How we test & score
Our whole product depends on trust. Here is exactly how we curate, verify, and score — and the lines we refuse to cross.
1. Curation, not aggregation
We do not list 10,000 tools. We curate a smaller set of tools that genuinely matter in each category, so we can keep every record accurate and current. A tool earns a listing by being widely used, genuinely distinct, or clearly best-in-class for a specific job — never by paying us.
2. Evidence levels — always stated
Every tool carries one of two labels:
- Hands-on tested — we used the product, documented the date, version, and test, and recorded the results.
- Research / specifications only — the listing is based on vendor documentation and public information, and has not been independently hands-on tested.
We never claim to have tested what we haven’t. Today, most listings are research-only; we would rather be honest about that than inflate our credibility.
3. Match scores are transparent, not mysterious
Our AI Tool Finder scores every tool against your stated criteria — task, user type, budget, skill level, privacy, and platform — with each factor carrying a stated weight. You see exactly what matched and what didn’t for every result. There is no black-box “92% match” with nothing behind it.
4. No single meaningless score
We do not compress tools into one “9.2/10.” Quality, ease, speed, reliability, privacy, integrations, and value are different things that matter differently to different people. Where we publish scores, we publish the dimensions separately and let your profile weight them.
5. Pricing is dated and honest
Every price carries a last-checked date. We normalize pricing (cost-per-image, cost-per-minute) only where the billing models genuinely allow it, and we state our assumptions. Where models differ fundamentally — credits vs seats vs tokens — we say so instead of forcing a fake comparison.
6. Dead tools are flagged, not hidden
We track product status: active, maintenance, acquired, rebranded, discontinued, unreachable. A tool that no longer works is never presented as a live recommendation.
7. Money is disclosed, never hidden
Some links earn a referral commission. Sponsored placement, where it exists, is labeled at the link. Nothing about how much a vendor pays influences a ranking, a match score, or a recommendation. See how we make money.
What we will not do
- Rank a tool higher because it pays a higher commission.
- Claim hands-on testing that did not occur.
- Call a tool “free” when it only has trial credits.
- Claim integrations, privacy, or commercial-use rights without evidence.
- Fabricate benchmarks, prices, or user sentiment.
- Pad the catalog with thousands of low-value listings to look big.