals — rather than an exhaustive census. It is also perishable: new entrants and pivots reshape it, so revisit the map a few times a year.