A plan comparison table is the detailed grid, usually below the plan cards on a pricing page, that lists features, limits and support levels for each tier. It serves careful buyers who want to confirm a specific feature is included or understand what they gain by upgrading. Well-built tables are scannable, grouped and honest about limits.
Structuring the table
Long tables become unreadable if every feature is a row in one block. Group features into sections that match how buyers think, and lead with the differences that drive plan choice.
- Group rows by theme, such as core features, collaboration, security and support.
- Put the differentiating features first in each group.
- Use plain names and add short tooltips for anything technical.
- Show limits as numbers or words, not just checkmarks.
- Keep the header row with plan names and CTAs visible while scrolling.
Accessibility and mobile
Build the table with real HTML table markup, including header cells with scope attributes, so screen readers can announce which plan and feature each cell refers to. Checkmark icons need text alternatives such as “Included”. On mobile, a wide multi-column table rarely fits; common solutions are a plan switcher that shows one or two columns at a time, or stacked cards per plan.
<table>
<thead>
<tr><th scope="col">Feature</th><th scope="col">Starter</th><th scope="col">Team</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><th scope="row">SSO</th><td>Not included</td><td>Included</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>Honesty helps
Showing what a plan does not include prevents disappointed customers and support tickets later. Grayed-out rows or plain “Not included” cells set expectations, and they make the upgrade path clear without misleading anyone.
Example
Making a long table usable
Hypothetical knowledge base product Hearthline has 60 feature rows across four plans. It collapses them into five groups, shows only the first group open by default, keeps plan headers sticky, and on mobile lets visitors pick two plans to compare side by side.
Common mistakes
Checkmarks without context
A checkmark for “API access” hides whether the limit is ten calls or ten million. State the limit.
Images instead of tables
A table exported as an image cannot be read by screen readers, search engines or AI systems. Use HTML.
Questions
Include features that matter to buying decisions. Minor items can live in documentation, with a link from the table.
Sources
