We consider applications of a comparison method for obtaining some exact solutions of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) through their traveling wave reductions. The method, proposed by N. A. Kudryashov, 39(18), 5733–5742, Applied Mathematical Modelling, is extended to encompass not only solutions expressible in terms of the logistic function but also to the
tanh$$ \tanh $$‐class of functions in a unified manner. The standard set of second‐order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) admitting the logistic and
tanh$$ \tanh $$ functions as solutions is derived and extensions to the third‐order case are enunciated. A number of examples are included to illustrate the method.