Quality vs. Standard — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 4, 2024
Quality is a degree of excellence or superiority of a product or service. While standard is established criteria or norms as a basis for comparison.
Difference Between Quality and Standard
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Quality refers to the inherent or distinctive characteristics or properties of a product, service, or process that determine its degree of excellence or superiority. It's a subjective measure that varies based on perception, needs, and expectations of the consumer or user. On the other hand, a standard is an established norm or a set of criteria designed to ensure products, services, or processes meet a minimum level of quality. Standards are objective, often developed by authoritative bodies, and serve as a benchmark for comparison.
Quality is assessed based on various factors including performance, durability, reliability, and aesthetics. It represents how well a product or service meets or exceeds customer expectations. High-quality products typically deliver superior performance, last longer, and may offer features that enhance user satisfaction. Whereas standards provide a foundation for consistency, ensuring products and services meet specific safety, reliability, and interoperability requirements. Standards help in making the quality of products measurable and comparable across different manufacturers or service providers.
Improvements in quality can lead to higher customer satisfaction, loyalty, and market share. Businesses often strive to exceed basic standards to differentiate their offerings and create a competitive advantage. Standards, meanwhile, ensure a level playing field in the market, making it easier for consumers to make informed decisions. They also facilitate trade and compliance with regulations, ensuring products are safe and reliable for use.
Both quality and standards are crucial for product development and marketing. Quality enhances consumer trust and brand reputation, while standards ensure products meet essential requirements and are compatible with others in the market.
Standards may evolve over time to reflect new technologies, consumer expectations, or regulatory requirements, influencing how quality is defined and measured. This dynamic relationship ensures that products and services continually meet or exceed contemporary expectations.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Definition
Degree of excellence or superiority
Established criteria or norms
Nature
Subjective
Objective
Focus
Performance, durability, aesthetics
Consistency, safety, interoperability
Developed by
Based on consumer perception/needs
Authoritative bodies or consensus
Role
Determines superiority or excellence
Serves as a benchmark for comparison
Impact
Customer satisfaction and loyalty
Market consistency and regulatory compliance
Measurement
Based on specific characteristics
Compliance with established norms
Evolution
Can improve over time to exceed expectations
Updated to reflect new technologies or expectations
Compare with Definitions
Quality
Durability and reliability.
The car is popular for its quality and longevity.
Standard
Criteria for products.
The smartphone meets international safety standards.
Quality
Superiority in goods or services.
The quality of the handcrafted shoes was evident in their finish.
Standard
Basis for regulation.
Food products must meet government standards for sale.
Quality
Customer satisfaction.
Their focus on quality led to high customer retention rates.
Standard
Norms for services.
The spa adheres to the highest hygiene standards.
Quality
Degree of excellence.
The restaurant’s quality has won it numerous awards.
Standard
Benchmark for comparison.
The software follows industry standards for security.
Quality
Aesthetics and design.
The quality of the painting lies in its intricate details.
Standard
Consistency in manufacturing.
The factory’s output consistently exceeds the standard quality level.
Quality
The standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something
An improvement in product quality
These colleges provide a better quality of education
Standard
A level of quality or attainment
The government's ambition to raise standards in schools
Their restaurant offers a high standard of service
Quality
A distinctive attribute or characteristic possessed by someone or something
He shows strong leadership qualities
The plant's aphrodisiac qualities
Standard
Something used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations
The wages are low by today's standards
The system had become an industry standard
Quality
Of good quality; excellent
He's a quality player
Standard
(especially with reference to jazz or blues) a tune or song of established popularity.
Quality
An inherent or distinguishing characteristic; a property
The medicinal qualities of a plant.
Standard
A military or ceremonial flag carried on a pole or hoisted on a rope.
Quality
A personal trait, especially a character trait
"The most vital quality a soldier can possess is self-confidence" (George S. Patton).
Standard
A tree or shrub that grows on an erect stem of full height.
Quality
Essential character; nature
"The quality of mercy is not strain'd" (Shakespeare).
