How we research and rate

Our ratings come from independent research and analysis of primary sources, not vendor marketing. For each category we:

• Research the product. We compare official specifications, pricing, documentation, security audits, published benchmarks and aggregated user reports.
• Measure what matters. We score on the criteria that affect you — price, security, features, ease of use — with real numbers where possible.
• Compare like-for-like. Every product in a comparison is assessed against the same criteria, from the same source types.
• Cite sources. Pricing, specs and claims are linked to official sources and dated.
• Keep it current. We re-check and update when products or prices change.

We disclose affiliate relationships and never let them affect scores. See our disclosure.