How We Test AI Tools
Last updated
Trust is everything for a review site. This page explains exactly how we choose, test, score and update the AI tools we write about.
Our principles
- Hands-on only. We never review a tool we haven't used ourselves.
- Real work, not demos. We test tools on the tasks our readers actually do.
- Same rubric for everyone. Every tool in a category is scored on the same criteria.
- Money never buys a rating. Affiliate relationships and advertisers have zero influence on scores. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
How we choose what to review
We prioritize tools that readers ask about, tools with meaningful market share, and promising newcomers that do something genuinely different. We also revisit tools after major updates.
Our testing process
- Minimum two weeks of use on real projects before publishing a review.
- Paid plans. Where possible we pay for our own subscription and test the plan most readers would buy.
- Standardized tasks. Each category has a fixed set of test prompts and tasks (for example, the same writing briefs, coding challenges or image prompts) so tools can be compared fairly.
- Documentation. We keep screenshots and notes from every test session.
How we score
Each review includes an overall rating from 1 to 5 stars, built from these criteria:
| Criterion | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Output quality | Accuracy, usefulness and consistency of results |
| Ease of use | Onboarding, interface, learning curve |
| Features | Depth, integrations, collaboration, API access |
| Value for money | Pricing versus capabilities and alternatives |
| Support & reliability | Uptime, speed, documentation, customer support |
| Privacy & security | Data handling, training opt-outs, enterprise controls |
Scores are weighted for each category — for example, output quality counts more for writing tools, while integrations count more for business tools.
Comparisons
In comparisons, we run every tool through the same tasks side by side and name a single winner for most readers — plus the best alternative for specific needs.
Keeping content up to date
AI tools change fast. We re-check our most-read articles regularly and every time a tool changes its pricing or ships a major update. The "Last updated" date on each article shows when it was last reviewed.
Corrections
If we get something wrong, we fix it quickly and note significant corrections in the article. Spotted an error? Let us know.