"Compared to" vs "Compared with" - A Clear, Useful Guide
Many writers treat these as the same. In everyday talk, it rarely matters. But in careful writing—reports, academic papers, medical documents—picking the right one makes your point sharper and fairer.
The core difference
Compared to highlights resemblance or a broad likeness. It is common in analogies and general descriptions.
Compared with setting up a neutral, fact-based comparison. It suits measurements, statistics, and evaluation.
They both compare, but the emphasis differs: likeness vs analysis.
How to use each one
Compared to (analogy/likeness)
Use when you want to show similarity or create a picture in the reader’s mind.
Her leadership style is compared to a coach on the sidelines.
mRNA delivery is often compared to a courier service.
Compared with (analysis/measurement)
Use when you are checking differences or reporting data.
ICU mortality fell 12% compared with last year.
Compared with the control arm, the treatment arm showed higher ORR.
Tip: If you could replace the phrase with “in contrast to,” or you have numbers, “compared with” is usually the better choice.
Forms and placement
Fronted phrase Compared with 2024, defect rates halved in 2025. Compared to a relay race, her process keeps momentum.
Mid-sentence Defect rates halve in 2025, compared with 2024. The rollout felt smooth, compared to previous chaos.
Passive pattern (fine in formal writing). The new index was compared with three baselines.
No comma is required unless the phrase is long or nonessential.
Illustrative examples (simple to technical)
Everyday
Bengaluru’s winter feels mild compared with Delhi’s.
Her calm voice is compared to a lullaby.
Business and management
Q3 revenue grew 18% compared with Q2.
Our brand is often compared to Patagonia for values-led marketing.
Science and medical writing
Adverse events decreased compared with placebo (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65–0.93).
CAR-T therapy is sometimes compared to “living drugs” in popular writing.
Methods and data
Model B improved F1 by 0.06 compared with Model A.
Transformer blocks are compared to attention “layers” in many tutorials.
Public policy
Mask uptake was higher compared with 2021 after targeted campaigns.
The new scheme is compared to UPI for simplicity in media articles.
When clarity matters most (edge cases)
Numbers, rates, and risk
Incorrect: The drug worked well compared to the placebo (p = 0.03).Correct: The drug worked well compared with the placebo (p = 0.03).
Prefer “compared with.”
Apples-to-oranges traps. Compare like with like.
Incorrect: Compared with last year, profits rose 10%.
Correct: Compared with last year’s profits, this year’s profits rose 10%.
Dangling openers: Make sure the opening phrase clearly modifies the right subject.
Incorrect: Compared with 2024, profits rose in the new plant.
Correct: Compared with 2024, the new plant’s profits rose.
Stacking comparison signals. One signal is enough.
Incorrect: Compared with 2022, we saw better NPS in metro cities, however…Correct: Compared with 2022, we saw better NPS in metro cities. However, rural NPS fell.
House-style expectations. Many technical styles expect “compared with” for data; keep “compared to” for analogies and general likeness.