How We Review

Product Review Labs reviews software, hosting and online services so you can make a decision before you spend your time or money. This page explains how a review is put together, what the scores mean, and how the site is paid for.

Two kinds of review

Every review says which kind it is, in a short note just above its score box.

• Hands-on reviews. The product was used for the review, and the experience described comes from that use. Plans, pricing and terms are checked against what the vendor publishes.
• Research-based evaluations. The product was not used for the review. The evaluation is built from the vendor’s published plans, pricing, terms and documentation, along with other publicly available information such as customer reviews and published test results.

What we look at

For each product we look for the details that change a buying decision: what it costs now and at renewal, what each plan includes and leaves out, refund and cancellation terms, trial conditions, limits and quotas, and who the product suits and who it does not.

Where enough customers have written about a product to show a pattern, a review summarises what they praise and what they struggle with. Anything the seller published about itself, such as testimonials on its own site, is left out of that summary.

How scores work

Each review rates up to five criteria that matter for that kind of product, on a scale of 0 to 10. The scores are editorial judgements rather than lab measurements, and the overall score is the average of the criteria. In a research-based evaluation, the scores reflect the published details and the available evidence rather than our own testing.

Prices, coupons and deals

Reviews quote standard pricing rather than launch or promotional prices, so they stay accurate after an offer ends. Any coupons or discounts are kept in their own section of the review.

How we use software

We use software tools, including AI, to gather and organise research and to help draft reviews. Every review is checked by a person before it is published, and nothing is published automatically.

How the site is paid for

Some links on this site may be affiliate links, which means we can earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Read the full Affiliate Disclosure.

Keeping reviews current

Products change their plans and prices often. When a change affects a review, we update it. If you spot something out of date, let us know.