Standard
An upright water or gas pipe.
Quality
Superiority of kind
An intellect of unquestioned quality.
Standard
Used or accepted as normal or average
It is standard practice in museums to register objects as they are acquired
The standard rate of income tax
Quality
Degree or grade of excellence
Yard goods of low quality.
Standard
(of a tree or shrub) growing on an erect stem of full height
Standard trees are useful for situations where immediate height is needed
Quality
Investments that have a low risk of loss or default
The flight to quality.
Standard
Serving as or conforming to an established or accepted measurement or value
A standard unit of volume.
Quality
High social position
People of quality.
Standard
Widely recognized or employed as a model of authority or excellence
A standard reference work.
Quality
Those in a high social position
Likes to associate with quality.
Standard
Acceptable but of less than top quality
A standard grade of beef.
Quality
(Music) Timbre, as determined by harmonics
A voice with a distinctive metallic quality.
Standard
Normal, familiar, or usual
The standard excuse.
Quality
(Linguistics) The character of a vowel sound determined by the size and shape of the oral cavity and the amount of resonance with which the sound is produced.
Standard
Commonly used or supplied
Standard car equipment.
Quality
(Logic) The positive or negative character of a proposition.
Standard
(Linguistics) Conforming to models or norms of usage admired by educated speakers and writers
Standard pronunciation.
Quality
Having a high degree of excellence
The importance of quality health care.
Standard
An acknowledged measure of comparison for quantitative or qualitative value; a criterion.
Quality
(uncountable) Level of excellence.
This school is well-known for having teachers of high quality.
Quality of life is usually determined by health, education, and income.
Standard
An object that under specified conditions defines, represents, or records the magnitude of a unit.
Quality
(countable) Something that differentiates a thing or person.
One of the qualities of pure iron is that it does not rust easily.
While being impulsive can be great for artists, it is not a desirable quality for engineers.
Security, stability, and efficiency are good qualities of an operating system.
Standard
The commodity or commodities used to back a monetary system.
Quality
(archaic) Position; status; rank.
Standard
The set proportion by weight of gold or silver to alloy metal prescribed for use in coinage.
Quality
(archaic) High social position. (See also the quality.)
A peasant is not allowed to fall in love with a lady of quality.
Membership of this golf club is limited to those of quality and wealth.
Standard
A degree or level of requirement, excellence, or attainment
Their quality of work exceeds the standards set for the field.
Quality
(uncountable) The degree to which a man-made object or system is free from bugs and flaws, as opposed to scope of functions or quantity of items.
Standard
Something, such as a practice or a product, that is widely recognized or employed, especially because of its excellence.
Quality
(thermodynamics) In a two-phase liquid–vapor mixture, the ratio of the mass of vapor present to the total mass of the mixture.
Standard
A set of specifications that are adopted within an industry to allow compatibility between products.
Quality
The third step in OPQRST where the responder investigates what the NOI/MOI feels like.
To identify quality try asking, "what does it feel like?".
Standard
A requirement of moral conduct
The standards of polite society.
Quality
A newspaper with relatively serious, high-quality content.
Standard
The ensign of a chief of state, nation, or city.
Quality
Being of good worth, well made, fit for purpose; of high quality.
We only sell quality products.
That was a quality game by Jim Smith.
A quality system ensures products meet customer requirements.
Standard
A long, tapering flag bearing heraldic devices distinctive of a person or corporation.
Quality
The condition of being of such and such a sort as distinguished from others; nature or character relatively considered, as of goods; character; sort; rank.
We lived most joyful, obtaining acquaintance with many of the city not of the meanest quality.
Standard
An emblem or flag of an army, raised on a pole to indicate the rallying point in battle.
Quality
Special or temporary character; profession; occupation; assumed or asserted rank, part, or position.
I made that inquiry in quality of an antiquary.
Standard
The colors of a mounted or motorized military unit.
