How I test
How I test every tool before I recommend it
No reviews written from a feature list. Every tool on this site goes through the same four steps before I give it a verdict.
The four steps
01
I sign up and use it
My own account, not a vendor demo. I complete a real task, the kind a small business would actually do, and take my own screenshots.
02
I look for the catch
Price jumps as you grow, features locked behind higher plans, limits that only show up later. If there's a catch, it goes in the review.
03
I compare it
Every tool is weighed against the alternatives on this site, so you can see where it wins and where something else is a better fit.
04
I give a straight verdict
Who it suits, who should skip it, and what it really costs. No sitting on the fence.
What every review includes
- Who it’s for, and who should skip it. A tool can be great and still wrong for you.
- My own screenshots from my account, not the vendor’s marketing images.
- Pricing in plain terms, including what it costs as your list or store grows.
- Real pros and cons. At least three cons for every tool, because every tool has some.
- Alternatives, with a link to the head-to-head comparison where one exists.
- A “last verified” date, so you know how fresh the pricing is.
How I keep reviews up to date
Software changes fast. I re-check pricing on every review at least every 90 days, and when a tool changes for better or worse, I update my verdict and say what changed.
Every verdict is my own
No software company gets to approve or change a review before it goes live. If a tool isn’t good enough for the job, I’ll say so. Spotted something out of date? Let me know.