Four evidence labels
Vendor-documented
A provider states the price, limit, or capability. We link the primary page and show when it was checked.
Calculated
An arithmetic output follows inputs and assumptions visible on the same page.
Tested
We ran a named workflow and disclose the date, account tier, conditions, and limitations.
Editorial judgment
A conclusion maps facts to a defined reader profile. Reasonable operators may weigh criteria differently.
How fit criteria work
We do not publish a numerical score until its criterion-level evidence can be reproduced on the page. For a solo service business, the launch rubric considers:
| Criterion | Weight | Question |
|---|---|---|
| Job fit | 30% | Does the tool organize the core work without forcing an enterprise model? |
| Cost clarity | 20% | Can a small operator understand the units that make the bill grow? |
| Lean starting path | 20% | Can the workflow be validated before a large cash or migration commitment? |
| Data control | 15% | Are ownership, consent state, and export boundaries reasonably clear? |
| Upgrade logic | 15% | Does the paid boundary map to a constraint a small business can name? |
Affiliate payout, brand size, and number of features receive zero weight. A verdict can change after a material plan, price, policy, export, or workflow change. Numerical scores remain hidden at launch because the criterion-level worksheets are not yet published.
Price checks
- USD is used unless the page says otherwise.
- Monthly and annual-prepay equivalents are labeled separately.
- A temporary promotion is not treated as a permanent standard price.
- Taxes, exchange rates, contacts, usage, seats, and add-ons can change checkout totals.
- The vendor’s live checkout and signed contract always control.
Affiliate firewall
Researchers choose the criteria before considering whether an affiliate relationship exists. A relevant non-affiliate alternative is not excluded merely because it produces no commission. Affiliate availability never improves a criterion score or verdict. Commercial coverage may support the site, but links are centrally marked and a disclosure appears before monetized calls to action.
Corrections and updates
A meaningful correction changes the page and, when material, its update date. Build time does not automatically refresh editorial dates. Readers and vendors can submit primary evidence through the contact page. A vendor may correct a fact but cannot buy a verdict. Material changes are recorded in the public research update log.
Limitations
Documentation cannot establish how a UI will feel, how support will respond in a future incident, or how your domain will perform in recipients’ inboxes. Calculators are arithmetic, not forecasts. This site is informational and does not replace legal, tax, privacy, security, or financial advice.