BCG Matrix Maker
See your product portfolio at a glance. Plot each product by market growth and relative market share — they auto-fall into Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks or Dogs, with bubble size showing revenue. Configurable thresholds for your industry, auto-saves in your browser, exports as SVG, PNG, JSON or text.
Auto-saved in your browser's localStorage on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
How to use this bcg matrix maker
- Name the portfolio with company + year. BCG matrices age fast — a portfolio that's a Star this year can be a Dog in two.
- Set thresholds before adding products. The defaults (10% growth, 1.0× share) come from 1970s manufacturing. For SaaS, the Star threshold is closer to 30% growth. For mature consumer goods, 5% is enough.
- Add each product with three numbers: market growth %, relative market share (yours ÷ largest competitor), and revenue. Be honest about share — comparing to a tiny competitor inflates your numbers and hides the real picture.
- Read the bubble layout, not just the quadrant labels. A Cash Cow with 80% of your revenue says the future is at risk. A Question Mark consuming 40% of resources says you're making a big bet — make sure it's intentional.
- Export as PNG for boardroom slides, SVG for prints, or JSON to update after the next financial close.
Frequently asked questions
What is the BCG Matrix?
A 2×2 portfolio framework from Boston Consulting Group that plots business units by market growth (vertical) and relative market share (horizontal) into Stars (invest), Cash Cows (milk), Question Marks (decide) and Dogs (consider exiting). Designed in 1970 to help diversified conglomerates allocate cash between divisions.
What is relative market share?
Your share divided by the largest competitor's share. 1.0× means equal share. Above 1.0× = market leader; below 1.0× = follower. The BCG choice of 'relative' instead of 'absolute' is deliberate — being #2 in a market dominated by a giant is very different from being #2 in a fragmented market.
Should I cut a Dog immediately?
Not always. Dogs (low growth, low share) sometimes have strategic value: they fill a portfolio gap, generate stable cash, or protect a flank in adjacent markets. Cut them when they consume management attention disproportionate to their return — that's the real cost, not the revenue line.
Why do startups rarely use the BCG Matrix?
Because startups usually have one product, not a portfolio. BCG is designed for diversified companies with multiple business units competing for the same internal cash. A startup with one offering and no internal cash allocation problem gets more value from a Lean Canvas or Ansoff Matrix.
What's the difference between BCG and GE-McKinsey?
GE-McKinsey is the 3×3 successor to BCG. Same idea (portfolio plotting) but replaces the simplistic growth/share axes with weighted scores for 'industry attractiveness' and 'competitive strength'. More accurate, more work. Use BCG for a fast back-of-envelope view; GE-McKinsey when you have time to score each dimension properly.