Our Methodology

We don't rely on gut feelings or marketing claims. Every score we publish is backed by a transparent, repeatable testing process. We disclose what we measure and how we test — but the exact formulas and weighting algorithms remain proprietary to protect the integrity of our indices.

This methodology is periodically reviewed and updated based on feedback from practitioners and advances in SaaS evaluation practices. The current version was last updated in July 2026.

Who Conducts the Testing

All tests are designed and conducted by Veriftic analysts, led by Anton Tretyak (Founder & Lead Analyst). Our team includes specialists in UX, integration testing, and scalability evaluation. Lead analyst Anton Tretyak brings over 15 years of professional experience in the B2B SaaS industry. Findings are cross-validated: significant deviations from category averages and all subjective verdicts are reviewed by a second analyst before publication.

Detailed profiles of our senior team are available on our Our Team page.

Our methodology has been tested in public discussions with practitioners across B2B SaaS, where our findings have been challenged and confirmed by experts in CRO, UX, and Customer Success. See our founder's LinkedIn for these discussions.

How We Select Products

We select products based on market presence and relevance to the category — not on vendor relationships. For each category, we identify the most widely used and talked-about tools using public data from G2, Reddit, and industry forums. We prioritise products that real users are comparing and discussing. We also accept requests via our Request Testing page, and we re-test products when they undergo major updates or when readers ask us to revisit them.

vRSI — ROI Speed Index

What it measures: How quickly a SaaS product pays for itself through time savings.

How we test:

• We use the product as a real team would, completing core tasks and measuring time to value. Testing duration varies by product complexity.
• We estimate monthly hours saved compared to the closest competitor or manual process.
• Annual cost is based on the lowest-tier paid plan (or free tier if available).

How to interpret the score: Products that score higher on vRSI consistently deliver faster time-to-value relative to their cost. A higher score means the product begins saving you time before the subscription feels like an expense. The absolute number matters less than how it compares to other products in the same category — a vRSI of 7.0 in one category may reflect a different value proposition than the same score in another.

vS3 — Setup Speed Score

What it measures: Time from sign-up to first real value.

How we test:

• We create a new account with no special onboarding assistance.
• We time every step: registration, email verification, first import, first meaningful action.
• We stop the clock when the product delivers its first tangible value.

How to interpret the score: Products that score higher on vS3 get users to their first meaningful moment with less friction. A higher score means fewer obstacles between sign-up and actual usage. Rather than focusing on a specific threshold, compare products within the same category — a setup experience that scores 7.5 may be excellent in a complex enterprise category but average in a category built for speed.

vSTI — Support Trust Index

What it measures: Quality and speed of customer support.

How we test:

• We submit support tickets covering common scenarios — a basic question, a configuration issue, and a billing inquiry. Tickets are submitted early in the testing cycle to allow time for vendor response before scoring.
• We measure both response time and resolution quality.

Support Evaluation in detail

• Support tickets cover: a basic question, a configuration issue, and a billing inquiry.
• All tickets are submitted via Gmail and tracked with timestamps and response logs stored in our testing repository.
• We measure response time (from submission to first human reply) and resolution quality (was the problem solved in one interaction?).
• Results feed into our vSTI (Support Trust Index).

How to interpret the score: Products that score higher on vSTI provide faster, more effective support. A higher score means you're less likely to be left waiting when something goes wrong. Support expectations vary by product tier and price point — the most useful comparison is between products at similar price levels within the same category.

vIBS — Integration Breadth Score

What it measures: How well a product connects with your existing tech stack.

How we calculate:

• We count native, first-party integrations listed in the product's official directory.
• Third-party integrations via Zapier or Make are excluded — they're not native.
• A product with 100+ native integrations receives the maximum score.

How to interpret the score: Products that score higher on vIBS offer a richer ecosystem of native integrations. A higher score means the product is more likely to fit into your existing workflow without relying on third-party connectors. The score reflects breadth, not necessarily depth — a product with fewer but deeper integrations may still serve your specific stack better than one with a higher score.

vScalability — Scalability Score

What it measures: How well a product grows with your business.

