Cliftonstrengths Vs. Via Strengths: How Do They Compare

Strengths-based development has become a powerful way to improve performance, engagement, and well-being at work. 

Among the most recognised frameworks are VIA Character Strengths and CliftonStrengths, both designed to help people identify what they naturally do best—but with different approaches and outcomes. 

The question many leaders face is: VIA Character Strengths vs CliftonStrengths and which one should you use. In this article, we’ll explore the differences, compare their benefits, and offer practical guidance on choosing the right framework to bring out the best in your people.

What Are VIA Character Strengths?

The VIA Character Strengths framework was developed by psychologists Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson as part of the field of Positive Psychology. 

At its heart, the VIA model is built on the belief that every individual has core character strengths—qualities that reflect who we are at our best and how we contribute positively to the world around us.

The framework identifies 24 universal character strengths, grouped under six broader virtues: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Examples include curiosity, kindness, teamwork, perseverance, and gratitude. 

These strengths are not about skills or competencies in the traditional sense; they are about values-driven traits that shape behaviour and influence how people respond to challenges, relationships, and opportunities.

One of the most appealing aspects of VIA is its accessibility. The survey is free to take online and provides a personalised ranking of all 24 strengths. 

Unlike other assessments that focus on identifying weaknesses, VIA encourages individuals to recognise and leverage what is already strong within them. Research shows that when people play to their character strengths, they report higher levels of resilience, engagement, and life satisfaction.

In workplace contexts, VIA can be a powerful tool for fostering a culture of empathy, trust, and collaboration. For example, a manager who understands that their top strength is fairness may be more consistent in decision-making, while a team member with creativity as a signature strength may excel in problem-solving sessions. 

When teams collectively understand their character strengths, it can improve interpersonal dynamics and help create healthier, more supportive work environments.

Put simply, VIA helps individuals and teams flourish by aligning everyday actions with deeper values and virtues—a powerful foundation for personal and organisational well-being.

What Is CliftonStrengths?

CliftonStrengths, developed by Donald Clifton and the Gallup organisation, takes a different approach. Instead of focusing on universal character traits, it identifies natural patterns of thought, feeling, and behaviour that can be productively applied at work and in life. 

Originally known as the StrengthsFinder, CliftonStrengths has become one of the most widely used talent assessments worldwide.

The tool measures an individual against 34 distinct talent themes, such as Achiever, Relator, Strategic, and Learner. These themes are further grouped into four domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. 

The aim is to highlight not only what a person does well, but how they can consistently deliver high performance when they are at their best.

Unlike VIA, the CliftonStrengths assessment is a paid tool, with options to unlock either a Top 5 report or the full 34 themes. The reports are highly detailed, often providing personalised strategies on how to apply strengths in practical situations. 

This makes it particularly popular among organisations that want a structured and actionable way to develop talent.

CliftonStrengths has become a cornerstone of leadership development and team building in many enterprises across the globe. 

Managers often use it to identify hidden leadership potential, HR teams apply it to improve recruitment and retention, and organisations leverage it to drive productivity by ensuring people are positioned where their strengths can have the greatest impact.

For teams, CliftonStrengths offers a shared language of performance. When colleagues understand each other’s strengths, they can better appreciate differences, reduce conflict, and collaborate more effectively. 

For leaders, the tool provides clarity on how to build high-performing teams by aligning tasks with natural talents.

How To Differentiate CliftonStrengths And VIA Strengths

While both VIA Character Strengths and CliftonStrengths are rooted in helping people identify and use what they do best, they serve different purposes and are built on different foundations. 

Understanding these distinctions is important, especially if you’re deciding which approach will deliver the most value in your workplace or team.

Purpose and Application

The first major difference lies in the end goal of each framework. VIA Character Strengths was created within the field of Positive Psychology and is primarily focused on well-being, resilience, and values-based living. 

The survey is designed to help individuals recognize their inner strengths—such as kindness, curiosity, or fairness—and use them to lead more fulfilling lives. When applied in organisations, VIA often supports areas like employee well-being, culture building, and interpersonal trust. 

For example, a team that intentionally builds on strengths like gratitude or teamwork may create a more collaborative and supportive environment.

CliftonStrengths, on the other hand, was developed with the workplace in mind. Its purpose is to identify talents that can be refined into strengths for higher performance, leadership effectiveness, and team alignment. 

Rather than focusing on virtues, CliftonStrengths zeroes in on what drives productivity and success in professional contexts. Leaders often use it to shape career development pathways, improve collaboration, and place people in roles where they can thrive. 

For instance, someone with the Strategic strength might excel at long-term planning, while an Achiever thrives when driving projects forward.

Framework and Structure

The second key difference is in how the two models are built. VIA Character Strengths is based on a universal framework of 24 strengths, grouped under six core virtues: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. 

These strengths are considered innate qualities shared across cultures and societies, representing the best of human character. The VIA survey produces a full ranking of all 24, showing not only your top traits but also how the rest play out in your personality. This provides a broad, values-based view of character.

