Free tool
Pros & Cons, weighted
Not every point counts the same. Weigh each pro and con, see where you lean, and check it against your gut.
Pros
Weight each one from 1 (minor) to 5 (huge).
Cons
Weight each one from 1 (minor) to 5 (huge).
Where you lean
Add a few pros and cons to see where you lean.
Gut checks
- How will you feel about this in 10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years?
- If you flipped a coin right now, which side would you be hoping for?
- What would have to be true for the option you’re resisting to be right?
- Which choice would you regret not trying when you’re 80?
How to use a pros and cons list well
- Write the decision as one question. "Should I take the job at X?" beats "career stuff".
- List, then weight. Don’t score while brainstorming; it makes you censor.
- Watch your reaction to the result. Relief or disappointment tells you more than the number.
- When it’s a tie, it’s about values. Ask which option fits the person you’re trying to become.
More in our guide: how to make a pros and cons list that actually helps.
Questions
Why weight pros and cons?+
Because "better commute" and "double the salary" are not equal. Giving each item a weight from 1 to 5 stops a long list of small points from outvoting one big one.
What if the score is a tie?+
Then the decision is probably about values, not facts. Use the gut-check questions, or talk it through out loud for two minutes and notice which option you defend.
Is my list saved?+
Yes, in this browser only. Nothing is sent to our servers.
Who came up with pros and cons lists?+
Benjamin Franklin described a weighted version, which he called "moral algebra", in a 1772 letter to Joseph Priestley.
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