Difference Between Need And Want

Difference Between Need And Want

The major dissimilarities or difference between need and want can be pointed out as follows:

1. Introduction

Need: Something that is essential for survival

Want: Desire or wish of people to have something but not essential for survival

2. Refers To

Need: Extremely necessary things

Want: Desire for something but not necessary

3. Nature

Need: It is limited in nature

Want: Wants are unlimited

4. Variability

Need: It is less variable than want

Want: It is more variable and changes continuously over time

5. Compulsory Or Not

Need: It is compulsory for every organism

Want: It is optional

     Also Read: 

Difference Between Desire And Demand

6. Examples

Need: Food, shelter, security etc. are some examples of needs

Want: Luxury cars, fancy items, expensive mobile set etc. are some examples of wants

7. Similar/Different

Need: Basic needs are similar for all 

Want: It may differ from people to people

Need Vs Want (Comparison Chart)

Basis For Difference	Need	Want
Introduction	Something that is essential for survival	Wish or desire to have something
Necessary	Yes	No
Nature	Limited	Unlimited
Variability	Less	More
Compulsory/Optional	Compulsory	Optional
Similar Or Not	Basic needs are similar for all people	Different for different people
Examples	Food, shelter, security etc.	Car, fancy items etc.

I hope this post is helpful to understand the difference between need and want and to make comparison between them.