Methodology · Updated July 10, 2026

How we test AI tools

Every score on this site comes from the same repeatable process. Here it is, in full.

The testing process

Before any tool receives a score, we use it for a minimum of two weeks on real tasks — not synthetic benchmarks. For writing tools that means actual marketing briefs, emails, and long-form drafts. For coding assistants it means real repositories and real bugs. For image and voice tools it means production briefs with revision cycles. We run 30–50 tasks per tool, record outputs, and where quality is subjective we use blind side-by-side judging so the tool's brand can't bias the result.

The 8 scoring criteria

Every tool is scored 1–10 on: output quality, consistency, speed, ease of use, integration depth, pricing transparency, value for money, and support & documentation. The overall BTZ Score is a weighted average — output quality and value for money carry the most weight because that's what our readers care about most. We publish sub-scores in every review so you can weight them differently for your own needs.

How pricing is verified

Our monitor checks the official pricing pages of every tracked tool weekly. Every change — increase, decrease, plan restructure, or quota change — is reviewed by a human before it's published to the Price Tracker. Each entry shows the date we verified it. If we can't verify a change against the vendor's own page, we don't publish it.

When scores change

Reviews are living documents. If a tool raises prices, removes a feature, or meaningfully improves, we retest the affected criteria and update the review — the "last updated" date on every page reflects this. A price increase with no added value lowers the value-for-money score, regardless of any commercial relationship we have with the vendor.

Editorial independence

We earn revenue from display advertising, Pro subscriptions, and affiliate commissions. No vendor can pay for a review, a score, or a ranking position. Affiliate relationships never influence conclusions — where an affiliate link exists, it's disclosed, and we recommend the same tools we would without it. Corrections and pricing errors can be reported via our contact page; verified corrections are fixed within 48 hours.

Spotted an error? Pricing changes fast. If you find a number that's out of date, tell us — we verify and fix within 48 hours.