Removing the compare to option in the category layout of Magento  easily.

First navigate to /app/design/frontend/your_ theme/default/template/catalog/product or /app/design/frontend/default/default/template/catalog/product

and download list.phtml

Search for the following around line 75

<?php if($_compareUrl=$this->getAddToCompareUrl($_product)): ?>
<li><span class=”separator”>|</span> <a href=”<?php echo $_compareUrl ?>” class=”link-compare”><?php echo $this->__(‘Add to Compare’) ?></a></li>
<?php endif; ?>

now comment it out

<!—<?php if($_compareUrl=$this->getAddToCompareUrl($_product)): ?>
<li><span class=”separator”>|</span> <a href=”<?php echo $_compareUrl ?>” class=”link-compare”><?php echo $this->__(‘Add to Compare’) ?></a></li>
<?php endif; ?>–>

Next search again for compare and at or around  line 111

<?php if($_compareUrl=$this->getAddToCompareUrl($_product)): ?>
<li><span class=”separator”>|</span> <a href=”<?php echo $_compareUrl ?>” class=”link-compare”><?php echo $this->__(‘Add to Compare’) ?></a></li>
<?php endif; ?>

Now comment this out.

<!— <?php if($_compareUrl=$this->getAddToCompareUrl($_product)): ?>
<li><span class=”separator”>|</span> <a href=”<?php echo $_compareUrl ?>” class=”link-compare”><?php echo $this->__(‘Add to Compare’) ?></a></li>
<?php endif; ?>–>

All done the code will not function and the compare button will not appear.

This is easier than removing it because you never know if you’ll change your mind.

Thanks

The Team