How We Test

Every "hands-on" review on StackFairly follows the same process.

1. 1. Real accounts, real use

   We sign up for the actual product (free plan or trial) from a real business context — not a demo video. Each tool is used for a minimum of 5–7 days before we publish a review.

2. 2. Standard workflows

   For every category we complete the same core tasks so tools can be compared fairly. For CRMs, that means: importing contacts, creating a pipeline, logging activities, setting up one automation, sending a tracked email (where available), and testing the mobile app.

3. 3. Evidence, not opinions

   Every review includes our own screenshots, the exact plan we tested, our test dates, and the date we last verified pricing. If we haven't personally tested something, the article is clearly labeled as a research-based overview — never as a hands-on review.

4. 4. Honest downsides

   No tool is perfect. Every review lists real limitations we hit during testing.

5. 5. Independence

   Some links on this site are affiliate links (see our Affiliate Disclosure). Commissions never affect scores — our rating formula is published below and locked before writing begins. Several highly-rated tools on this site pay us nothing.

6. 6. Updates

   Pricing on money-related pages is re-verified monthly. Reviews get a quarterly check and a deeper re-test every 6–12 months. Every article shows its last-updated date.

Our CRM Rating Formula

Scores are shown as X.X/10 with a one-line "best for" verdict and an evidence-confidence level:

• High — full hands-on test completed
• Medium — partial hands-on test
• Research — not hands-on, compiled from official documentation and verified pricing

Category-specific formulas (e.g. invoicing software) are published before the first review in that category and locked before writing begins.

See our Editorial Policy for content labeling and corrections.