HTML tables on 'vs' search top-5 pages, by segment
| Segment | Pages | % with HTML table | % with table header cells |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 278 | 21.2% | 20.5% |
| #2 | 497 | 21.1% | 20.9% |
| #3 | 566 | 29.5% | 28.1% |
| #4 | 574 | 29.8% | 28.9% |
| #5 | 586 | 25.9% | 24.6% |
| Title says vs, versus or compare | 1,134 | 36.9% | 35.2% |
| Other titles | 1,367 | 17.2% | 16.9% |
| Non-video, non-forum pages | 1,974 | 33.1% | 31.9% |
| All top 5 | 2,501 | 26.1% | 25.2% |
Source: PageSpeed Matters, Oct 2026. Comparison blocks built from styled divs are not counted.
Summary
Someone searching "X vs Y" wants a side-by-side answer, and a comparison table is the obvious format for it. It is common advice for comparison content. We checked how many of the pages that rank for these searches actually use one.
Fewer than you might expect. Of 2,501 top-5 pages for "vs" searches, 26.1% contain an HTML table, and only 21.2% of #1 results do. Part of the reason is that video results take a large share of the top slots. Among regular pages, the rate is about one in three.
What we measured
We took the top 5 Google US results for 834 "vs" keywords in October 2026 and loaded each page a few days later, which gave 2,501 top-5 pages for 831 of those searches. Because of that gap, results can drift slightly from the original rankings.
For each rendered page we counted HTML table elements and table header cells, and checked the text for a "pros ... cons" pattern. Comparison blocks built from styled divs are not counted, so these figures are a floor for comparison layouts, not a full count.
Only a quarter of top results use a table
26.1% of 2,501 top-5 pages ranking for 831 "vs" searches contain at least one HTML table, and 25.2% have a table header cell. So about three in four of the pages that rank for comparison searches do not use an HTML table at all.
The top result is less likely still. Only 21.2% of 278 #1 pages contain a table. Many winning pages for "vs" searches likely compare in prose, in headed sections, or in styled layouts that are not built as tables.
26.1%
Share of 2,501 top-5 pages for 'vs' searches that contain at least one HTML table.
Tables are most common at #3 and #4
Tables are more common just below the top two. 29.5% of 566 pages at #3 and 29.8% of 574 at #4 have one, against 21.2% at #1 and 21.1% of 497 at #2. At #5 the rate is 25.9% of 586 pages.
That does not mean a table holds a page back. The top two slots may simply hold more formats that never carry a table, such as videos, though our data does not split video results by position.
Video results and page titles explain much of the gap
Video results take 522 of the 2,501 top-5 slots (20.9%) and never contain a table. Remove them and forum results, and the picture changes: among the 1,974 pages that are neither video nor forum results, the table rate is 33.1%.
Page titles matter too. Pages whose title itself says "vs", "versus" or "compare" use a table 36.9% of the time (1,134 pages), against 17.2% of 1,367 pages with other titles. Pages built as comparisons tend to use the comparison format. Pages that rank for a "vs" search without being a comparison, such as a product page or a general guide, use one far less often.
Pros-and-cons layouts are almost absent
Pros-and-cons layouts are almost absent. Only 3 of 2,501 pages (0.1%) match a "pros ... cons" pattern in their text. The check is a simple text match, so it can miss strengths and weaknesses written under other labels, but a labelled pros-and-cons block is clearly not the standard format for pages that rank on head-to-head searches.
What this means for your site
If you write comparison content, a real HTML table is still a good idea: it is the format readers expect, and pages titled as comparisons use one far more often than other pages. Our data does not show that a table lifts rankings, but it does show that most competing pages skip it, which leaves room to give a clearer answer.
- Build the table with real table markup, with header cells for each product or option, rather than styled divs.
- Put the table near the top, after a one-line verdict.
- Keep rows to the points people actually compare: price, key features, limits and who each option suits.
- Add a short written comparison below for the details a table cannot hold.
Sources
- PageSpeed Matters analysis of Google US top 5 results for 834 "vs" keywords, 2,501 ranking pages, October 2026
- MDN Web Docs, the table element: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/table
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<p style="font:14px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif">Source: <a href="https://www.pagespeedmatters.com/resources/data-studies/comparison-tables-in-x-vs-y-results">'X vs Y' Comparison Tables: Only 26.1% of Top Results - PageSpeed Matters</a></p>
Frequently asked questions
Do 'X vs Y' pages need a comparison table to rank?
No. Only 26.1% of 2,501 top-5 pages for 'vs' searches contain an HTML table, and 21.2% of #1 results do. Pages titled as comparisons use one more often, at 36.9%.
How common are comparison tables in top search results?
About a quarter of top-5 pages for 'vs' searches have an HTML table. Excluding video and forum results, the rate is 33.1% of 1,974 pages.
Do comparison pages use pros and cons lists?
Rarely, in our sample. Only 3 of 2,501 top-5 pages for 'vs' searches (0.1%) match a 'pros ... cons' pattern.
Most competing comparison pages skip a clear table, so adding a well-built one is an easy way to give searchers the answer they came for. Need help with this? See our on-page SEO services.