Argumentree is consensus decision-making software for groups that need agreement everyone can live with, not just a majority. It replaces the sprawling thread where objections get buried: every concern is captured as a structured argument, members rate arguments so the group can see where support actually stands, blocks are resolved explicitly, and the agreed decision is recorded with the reasoning behind it. Built for cooperatives, nonprofits, member organizations, and teams that need real buy-in. To understand the method itself, see our explainer on what consensus decision-making is.
Argumentree is consensus decision-making software that turns a sprawling discussion into a structured map of arguments. Every objection is surfaced as its own point, members rate where they stand, blocks get resolved in the open, and the agreed decision is recorded with its reasoning.
Best for: cooperatives, nonprofits, member-run organizations, community groups, and teams that need genuine buy-in — not just a majority vote.
A long email or chat thread grows faster than anyone can follow. Points get repeated, replies fork in every direction, and by the end no one can say what the group actually agreed to.
A real concern raised early disappears under later messages. Consensus means addressing every objection — but you can't resolve what you can't even find anymore.
Even when the group agrees, the agreement lives in someone's memory. Weeks later there's no clear record of what was decided or why — and the same debate starts over.
A structured path from scattered discussion to an agreed, recorded decision.
Each concern becomes its own structured argument that can be examined and answered — nothing gets buried in a thread.
Members rate arguments, so the group can see where agreement genuinely exists instead of guessing from who spoke loudest.
Unresolved concerns and blocks stay visible until they are addressed — consensus isn't declared while objections are still open.
When the group agrees, the decision is captured with the reasoning behind it — a durable record you can revisit with full context.
Voting produces a fast winner; consensus produces a decision the whole group can accept. Many groups use both — work through objections by consensus, then confirm the outcome with a vote or a fallback threshold.
New to the concept? Read our explainers on consensus decision-making, consensus building, and consent-based decision-making.
Consensus decision-making software is a tool that helps a group reach an agreement everyone can live with, rather than deciding by simple majority. Instead of a sprawling email or chat thread where objections get buried, Argumentree gives the group a structured space to surface every concern as an argument, see where support actually stands, resolve blocks explicitly, and record the decision that was agreed — so the reasoning is captured, not lost.
The right tool depends on how your group works, but a consensus tool should do three things: capture every objection as a distinct point (so nothing is lost in a thread), let members signal support or dissent so you can see whether real agreement exists, and keep a record of what was decided and why. Argumentree is built around structured pro/con arguments and per-argument rating, so a facilitator can see exactly which concerns are still unresolved before calling consensus. Compare approaches on our tool comparison for group decision-making.
Argumentree turns a discussion into a structured argument map. Each objection or supporting point becomes its own argument that can be examined, rated, and responded to. Members rate arguments so the group can see where support genuinely stands instead of guessing from who spoke loudest. Blocks and unresolved concerns stay visible until they are addressed, and once the group agrees, the decision is recorded with the full reasoning behind it, so it can be revisited later with complete context.
Voting is fast and produces a clear winner, but it can leave a dissenting minority unheard and hide the reasons behind a choice. Consensus takes longer but aims for a decision the whole group can accept, which tends to hold up better because objections were addressed rather than outvoted. Many groups combine the two: use consensus to work through objections, then a confirmation vote or a fallback threshold if consensus can't be reached. Argumentree supports the consensus work — surfacing and resolving objections — whichever way you formalize the final call.
Argumentree is used by cooperatives, nonprofits, member-run organizations, community groups, and teams that need buy-in rather than a bare majority. Any group that has to bring dissenting members along — where a decision only sticks if the people affected agree to it — benefits from surfacing objections as structured arguments and keeping a record of what was agreed.
Comparing tools? See how Argumentree stacks up against Loomio.
Start your free 14-day trial. No credit card required.