How I test and score
Every score on this site comes from the same six criteria, weighted the same way, applied to every product in a category. This page is the method. If a review ever contradicts it, the review is wrong.
The six criteria
| Criterion | Weight | What I look at |
|---|---|---|
| Features & depth | 25% | Does it do the job completely, or only the easy 80%? I test the edge cases, not the demo path. |
| Ease of use | 20% | Time from signup to first useful output, measured. Quality of documentation and onboarding. |
| Value for money | 20% | What the entry plan actually includes versus its price, and where the next tier becomes necessary. |
| Performance & accuracy | 15% | Speed and accuracy on identical tasks run across competing products. |
| Support (tested) | 10% | I open a real support ticket on every product and record the response time and quality. |
| Integrations & API | 10% | Whether it connects to the tools the target user already runs, and whether the API is usable. |
How the overall score is set
The weighted average is the starting point, not the answer. The reviewer sets the final figure and may depart from the arithmetic. A product that fails badly in one area does not deserve a good overall score just because it scores well elsewhere. Where I depart from the average, the review says why.
What the numbers mean
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 9.0+ | Best in class |
| 8.0+ | Excellent, recommended |
| 7.0+ | Very good |
| 6.0+ | Good, but there are better options |
| 5.0+ | Below average |
My testing rules
I pay for my own accounts. Where a vendor provides a free account for testing, the review says so on the page.
Minimum testing period. I do not publish a review of a product I have used for less than two weeks on real work. Quick impressions are not reviews.
Every screenshot is mine. I do not use vendor marketing images. Screenshots come from my own account and the caption says what I was doing and when.
I open a support ticket on every product and publish the response time. It is the one thing a vendor cannot stage for reviewers.
I re-test before updating. The update date on a page changes only when I have changed the substance. Manipulating dates to look fresh is a spam signal and I treat it as one.
What I do not do
I do not aggregate ratings from other review sites and present them as my own. I do not accept payment for a review, a score, or a position in a ranking. I do not remove a negative review because a vendor asks. See my independence policy.
Corrections
If you find an error, email hello@nganlethi.com. Corrections are made at the top of the affected page with the date.