What is an alternatives page?
An alternatives page answers one search: "[product] alternatives". It names a well-known product, says who might want to switch, and lists other options with their strengths, limits and prices. It is a kind of listicle, aimed at buyers who already know the category.
There are two main types:
- Vendor-owned: a company lists alternatives to a competitor, usually with itself first.
- Independent: a blog, review site or media site lists the options without selling one of them.
Why do alternatives pages matter for B2B SaaS?
People who search "[product] alternatives" are often close to a decision. They have tried or priced the leader and want something else. That makes it a buying search: the reader is shopping, not learning.
They matter in AI answers too. When Prefer checked 188 answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude in July 2026, 40% of the 1,237 citations went to independent third-party listicles and 34% to vendors' own sites. So vendor pages and independent lists both get cited, and in that study independent lists got more.
How to write an alternatives page that holds up
Google's guidance for reviews and ranked lists is a good checklist. It asks you to "Explain what sets something apart from its competitors" and to "Cover comparable things to consider, or explain which might be best for certain uses or circumstances." It also says to "Ensure there is enough useful content in your ranked lists for them to stand on their own" (Google Search Central, last updated 2025-12-10, read 1 November 2026).
- Say who the named product suits, and why some people leave it.
- Set the criteria before you pick the alternatives.
- Give each option its strengths, limits, price and best use, read from its own site.
- If you make one of the products, say so near the top.
- Add a comparison table and the date you checked the facts.
- Update it when prices or features change.
Example (hypothetical)
A hypothetical page, "6 Calendly alternatives for sales teams", opens with a two-line answer and a table of price, free plan and best use. Each tool gets a short section. The author makes one of the tools, says so in the first paragraph, and still notes where Calendly is stronger.
Alternatives page vs comparison page vs best-of list
- Alternatives page: one named product, many options instead of it.
- Comparison page: two or three named products side by side, as in "A vs B".
- Best-of list: the top options for a need, with no product named in the search.
A vendor's own alternatives page and a spot in an independent one do different jobs. The first you control. The second is a third-party list, which buyers and AI assistants may trust more. For getting into those lists, see listicle placements for B2B SaaS.