Go with checkboxes for consistency -------------------------------------- - **Radio buttons** usually express **mutually exclusive options** (*EITHER this OR that*), so giving an option that includes an item but excludes it at the same time **won't be consistent**. Contrary to checkboxes, it's expected to *select exactly 1 item, neither less nor more*. - **Checkboxes** are used **to select several items** (*this AND that*) which is the case. Also they let you select **none**. Bear in mind that it might happen that you have to add a *new option* and if you use radio buttons, then "both" will be meaningless and you'll have to redesign this control (also remember *users hate changes unless they're great improvements*). With checkboxes that's not a problem. - **"Both" option has more cognitive load since it doesn't express something by itself**, it's a reference to another items, so the *state is not directly showed*. Additionally you are adding +1 element to the UI. A way to improve it would be to explicitly name the label "Customer + Item" or "All", similarly as the case of the classic single choice questions, where you can find options like "*Answer D*: "All previous answers are correct" or "A and C are correct". But anyway, if the answers are not mutually exclusive, you could add an "All" checkbox as a shortcut for users, *without losing visibility of the selection state*. There's a similar approach used in table-like components, like [Gmail Inbox][1], where you have a "select all" checkbox. - There are use cases when they both could fit the requirements, each one having its pros and cons, then you really need some user testing to see which generates less confusion. See [this question][3] for a very special use case. [1]: http://images.pcworld.com/images/article/2012/07/gmail20is20unimportant-11383765.jpg [2]: http://I%20would%20go%20with%20the%202nd%20option%20**(checkboxes)**%20because:%20%20%20-%20**Radio%20buttons**%20usually%20express%20**mutually%20exclusive%20options**%20(*EITHER%20this%20OR%20that*),%20so%20giving%20an%20option%20that%20includes%20but%20excludes%20at%20the%20same%20time%20won't%20be%20consistent.%20%20%20%20Contrary%20to%20checkboxes%20it's%20%20expected%20to%20*select%20exactly%201%20item,%20neither%20less%20nor%20more*.%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20**Checkboxes**%20are%20used%20**to%20select%20several%20items**%20(*this%20AND%20that*)%20which%20is%20the%20case.%20Also%20they%20let%20you%20select%20**none**.%20Also,%20it%20might%20happen%20that%20you%20have%20to%20add%20a%20*new%20option*%20and%20if%20you%20use%20radio%20buttons,%20then%20%22both%22%20be%20meaningless%20and%20you%20will%20have%20to%20redesign%20this%20control%20(also%20remember%20*users%20hate%20changes%20unless%20they're%20great%20improvements*).%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-%20**%22Both%22%20option%20has%20more%20cognitive%20load%20since%20it%20doesn't%20express%20something%20by%20itself**,%20it's%20a%20reference%20to%20another%20items,%20so%20the%20*state%20is%20not%20directly%20showed*.%20Additionally%20you%20are%20adding%20+1%20element%20to%20the%20UI.%20A%20way%20to%20improve%20it%20would%20be%20to%20explicitly%20name%20the%20label%20%22Customer%20+%20Item%22%20or%20%22All%22,%20similarly%20as%20the%20case%20of%20the%20classic%20multiple%20choice%20questions,%20where%20you%20can%20find%20options%20like%20%22*Answer%20D*:%20All%20previous%20answers%20are%20correct%22%20or%20%22A%20and%20C%20are%20correct%22.%20%20%20%20But%20anyway,%20if%20the%20answers%20are%20not%20mutually%20exclusive,%20you%20could%20add%20a%20%22All%22%20checkbox%20as%20a%20shortcut%20for%20users,%20without%20losing%20*visibility%20of%20the%20selection%20state*.%20There's%20a%20similar%20approach%20used%20in%20table-like%20components,%20like%20[Gmail%20Inbox][1],%20where%20you%20have%20the%20%22select%20all%22%20checkbox.%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20[1]:%20http://images.pcworld.com/images/article/2012/07/gmail20is20unimportant-11383765.jpg%20%20%20[2]:%20http://ux.stackexchange.com/questions/67609/adding-a-none-of-the-above-option-to-a-list-of-checkboxes/67616#67616 [3]: http://ux.stackexchange.com/questions/67609/adding-a-none-of-the-above-option-to-a-list-of-checkboxes/