How we evaluate:

• Tier Depth: How many pricing levels are available?
• Plan Range: Can you start small and scale up without switching products?
• Enterprise Features: Does it offer RBAC, SSO, API access, and custom roles?
• User Scaling: How many users can the top tier support?

How to interpret the score: Products that score higher on vScalability offer smoother growth paths from small teams to larger organisations. A higher score means fewer forced upgrades, clearer pricing, and features that grow with your needs. A lower score doesn't necessarily mean a bad product — it may simply be optimised for a specific team size and serve that segment exceptionally well.

How We Update Our Scores

• Pricing: Updated quarterly based on official website data.
• Support: Re-tested every 6 months.
• Integrations: Updated when new native integrations are announced.
• Setup Speed: Re-tested on major product updates.
• Major product updates: If a product undergoes a significant update within 3 months of our test, we re-evaluate and update the affected scores within 30 days.

Our Testing Tools

We use a combination of manual testing, automation, and monitoring tools to evaluate SaaS products. Every product we review goes through the same rigorous process.

Manual Testing

• Hands-on registration and configuration. We sign up for each product using real credentials — no vendor demos, no pre-configured accounts.
• Timed setup tracking. We measure exactly how long it takes from sign-up to first real value using stopwatch and OBS screen recording for timestamp verification.
• Real-time note-taking. Testers document every friction point, unexpected behavior, and pleasant surprise during the testing period in structured Google Sheets.
• Screenshot capture. Key UI elements, error messages, and workflow steps are captured using CleanShot X for internal review.

Automation & Monitoring

• Puppeteer — for automated UI testing and repeatable workflow verification across multiple browsers.
• Custom Python scripts — for collecting pricing data from official websites and tracking changes over time.
• Postman — for API testing and integration verification.
• Lighthouse — for performance, accessibility, and SEO scoring.
• UptimeRobot — for monitoring product availability during the testing period.

Data Collection & Storage

• We use structured checklists tailored to each product category (CRM, VPN, PM, etc.).
• All raw testing data is stored in CSV format and published in our Open Data section.
• A complete list of all products tested, dates, and assigned analysts is available in our Research Registry.
• Benchmarks are updated every 6 months based on the latest testing cycles.
• We maintain a private repository of testing artifacts (screenshots, logs, support transcripts) for internal verification.

What We Don't Do

• We never accept payment for reviews or scores.
• We never use vendor-provided demo accounts — we test with real, self-service sign-ups.
• We never publish scores without thorough hands-on evaluation.
• We never publish affiliate links during the first 6 months of testing a product category. When affiliate links are added later, they are always marked with rel="sponsored".

How We Access Products

We test products using real accounts — no vendor demos, no pre-configured access.

• Free trials. Most SaaS products offer 7–30 day free trials. We sign up, test, and cancel before the trial ends.
• Free tiers. Many products have permanent free tiers (HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, Slack). We test these where available.
• Self-funded subscriptions. For products without free trials or free tiers, we purchase a single-user subscription for the duration of the test (typically 1 month). We test for the full paid period to ensure a complete evaluation.
• No vendor relationships. We never accept free access, extended trials, or demo accounts from vendors. Every test is conducted as if we were a real customer.

This ensures our testing is independent, unbiased, and reproducible by anyone.

Our Testing Stack

We use consistent environments across all tests:

• Browser: Chrome (latest stable), Firefox (latest stable)
• OS: macOS and Windows 11
• Internet: 100 Mbps cable connection
• Test accounts: Fresh sign-ups with no prior relationship with vendors

Limitations

We test products thoroughly, but no evaluation can capture every possible use case, team size, or industry-specific requirement. Our scores reflect structured, repeatable testing under controlled conditions — they are a starting point for your own evaluation, not a replacement for your judgment. We encourage you to use our indices alongside vendor demos, trial periods, and peer recommendations.

Transparency Commitment

• We never accept payment for reviews.
• We never boost scores based on affiliate relationships.
• We always disclose when scores are based on limited-time testing.
• We correct errors within 48 hours of discovery.
• We share what we measure and how we test — but the exact formulas remain proprietary to protect the integrity of our indices.