Abstract: Two coupled-mode methods, namely DGMCM (Direct-Global-Matrix Coupled-Mode Method) and CCMM (Consistent Coupled-Mode Method), are analyzed and compared. First, both of these two methods provide two-way solutions, and hence they are accurate models. Second, the series of local vertical modes in DGMCM converges as fast as that in CCMM, whereas DGMCM has a more tolerable requirement of the number of segments than CCMM. Third, these two models obtain the field solution by solving the coupled-mode system with different coefficient matrices, in which the computational effort for the required parameters is almost the same. Finally, DGMCM can handle some problems which are difficult for CCMM, such as in a waveguide with a rough bottom, a line source located right on top of a sloping bottom, or in the presence of multiple sources. In DGMCM, closed-form expressions for coupling matrices in a two-layer waveguide are given. In addition, the formulation for the line-source problem in plane geometry is derived to update CCMM.