Full transparency

How I test tools

My methodology is designed to produce reliable and reproducible reviews. Here's exactly how I work, without filters.

The 4-step process

01

Tool selection

I only test tools for which I have a valid reason: either because readers asked for them, or because they are objectively significant in their market (top 5 of a segment). I refuse to test tools sent by publishers without a justified reason.

02

Real-world testing

Each tool is used on real projects. For e-learning tools, I test the full learning journey. No sandbox testing or publisher-guided demos.

03

Scoring on 5 weighted criteria

Each tool is scored on 5 axes with fixed weights (see below). The final score is calculated automatically. I cannot "adjust" a score after the fact. If a tool has changed since my test, I clearly mention it with the date.

04

Regular updates

SaaS evolves fast. I commit to reviewing each page at every major update. The last test date is always shown. If a score is based on an older version, it is clearly indicated.

Affiliate policy

Some links on this site are affiliate links. This means that if you click and subscribe to a tool, I receive a commission from the publisher — at no extra cost to you.

Commitment: affiliate links never influence my scores or recommendations. Every tool is evaluated using the same criteria, whether it generates a commission or not. If a tool is bad, I say so.

Affiliate links are only used for tools I have tested and genuinely recommend. I refuse partnerships with publishers whose products don't pass my testing process.

The 5 scoring criteria

Each criterion is scored from 0 to 100. The overall score is the weighted average.

CriterionWeightWhat I evaluate
Ease of use20%Onboarding, interface clarity, learning curve, documentation, setup
Value for money20%Value offered vs. price, comparison with competitors, pricing transparency
Customer support20%Responsiveness, answer quality, available channels, help resources, community
Reliability20%Historical uptime, stability, bug frequency, data security, GDPR compliance
Scalability20%Ability to grow with the business, advanced plans, enterprise features, limits

Independence pledge

I commit to never accepting payment to change a score, never publishing undisclosed "sponsored comparisons", and to immediately removing an affiliate link if the service declines.

Victor, founder of Le Labo