How We Test and Rank Software

1. Who the guide is for

Every guide starts from one buyer and one job, for example "payroll software for a 10-person agency". The tools we compare are the ones that buyer would realistically shortlist, usually 7 to 12 of them.

2. Facts from the source

Prices and plans come from each vendor's official pricing page. We show the starting price, the plan name and whether there is a free plan or trial. When a vendor does not publish prices, the guide says so instead of guessing.
Features come from the vendor's product pages and documentation.
Ratings from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot are shown only when we could check them, with the number of reviews.
Screenshots are captured from the product's public pages, free plan or trial, and dated.
Pros and cons come from the documentation and from what users say in public reviews. Every tool gets at least one real drawback.

3. How the order is decided

Tools are compared on the same criteria in every guide:

Fit for the use case in the guide's title
Price and free plan or trial
Features that use case needs
Ease of setup and day-to-day use
Support and documentation
Third-party ratings and review volume

The order reflects the overall fit for the guide's buyer. A tool that is excellent but built for a different audience ranks lower in that guide and may rank first in another one.

4. Keeping guides current

The "Last verified" date at the top of a guide shows when its facts were last checked. We change that date only when the facts are re-checked, and the most-read guides are re-checked every quarter.

5. Vendors and partners

Vendors can ask to be added or send corrections. Some guides include featured partner placements. Every product in a guide, partner or not, is described with the same facts and the same checks, and we do not publish claims we cannot verify.

6. Who is behind the guides

The guides are run by Shihab Mia, Founder, Rankite. More about Rankite on the about page. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will check it.