CliftonStrengths identifies 34 talent themes, which are clustered into four domains of leadership and performance: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. 

The assessment typically highlights your Top 5 talents (or all 34 in order, if you choose the full version), giving a more performance-driven lens. 

Each theme is explained with tailored strategies, helping individuals understand not just what they’re good at but how they can apply it productively. 

For example, a leader with high Relator talent is encouraged to invest in close, trusting relationships, while someone with Futuristic talent is guided to inspire others with a long-term vision.

Assessment Approach

Another key difference between the two tools lies in how they are delivered and the type of insights they provide. VIA Character Strengths is highly accessible. The standard survey can be completed online in about 15–20 minutes, and the results are provided free of charge. 

Participants receive a full ranking of all 24 strengths, from their most dominant to their least expressed. While additional, paid reports are available for deeper interpretation, the free version already gives a useful overview of a person’s character strengths. 

This makes VIA especially appealing for large groups, schools, or organisations that want to introduce strengths-based development at scale without significant investment.

CliftonStrengths, by contrast, is a paid assessment developed by Gallup. Depending on whether you unlock your Top 5 themes or the full 34 report, it takes around 30–45 minutes to complete. The reports are more detailed and personalised, offering practical strategies for applying strengths in the workplace. 

For example, they not only tell you that you’re strong in “Learner” but also provide guidance on how to leverage this in your role, team, or leadership journey. The investment cost reflects the depth and applicability of the insights, which are highly relevant for professional and corporate settings.

Audience

Because of their different approaches, the typical users of VIA Character Strengths and CliftonStrengths are not the same. 

VIA Character Strengths is often used by individuals who want to better understand themselves, educators who are looking to nurture student development, and coaches or therapists who integrate values-driven growth into their practice. 

It is also a natural fit for well-being initiatives, personal resilience training, and programmes aimed at building empathy and positive relationships.

CliftonStrengths is more commonly used in corporate and organisational settings. Its audience includes professionals aiming to accelerate career development, managers building stronger teams, HR leaders driving engagement, and executives seeking to unlock leadership potential. 

Because the language of CliftonStrengths is designed around performance and productivity, it resonates strongly with enterprises that want measurable outcomes, especially in areas like team alignment, leadership pipelines, and succession planning.

Outcome

The outcomes each tool delivers also reflect their distinct philosophies. VIA Character Strengths leads primarily to personal growth and flourishing. Participants gain greater self-awareness of their core values and virtues, which can enhance resilience, improve relationships, and support overall well-being. 

Teams using VIA often report stronger trust and empathy, as people learn to appreciate each other’s unique character traits. While it may not directly link to KPIs, the indirect benefits—such as reduced stress, better communication, and improved morale—can have a meaningful impact on team culture.

CliftonStrengths, on the other hand, produces outcomes that are more tangible in performance and leadership development. 

The insights help individuals focus on how they can consistently deliver high performance, while leaders can use the data to assign roles, design development plans, and build cohesive teams. 

Organisations that adopt CliftonStrengths often see higher engagement scores, stronger leadership pipelines, and clearer alignment between talent and business goals.

Which One Should You Choose? 5 Tips You Should Know

Choosing between VIA Character Strengths and CliftonStrengths isn’t about picking the “better” framework—it’s about selecting the one that best fits your people and organisational goals. Here are five practical tips to guide your decision.

1. Clarify Your Goal First

The most important step is to align the choice of framework with your objectives. What do you want to achieve?

• If your priority is to nurture well-being, resilience, and a values-driven culture, VIA may be the right fit. It helps people discover their inner resources—like kindness, perseverance, or curiosity—that support them through challenges and strengthen interpersonal trust.

• If your aim is to build high-performing teams, identify leadership potential, or align people with business goals, CliftonStrengths tends to be more effective. Its focus on how individuals can use their innate talents to deliver results directly links to workplace performance.

In short, start by asking: Are we trying to help people flourish as individuals, or are we trying to sharpen performance and leadership? The answer will point you in the right direction.

2. Consider Cost and Accessibility

Budget and scalability matter—especially when rolling out any program across larger teams.

• VIA Character Strengths offers free access to its core assessment, which makes it easy to introduce to a wide audience with no upfront cost. 

Paid versions provide more detailed reports, but the free version is already highly usable. This makes VIA an attractive option for organisations testing the waters with strengths-based development, or for those looking for a cost-effective entry point.

• CliftonStrengths, in contrast, is a paid tool. The standard Top 5 themes report is less expensive, while the Full 34 themes report offers deeper insights but requires a greater investment. 

The value here lies in the ROI: many organisations find the cost justified because the assessment provides practical, performance-oriented insights that can be directly applied to leadership development, role design, and team productivity.

The decision comes down to whether you’re looking for a low-cost, accessible starting point (VIA) or a strategic, high-value investment with measurable workplace outcomes (CliftonStrengths).

