How we test
StackPicks scores business software for solo creators and side-hustlers using a five criterion rubric, applied first-hand where we operate live accounts and from published documentation everywhere else. This page explains where our evidence comes from, how the numbers are calculated, and what happens when the facts change.
What first-hand testing means at StackPicks
We operate live accounts on the tools we score first-hand, and we use them for real work rather than demo projects. Currently that covers two tools: systeme.io, where we run our own sales funnels, and beehiiv, where we publish our own newsletter. When a review of those tools describes the editor, the sending flow, or a plan limit, it reflects our current usage of a live account.
Every other tool we cover (ClickFunnels, Substack, Mailchimp, Kit, Ghost, and the rest) is evaluated on published evidence: official pricing pages, documented plan limits, feature lists, and support material. Those reviews are labeled as documentation-based, and we do not invent hands-on anecdotes or usage numbers for tools we have not run ourselves.
How the five criterion rubric works
Every scored review uses the same five criteria:
- Value for money: what you get relative to what you pay at realistic plan tiers.
- Free plan depth: how far the free tier goes before a paid plan becomes necessary.
- Ease of start: how quickly a beginner reaches a working funnel, newsletter, or campaign.
- Feature depth: how much of the job the tool covers without third-party add-ons.
- Docs & support: the quality of official documentation and the support options on each plan.
Each criterion is scored 1 to 10. The overall score is the plain average of the five, rounded to one decimal. There are no hidden weightings and no editorial adjustment after the average is calculated.
How reviews change over time
Reviews are living documents. When pricing changes, plan limits move, or our own usage surfaces something new, we update the review and, if warranted, the score. Documentation-based reviews are upgraded to first-hand reviews once we have run the tool on a real project long enough to say something useful about it.
Do affiliate commissions affect scores?
No. Some outbound links on StackPicks are affiliate links, and the site earns a commission when readers sign up through them. Scores and rankings are settled before monetization is considered: we decide what we think of a tool, write it down, and only then look at whether an affiliate program exists. A tool with no affiliate program is ranked on exactly the same rubric as one that pays a commission. Our affiliate disclosure page lists which links currently pay us.
Frequently asked questions
Which tools does StackPicks test first-hand?
Currently systeme.io, where we run our own sales funnels, and beehiiv, where we publish our own newsletter. All other reviews are based on published pricing, plan limits, and documentation, and are labeled as such.
How is the overall score calculated?
Five criteria (Value for money, Free plan depth, Ease of start, Feature depth, Docs & support) are each scored 1 to 10, then averaged and rounded to one decimal. No weightings, no adjustments.
Do affiliate commissions influence rankings?
No. Rankings are settled before monetization is considered, and tools without affiliate programs are scored on the same rubric as tools that pay us.