/competitor-mapper

name: competitor-mapper
description: Maps the full competitive landscape — direct, indirect, substitute, and emerging competitors — with positioning gap analysis, review mining, and market_insights-calibrated saturation scoring. Feeds into idea-scoring, cac-modeler, pricing-and-wtp, and tam-sam-som-builder.

<!-- version: 0.2.0 | outputs: memory/ideas/<slug>/competitors.json -->

Skill: competitor-mapper

Purpose

Understand what the user is actually competing against — not just other apps, but also spreadsheets, habits, free alternatives, and human services. The goal is not an exhaustive list but a **strategic map**: who owns the space, where the gaps are, and whether this idea can occupy a position that incumbents can't easily copy.

Input

• Idea slug
• `memory/ideas/<slug>/idea.md` (app concept, key features, differentiator)
• `memory/market_insights/<niche>-*-<YYYY>-<MM>.md` (trend analysis files — **use all available platform files for this niche**)

Using Market Insights

Trend analysis files are a primary research source for competitor mapping. Extract the following:

| Platform file | What to extract for competitor mapping | |---|---| | **Apps** (`<niche>-apps-*.md`) | Category rankings, new entrants, top apps by downloads/revenue, review complaint patterns, pricing models in use | | **Reddit** (`<niche>-reddit-*.md`) | Apps and tools users mention by name (both praised and hated), non-software workarounds users describe, recurring complaints about existing solutions | | **TikTok** (`<niche>-tiktok-*.md`) | Apps featured in viral content (free marketing = distribution advantage), creator-promoted tools, "alternatives to X" content trends | | **Web Search** (`<niche>-web-search-*.md`) | Top-ranking apps for category keywords, "best X apps" list winners, SEO-dominant competitors | | `monetization_evidence` (from any platform) | Which competitors are actively monetizing (proves the market supports revenue, identifies pricing benchmarks) | | `trend_velocity` | Rising-fast markets attract new entrants quickly — flag that emerging threats will increase |

If no market_insights files exist, note this as a gap and rely on direct research only.

Competitor Categories

| Category | Definition | Why it matters | Examples | |---|---|---|---| | **Direct** | Same solution, same audience | Head-to-head competition for the same users | Apps solving the exact same problem on the same platform | | **Indirect** | Different solution, same problem | User might choose this instead, even though it works differently | A meditation app competing with a journaling app for "stress relief" | | **Substitute** | Non-software solution the user currently employs | The real baseline — what happens if the user never installs any app | Spreadsheets, pen-and-paper, hiring a person, doing nothing, a WhatsApp group | | **Emerging** | New entrants, beta products, or announced features from incumbents | Future competitive pressure — the landscape 6–12 months from now | YC-backed startups, Product Hunt launches, Apple/Google adding native features |

Process

Step 1 — Research Checklist by Category

Direct competitors (find 3–8)

Search these sources in order:

1. **App Store / Play Store category browse**: Search the primary category and 2–3 keyword variations. Record the top 10 results for each search. 2. **"Best X apps" articles**: Search Google for `best [category] apps 2026`. The top 3 listicle results typically capture the market leaders. 3. **Product Hunt**: Search the category. Sort by most upvoted. Focus on launches from the past 18 months (recent entrants). 4. **Market insights (Apps file)**: If `<niche>-apps-*.md` exists, extract any competitors named in the narrative. 5. **Market insights (Reddit file)**: If `<niche>-reddit-*.md` exists, extract apps users mention by name in discussions. 6. **AlternativeTo.net**: Search the closest existing app. Lists adjacent competitors you may have missed.

For each direct competitor, record:

• Name, platform(s), pricing model and price
• Estimated user base (from App Store ratings count × 50–100, or from market_insights narrative)
• App Store rating (stars + review count)
• Last updated date (stale = opportunity)
• Top 3 features
• Top 3 complaints (from review mining — see Step 3)

Indirect competitors (find 2–5)

Ask: "What else might someone use to solve the same underlying problem, even if the approach is completely different?"

Sources:

• Reddit threads where users describe their current workflow for this problem
• "How to [solve problem]" search results — the solutions that appear ARE the indirect competition
• Market insights narratives that describe alternative approaches to the same pain

Substitutes (find 2–4)

Ask: "What is the user doing RIGHT NOW, before they know this app exists?"

Common substitute categories:

• **Manual process**: Spreadsheet, notes app, pen-and-paper, calendar reminders
• **Human service**: Coach, therapist, accountant, personal trainer
• **Social workaround**: Group chat, Facebook group, Discord server
• **Inaction**: Doing nothing (this is the strongest competitor for low-urgency problems)

Record the estimated cost and friction of each substitute — this is the switching-cost baseline the app must beat.

Emerging threats (find 1–3)

Sources:

• Product Hunt launches in the past 6 months
• YC / startup accelerator demo day lists
• Apple WWDC / Google I/O feature announcements that could obviate the app
• If `trend_velocity` = "rising-fast" in market_insights, note that new entrants are likely

Flag any emerging competitor that has raised funding — they have resources to move fast.

Step 2 — App Store Search Methodology

The App Store is the most important research surface for B2C apps. Use this systematic approach:

1. **Primary keyword search**: The most obvious term a user would search (e.g., "habit tracker"). 2. **Problem keyword search**: The problem statement (e.g., "build bette