Evaluation Scorecard Template
Last updated: 2026-05-18
AI Tool Evaluation Scorecard
A practical template for evaluating AI tools before you commit. Copy this into a spreadsheet or doc, fill it out per tool, and you'll have a consistent record to compare against.
Tool Information
Field · Value
Tool name ·
Category ·
Pricing ·
URL ·
Date evaluated ·
Scoring Criteria (1-5)
Rate each criterion from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Add notes on anything that influenced your score.
Criterion · Score (1-5) · Weight · Weighted · Notes
Capability fit · · 20% · · Does it actually do what you need?
Ease of use · · 15% · · How quickly can you get productive?
Integration quality · · 15% · · Does it connect to your existing stack?
Pricing value · · 15% · · Cost relative to what you're getting?
Data privacy · · 15% · · How does it handle your data?
Support quality · · 10% · · Is help available when you need it?
Documentation quality · · 10% · · Clear, accurate, and complete?
Weighted total — Sum of (Score × Weight) for each row. Maximum is 5.0.
Weighted Total Calculation
Weighted Total = (Capability × 0.20) + (Ease × 0.15) + (Integration × 0.15) + (Pricing × 0.15) + (Privacy × 0.15) + (Support × 0.10) + (Docs × 0.10)Adjust weights to fit your context. Enterprise buyers often weight privacy higher. Early-stage teams often weight ease of use higher.
Comparison Section
When choosing between two or more tools:
Criterion · Tool A · Tool B · Winner
Capability fit · · ·
Ease of use · · ·
Integration · · ·
Pricing · · ·
Privacy · · ·
Support · · ·
Documentation · · ·
Weighted total · · ·
Final Verdict
Verdict · When to use
Keep · Add to stack. Meets your requirements.
Trial · Run a 14-day test. Needs validation before committing.
Pass · Doesn't meet requirements. Look elsewhere.
Notes Section
Use this for anything that didn't fit elsewhere:
- Pros and cons summary
- Deal breakers
- Follow-up questions for the vendor
- Next steps
How to Use This Template
1. Fill in the tool information section.
2. Score each criterion and add notes.
3. Calculate the weighted total.
4. If comparing tools, fill in the comparison section.
5. Assign a verdict and document your reasoning.
Saving these evaluations builds a useful record over time, especially when revisiting decisions or onboarding teammates.