Prioritization tools

Free RICE Score Calculator

Instantly calculate your RICE score with the formula (Reach × Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort. Free, no signup, works in your browser.

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What is RICE?

RICE is a prioritization framework used to evaluate and rank product initiatives. It stands for Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort (see RICE glossary). This method helps product managers and teams decide which features or projects to prioritize. Learn about RICE prioritization.

RICE Formula

Reach × Impact × Confidence

Effort

A higher RICE score indicates a higher priority. Each component is scored on a scale of 1-10, except for Confidence which is 0.01-10. See the FAQ for detailed scoring guidelines.

Download Excel template · All RICE templates

The RICE Score Formula

Reach × Impact × Confidence

Effort

The RICE score is the output of a four-variable formula developed by Intercom to rank product initiatives objectively:

Reach: how many users the feature affects in a given time window (typically a quarter). Score 1-10, higher is more users.
Impact: how much the feature moves the needle per user. Score 1-10 where 10 is transformative and 1 is barely noticeable.
Confidence: how sure you are about your Reach and Impact estimates. Score 0.01-10 (0.01 = pure guess, 10 = validated with data).
Effort: total person-months to ship the feature. Score 1-10 where 1 is under a month and 10 is over a year.

Worked example

A SaaS team is scoring a "bulk edit for the backlog" feature. It affects 6,000 of their 20,000 monthly users (Reach = 6). It's a high-impact quality-of-life upgrade (Impact = 8). They interviewed 15 customers who all asked for it (Confidence = 9). Engineering estimates 6 weeks of work (Effort = 2). Applying the formula:

RICE = (6 × 8 × 9) / 2 = 216

Anything above 100 typically warrants prioritization. Anything below 20 belongs in the "someday" pile. Compare RICE scores across your backlog and always work from the highest score down.

Edge cases and common mistakes

Confidence set to 1 by default. Confidence is a discount factor. Setting it to 10 for every feature defeats the purpose. Force yourself to score below 5 unless you have data.
Effort in weeks vs person-months. Effort should be person-months of the whole team, not calendar weeks of one engineer. A "2-week feature" that needs a designer and PM is usually 1.5-2 person-months.
Reach reused across quarters. Pick a consistent time window (usually one quarter) and apply it to every feature. Mixing "annual reach" with "quarterly reach" makes scores incomparable.
Impact inflation. If more than 20% of your features score Impact = 8+, you're inflating. Calibrate by ranking historical shipped features first.
Ignoring strategic dependencies. RICE is a scoring model, not a planner. A high-RICE feature that depends on a low-RICE prerequisite still has to wait.

ProductLift teams run RICE across their whole feedback backlog automatically. Vote counts feed Reach, and Confidence is calibrated from historical shipped features. See how RICE prioritization works in ProductLift.

Other prioritization methods

ICE Calculator WSJF Calculator MoSCoW Kano Model Opportunity Scoring

View all tools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I score each field?

Reach (1-10):

10: >100,000 users per quarter
8: 50,000 - 100,000 users per quarter
6: 10,000 - 50,000 users per quarter
4: 1,000 - 10,000 users per quarter
2: 100 - 1,000 users per quarter
1: <100 users per quarter

Impact (1-10):

10: Transformative - Game-changing for the product
8-9: Very High - Significant improvement for many users
6-7: High - Notable improvement for some users
4-5: Medium - Moderate improvement for a few users
2-3: Low - Minor improvement for a small number of users
1: Very Low - Barely noticeable improvement

Confidence (0.01-10): Use the scale from 0.01 to 10, where 10 is the highest confidence.Effort (1-10):

1: < 1 month
2: 1-2 months
3: 2-3 months
4: 4-6 months
5: 6-12 months
6: > 12 months

For effort, you can use values between 1-10 to represent more granular estimates.

Why use RICE?

RICE helps teams objectively prioritize features or projects by considering multiple factors. It balances the potential value of an initiative with the effort required, helping teams focus on high-impact, efficient work.

How do I interpret the RICE score?

A higher RICE score indicates that a feature or project should be prioritized. Compare RICE scores across different initiatives to determine their relative priority. The higher the score, the higher the priority.

Is RICE only for product management?

While RICE is commonly used in product management, it can be applied to various fields where prioritization of initiatives is necessary, such as marketing campaigns, business strategies, or even personal projects.

How often should I recalculate RICE scores?

It's a good practice to recalculate RICE scores periodically, especially when there are significant changes in your product, market, or team capacity. Some teams do this quarterly or during major planning sessions.

Can RICE be used alongside other prioritization methods?

Yes, RICE can be used in conjunction with other methods. For example, you might use RICE to prioritize within a specific category of features that was identified using another method like MoSCoW or Kano.

What are some limitations of RICE?

RICE relies on estimates, which can be subjective or inaccurate. It also doesn't account for strategic alignment or dependencies between items. It's important to use RICE as a guide rather than a strict rule, and to combine it with other considerations and expert judgment.

How can I ensure consistent scoring across a team?

Consistent scoring can be achieved through team discussions, creating detailed guidelines for each parameter, and periodically calibrating scores as a group. It's also helpful to use historical data to inform estimates when possible.