3. Think About Context of Use

The context in which you plan to use the framework also matters.

• VIA Character Strengths is often best suited to settings that prioritise personal growth, resilience, and values-based learning. 

For example, it works well in wellness initiatives, coaching programmes, or team-building workshops where the goal is to deepen empathy, improve relationships, or strengthen morale.

• CliftonStrengths, on the other hand, shines in professional and organisational contexts. It’s designed for managers who want to drive team effectiveness, HR leaders looking to shape leadership pipelines, or companies striving to align strengths with business goals. 

Because it speaks the language of performance and productivity, it is often easier to integrate into talent management systems and corporate training.

In other words, VIA is ideal for cultivating resilience and self-awareness, while CliftonStrengths is better for driving alignment and results in the workplace.

4. Look at Depth vs Breadth

Another way to think about these two frameworks is through the lens of scope versus focus.

• VIA Character Strengths takes a broad view, mapping out 24 universal character strengths that everyone possesses to some degree. 

This breadth gives people a holistic sense of their inner resources—covering everything from creativity and gratitude to leadership and perseverance. The strength of VIA lies in showing the full landscape of what makes individuals thrive, rather than spotlighting just a few talents.

• CliftonStrengths, by contrast, narrows in with depth. Out of 34 talent themes, the assessment highlights a person’s top strengths—the areas where they naturally excel and can deliver the most impact. 

Instead of spreading attention across a wide spectrum, it drills into the few themes that most define a person’s potential. For leaders, this means a sharper tool to align people to roles, responsibilities, and goals.

In short, VIA offers breadth for self-awareness and growth, while CliftonStrengths offers depth for performance and application. Which approach matters more to your organisation depends on whether you value an overview of all possibilities or a focus on immediate impact.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Both

It’s also worth remembering that this doesn’t have to be an either/or decision. In fact, some of the most effective strengths-based strategies come from blending both approaches.

Here’s why:

• VIA brings a values-based lens. It helps people reflect on who they are at their core and what drives them. This builds empathy, resilience, and purpose—qualities that sustain motivation and strengthen team bonds.

• CliftonStrengths provides a performance-based lens. It translates innate talents into actionable insights for the workplace—how individuals can contribute to team success, lead more effectively, and boost organisational performance.

Together, they create a holistic strengths strategy. VIA helps teams build stronger foundations of trust and shared values, while CliftonStrengths shows them how to turn those foundations into measurable results. 

For organisations navigating complex challenges, this combination can foster both well-being and high performance—a balance that today’s workplaces increasingly demand.

Conclusion About Via Character Strengths Vs. Cliftonstrengths

When it comes to CliftonStrengths vs VIA Strengths, the real takeaway is that each framework offers something valuable, but in different ways. 

VIA shines when the focus is on values, resilience, and character development, while CliftonStrengths is built to drive workplace performance, leadership growth, and team collaboration. 

Neither tool is inherently better—it’s about clarity of purpose. The smartest step leaders can take is to align the choice with their organizational goals, or even pilot both to see which approach resonates best with their culture and people.

At Strengths School™, we help teams and leaders unlock their full potential through science-backed, strengths-based training and coaching designed for real-world application. Since 2013, we’ve partnered with over 1,000 teams to strengthen engagement, productivity, and collaboration.

And because we believe in delivering impact you can measure, we back our workshops with a money-back guarantee if participant feedback doesn’t hit at least 8/10.

If you’re ready to build a stronger, more engaged workforce, connect with us at Strengths School™—where we turn strengths into lasting results.

Frequently Asked Questions About Via Character Strengths Vs. Cliftonstrengths

Is Cliftonstrengths More Suitable For Corporate Settings Than Via Strengths?

Yes. CliftonStrengths is often favoured in workplace contexts because it focuses on talents linked to productivity, leadership, and team performance. VIA Strengths, on the other hand, is broader and more values-driven, making it suitable for both personal and professional growth.

Can Via Strengths And Cliftonstrengths Results Overlap?

They measure different aspects, so overlaps are minimal. VIA looks at character traits such as honesty or kindness, while CliftonStrengths identifies talent themes like Strategic or Relator. Together, they can complement each other.

How Long Does It Take To Complete The Cliftonstrengths And Via Surveys?

The VIA survey usually takes 15–20 minutes, while CliftonStrengths can take about 30–45 minutes, depending on whether you complete the Top 5 or full 34 assessment.

Which Assessment Provides More Detailed Feedback?

CliftonStrengths provides more in-depth, customised reports with actionable insights for the workplace. VIA offers a full ranking of your 24 strengths, but its feedback is more focused on personal development and well-being.

Are Cliftonstrengths And Via Strengths Backed By Research?

Yes, both are research-based. CliftonStrengths is built on Gallup’s decades of workplace studies, while VIA is rooted in Positive Psychology and global research on human virtues and character strengths.