How to use the RICE Score Calculator
This calculator scores one feature idea with the RICE framework so you can rank it against the rest of your roadmap. It multiplies reach, impact and confidence, then divides by effort, and updates the score as you type. Use it when several feature requests compete for the same build time and you want a consistent way to compare them.
Step by step
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Enter the reach
In Reach (people affected per quarter), type how many users the feature will touch in one quarter, such as new signups or active accounts that will use it. The default is 2,000 and the box steps by 50.
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Pick the impact
Under Impact per user, choose how much the feature moves your goal for each person who meets it: Massive (3x), High (2x), Medium (1x), Low (0.5x) or Minimal (0.25x). High is selected to start.
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Pick your confidence
Under Confidence in your estimates, choose High (100%), Medium (80%) or Low (50%) to say how much you trust your reach and impact numbers. Medium is selected to start.
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Enter the effort
In Effort (person-months), type the total team time across design, engineering and QA. The default is 3 and the box steps by 0.5. Anything under 0.5 is counted as 0.5 so a tiny estimate cannot blow up the score.
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Read the score and repeat
The RICE score panel updates on every change. Write the score down, then enter the next feature on your list with the same rules and compare the numbers.
Reading the result
- The large number is the RICE score: reach times impact times confidence, divided by effort, rounded to a whole number. With the defaults it is (2,000 × 2 × 80%) ÷ 3, which gives 1,067.
- The gray box under the score writes the formula out with your own numbers, for example (2,000 × 2 × 80%) ÷ 3 p-mo, so you can check the math.
- Above 500 the verdict reads Do it now. From 100 to 500 it reads Worth considering. Below 100 it reads Backlog for now.
- The four cards repeat your Reach, Impact, Confidence and Effort inputs so you can screenshot one panel per feature.
- The score has no fixed scale of its own. It grows with your reach numbers, so it only means something next to the scores of your other features.
Tips and common mistakes
- Use the same time period for reach on every feature. Mixing a quarter for one and a year for another makes the ranking meaningless.
- Count effort in person-months, not calendar months. Three people for one month is about 3 person-months.
- Keep the meaning of each impact level the same across features. Decide what Massive means for your goal before you start scoring.
- If you are guessing, pick Low confidence. It counts the idea at 50%, half of what High gives, which is a fair penalty for an untested idea.
- Small features with real impact rise to the top because effort divides the score. That is the framework working, not a flaw.
Privacy and limits
The score is worked out by your browser as you type. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved, so reloading the page puts the default values back. The calculator scores one feature at a time and does not keep a list.
How it works
RICE is a prioritization framework created at Intercom to decide which features earn a place on the roadmap. It turns four judgment calls into a single comparable number, so a loud request from one stakeholder does not automatically beat a quieter idea that helps far more users.
You estimate four things for each feature. Reach is how many people it affects in a set period, such as a quarter. Impact is how much it moves your goal per person, on the standard scale of 3 for massive down to 0.25 for minimal. Confidence is how much you trust your own estimates, as a percentage. Effort is the total work in person-months across design, engineering, and QA.
The score is a cost-benefit ratio: the numerator is the benefit, effort is the cost. A higher score means more impact per unit of work. The number only means something in comparison, so score your whole shortlist and rank it.
RICE = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort
Once you have ranked your features, the next question is what it costs to actually build the top ones. Use our software development cost calculator to size a build, or the build vs buy calculator if an off-the-shelf tool might cover the same need.
FAQs
What is a good RICE score?
There is no universal threshold, because the score scales with your reach numbers. What matters is the ranking within your own list. As a rough guide with the inputs here, scores above 500 tend to be strong do-now candidates, 100 to 500 are worth considering, and below 100 usually belong in the backlog. Always compare against your own other features rather than an absolute number.
How do I choose the impact value?
Impact uses a fixed five-point scale so it stays consistent across features: 3 for massive, 2 for high, 1 for medium, 0.5 for low, and 0.25 for minimal. Ask how much this feature moves your primary goal for a single user who encounters it. Keep the definition of each level the same for every feature you score.
Why is effort measured in person-months?
Person-months capture total team time, not calendar time. One person for three months and three people for one month are both roughly three person-months. Include design, engineering, and QA. Because effort is the denominator, small features with real impact rise to the top, which is exactly what the framework is designed to surface. The calculator treats anything under 0.5 as 0.5 to avoid dividing by a near-zero number.