Quality
That which makes, or helps to make, anything such as it is; anything belonging to a subject, or predicable of it; distinguishing property, characteristic, or attribute; peculiar power, capacity, or virtue; distinctive trait; as, the tones of a flute differ from those of a violin in quality; the great quality of a statesman.
Standard
Chiefly British A grade level in elementary schools.
Quality
An acquired trait; accomplishment; acquisition.
He had those qualities of horsemanship, dancing, and fencing which accompany a good breeding.
Standard
A pedestal, stand, or base.
Quality
Superior birth or station; high rank; elevated character.
I shall appear at the masquerade dressed up in my feathers, that the quality may see how pretty they will look in their traveling habits.
Standard
The large upper petal of the flower of a pea or related plant. Also called banner, vexillum.
Quality
An essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone;
The quality of mercy is not strained
Standard
One of the narrow upright petals of an iris.
Quality
A degree or grade of excellence or worth;
The quality of students has risen
An executive of low caliber
Standard
A shrub or small tree that through grafting or training has a single stem of limited height with a crown of leaves and flowers at its apex.
Quality
A characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something;
Each town has a quality all its own
The radical character of our demands
Standard
(Music) A composition that is continually used in repertoires
A pianist who knew dozens of Broadway standards.
Quality
(music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a voice or noise or musical sound);
The timbre of her soprano was rich and lovely
The muffled tones of the broken bell summoned them to meet
Standard
Falling within an accepted range of size, amount, power, quality, etc.
Quality
High social status;
A man of quality
Standard
(of a tree or shrub) Growing alone as a free-standing plant; not trained on a post etc.
Quality
Of superior grade;
Choice wines
Prime beef
Prize carnations
Quality paper
Select peaches
Standard
Having recognized excellence or authority.
Standard works in history; standard authors
Quality
Of high social status;
People of quality
A quality family
Standard
Of a usable or serviceable grade or quality.
Standard
Having a manual transmission.
Standard
As normally supplied (not optional).
Standard
(linguistics) Conforming to the standard variety.
Standard
A principle or example or measure used for comparison.
Standard
A level of quality or attainment.
Standard
Something used as a measure for comparative evaluations; a model.
Standard
A musical work of established popularity.
Standard
A rule or set of rules or requirements which are widely agreed upon or imposed by government.
Standard
The proportion of weights of fine metal and alloy established for coinage.
Standard
(sociolinguistics) standard idiom, a prestigious or standardized language variety; standard language
Standard
A bottle of wine containing 0.750 liters of fluid.
Standard
(India) Grade level in primary education.
I am in fifth standard.
Standard
A vertical pole with something at its apex.
Standard
An object supported in an upright position, such as a lamp standard.
Standard
The flag or ensign carried by a military unit.
Standard
One of the upright members that supports the horizontal axis of a transit or theodolite.
Standard
Any upright support, such as one of the poles of a scaffold.
Standard
A sturdy, woody plant whose upright stem is used to graft a less hardy ornamental flowering plant on, rather then actually planting it.
Standard
A tree of natural size supported by its own stem, and not dwarfed by grafting on the stock of a smaller species nor trained upon a wall or trellis.
Standard
The sheth of a plough.
Standard
A manual transmission vehicle.
Standard
(botany) The upper petal or banner of a papilionaceous corolla.
Standard
(shipbuilding) An inverted knee timber placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally.
Standard
A large drinking cup.
Standard
(historical) A collar of mail protecting the neck.
Standard
(slang) An expression of agreement
Standard
A flag; colors; a banner; especially, a national or other ensign.
His armies, in the following day,On those fair plains their standards proud display.
Standard
That which is established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, extent, value, or quality; esp., the original specimen weight or measure sanctioned by government, as the standard pound, gallon, or yard.
Standard
That which is established as a rule or model by authority, custom, or general consent; criterion; test.
The court, which used to be the standard of propriety and correctness of speech.
A disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman.
Standard
The proportion of weights of fine metal and alloy established by authority.
By the present standard of the coinage, sixty-two shillings is coined out of one pound weight of silver.
