> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mention-me.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Comparisons

> Tell whether a number is good by comparing it to something.

A number on its own doesn't tell you much. Revenue of £120,000 is good or bad depending on whether last quarter was £90,000 or £200,000. A 4.2% Share Rate is impressive against an industry average of 2.8%, and underwhelming against 6.5%. Comparisons give the context.

<Tip>
  Pair every number with a comparison before showing it outside the team. Without context, the first question is always "is that good?".
</Tip>

## Five compare modes

Metric, chart (line or bar), and table tiles all support a **Compare to** setting:

* **Previous period**. Compare against the same length of time immediately before the current one.
* **Last week**. Compare against the equivalent 7-day block a week ago.
* **Last month**. Compare against the equivalent month-long block a month ago.
* **Last year**. Compare against the same period a year earlier.
* **Industry benchmark**. Compare against the industry average for your category. Only shown when eligible (see below).

## How comparison renders

On a **metric** tile, a small delta badge appears next to the value: `+12.3%` in green if the metric is up, `-4.1%` in red if it's down. The comparison value sits beneath the main number.

<Frame caption="Metric tile with a comparison delta">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mentionme/8q3ChbAON-y-ILjT/images/knowledge-v2/reporting/tiles/metric-with-compare.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=8q3ChbAON-y-ILjT&q=85&s=f041041ee9d10924bf3c4ce75796c0da" alt="Metric tile with a comparison delta" width="430" height="316" data-path="images/knowledge-v2/reporting/tiles/metric-with-compare.png" />
</Frame>

On a **line or bar chart** tile, comparison renders as a dashed line or set of faded bars alongside the main series.

<Frame caption="Line chart with a dashed compare line">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mentionme/8q3ChbAON-y-ILjT/images/knowledge-v2/reporting/tiles/line-with-compare.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=8q3ChbAON-y-ILjT&q=85&s=1249254b4d939c62b7b036568281a3f8" alt="Line chart with a dashed compare line" width="727" height="509" data-path="images/knowledge-v2/reporting/tiles/line-with-compare.png" />
</Frame>

On a **table** tile, comparison adds a delta column per metric.

## Constraints

* **Share, funnel, and stacked bar charts don't support comparison.** Switch the chart type to line or bar if you need it.
* **Comparison and breakdown are mutually exclusive.** Clear the breakdown to turn comparison on, or vice versa.
* On tables, setting a breakdown disables the compare column automatically.

## Industry benchmark

The **Industry benchmark** compare mode shows your tile's metric alongside the industry benchmark for your category. When you hover a comparison point on a chart the tooltip reads "industry avg." for that value.

<Frame caption="Industry benchmark option in the compare picker">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mentionme/8q3ChbAON-y-ILjT/images/knowledge-v2/reporting/ui/compare-dropdown-benchmark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=8q3ChbAON-y-ILjT&q=85&s=771660bf276c011beb988e6eb4a6a6b9" alt="Industry benchmark option in the compare picker" width="360" height="340" data-path="images/knowledge-v2/reporting/ui/compare-dropdown-benchmark.png" />
</Frame>

### Eligibility

Industry benchmark is available only when:

1. Your brand is in a category that has benchmark data available.
2. The metric supports benchmark comparison.

Eight metrics are benchmark-eligible:

* Enrolment Rate
* Share Rate
* Purchase Rate
* Impressions per Order
* Shares per Sharer
* Responses per Share
* Incented Friends per Share Response
* Purchases per Incented Friend

If your category has no benchmark data, the Industry benchmark option does not appear in the compare picker, even for eligible metrics.

For a ready-made view that uses benchmark comparison, pick the [Industry Benchmarking template](/knowledge-v2/referral/reporting/reference/templates-catalogue).

## Next

* [Choosing a chart](/knowledge-v2/referral/reporting/building-dashboards/choosing-a-chart) for which chart types accept comparisons.
* [Metrics glossary](/knowledge-v2/referral/reporting/reference/metrics-glossary) for which metrics are benchmark-eligible.
