How We Score

We publish researched comparisons. We do not run our own product tests, and we publish no numeric product scores on researched pages. This page explains the criteria we use, how much each one counts, and what our label means.

What "Researched comparison" means

A researched comparison rests on vendor documentation, pricing pages, changelogs, public reviews and published benchmarks. We read the source, we compare the same facts across tools, and we link to the source for each price and each key claim.

It is not product testing. We did not run the tool in a lab, we did not measure speed in our own trial, and we do not present lab results. When a page says "Researched comparison", that is the method. We use the words "we reviewed" and "we compared".

Project management by team

Weights add to 100.

Fit for the named team and industry: 30. Does the tool match the work, the team size and the workflow in the title. A research lab needs protocol tracking and shared equipment. A marketing team needs other things. Fit comes first.

Features that matter for the job: 25. Task structure, timelines, dependencies, files, approvals and reporting, as listed in vendor docs.

Price and plan clarity: 20. Starting price per user, seat minimums, what sits on each plan, and whether the price is public.

Ease of setup and daily use: 15. How much setup the docs describe, how clear the structure is, and what public reviews report about learning time.

Integrations and exports: 10. Links to calendars, files, time tools and accounting tools, plus export options for your data.

Time tracking

Weights add to 100.

Tracking fit for the named work: 30. Timers, timesheets, per project and per phase logging, and support for freelance crew or part-time staff.

Billing and reporting: 25. Billable rates, client-ready reports, invoicing links, approvals and budget alerts.

Price and plan clarity: 20. Starting price per user, free plan limits, trial length, and what is held back on higher plans.

Ease of daily use: 15. How fast a person can start a timer, edit an entry, and submit a timesheet, based on docs and public reviews.

Integrations and exports: 10. Links to project tools, calendars and accounting tools, plus export formats for hours and reports.

Resource planning and professional services automation

Weights add to 100.

Scheduling and utilisation fit: 30. Skills-based scheduling, capacity views, tentative bookings, time off, and utilisation reporting for the named firm size.

Financial clarity: 25. Budgets, rates, project costs, invoicing links and margin reporting, as listed in vendor docs.

Price and plan clarity: 20. Starting price per user, seat minimums, modular pricing, and which features need a higher plan or a quote.

Ease of setup and daily use: 15. How the schedule is built, how changes are made, and what public reviews report about setup time.

Integrations and exports: 10. Links to project, time and accounting tools, plus export options for schedules and reports.

Evidence sources

For each tool we check the vendor pricing page, the vendor feature and help pages, the changelog where it is public, and public reviews. We link the pricing page for each price. We give the check date with each price. If a price is not public, we write "Quote only" and link the pricing or contact page.

We re-check money pages every 45 days. We do not carry a price forward without a fresh check.

How we use the weights

Weights guide our judgement. They do not produce a numeric score for a product. We use them to decide which tool fits the buyer best, and we explain that reason in plain words. The best pick is the tool that fits the named buyer on the highest-weighted criteria, at a price that buyer can defend.