Standard
A tree of natural size supported by its own stem, and not dwarfed by grafting on the stock of a smaller species nor trained upon a wall or trellis.
In France part of their gardens is laid out for flowers, others for fruits; some standards, some against walls.
Standard
The upper petal or banner of a papilionaceous corolla.
Standard
An upright support, as one of the poles of a scaffold; any upright in framing.
Standard
An inverted knee timber placed upon the deck instead of beneath it, with its vertical branch turned upward from that which lies horizontally.
Standard
The sheth of a plow.
Standard
A large drinking cup.
Standard
Being, affording, or according with, a standard for comparison and judgment; as, standard time; standard weights and measures; a standard authority as to nautical terms; standard gold or silver.
Standard
Hence: Having a recognized and permanent value; as, standard works in history; standard authors.
Standard
Not supported by, or fastened to, a wall; as, standard fruit trees.
Standard
A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated;
They set the measure for all subsequent work
Standard
The ideal in terms of which something can be judged;
They live by the standards of their community
Standard
A board measure = 1980 board feet
Standard
The value behind the money in a monetary system
Standard
An upright pole or beam (especially one used as a support);
Distance was marked by standards every mile
Lamps supported on standards provided illumination
Standard
Any distinctive flag
Standard
Conforming to or constituting a standard of measurement or value; or of the usual or regularized or accepted kind;
Windows of standard width
Standard sizes
The standard fixtures
Standard brands
Standard operating procedure
Standard
Commonly used or supplied;
Standard procedure
Standard car equipment
Standard
Established or widely recognized as a model of authority or excellence;
A standard reference work
Standard
Conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers;
Standard English
Received standard English is sometimes called the King's English
Standard
Regularly and widely used or sold;
A standard size
A stock item
Common Curiosities
How are standards developed?
Standards are developed by authoritative bodies or through consensus among industry stakeholders, focusing on consistency and safety.
Can a product meet standards but be of low quality?
Yes, a product can meet basic standards but still be considered low quality if it doesn't exceed consumer expectations in performance or aesthetics.
What role do standards play in product development?
Standards provide a framework for product development, ensuring products meet essential requirements for safety and functionality.
Can quality be measured?
Quality can be measured based on specific characteristics relevant to the product or service, though it is more subjective than standards.
Why are standards important in industry?
Standards ensure consistency, safety, and interoperability of products, facilitating trade and regulatory compliance.
How does quality affect consumer behavior?
High-quality products can lead to greater customer satisfaction, loyalty, and a willingness to pay premium prices.
How does a business exceed standard quality levels?
Businesses can exceed standard quality levels by enhancing product performance, durability, and customer service, thereby surpassing basic requirements.
What defines quality in a product?
Quality is defined by the product's performance, durability, reliability, and aesthetics, measured against consumer expectations.
Is it possible for standards to lower product quality?
Standards set a minimum quality level; however, focusing solely on meeting standards without striving for excellence can make products appear generic and uninspired.
Can standards ensure the quality of a service?
Standards can ensure the basic quality of a service by establishing minimum service delivery norms, but exceeding these standards is often necessary for high customer satisfaction.
Do standards stifle innovation?
While standards ensure consistency, they can be updated to reflect new technologies and consumer expectations, thus encouraging innovation.
How do international standards affect global trade?
International standards facilitate global trade by ensuring products meet universal safety and quality requirements, enabling easier market access.
What happens when a product fails to meet quality expectations?
Failure to meet quality expectations can lead to customer dissatisfaction, reduced loyalty, and negative impacts on brand reputation.
Why might a company choose to exceed industry standards?
Companies may choose to exceed industry standards to differentiate their products, improve customer satisfaction, and gain a competitive edge.
How do changes in consumer expectations affect quality and standards?
Changes in consumer expectations can drive improvements in quality and lead to updates in standards, ensuring that products and services remain relevant and desirable.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Coffee vs. Espresso
Next Comparison
Reference vs. ContextAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
