Methodology

How we test, and the rules that keep us honest

This page is the product. If we ever break these rules, call us out publicly.

Where we are right now: ProvenStacks launched in July 2026. The first full hands-on test cycle is underway. Until a stack's cycle completes, its page is labeled "Research edition": picks based on feature analysis, real solo-tier pricing, and documented practitioner experience, with editorial (not timed) ratings. Each page is re-scored with our own logged results as its cycle lands. We'd rather show you the label than pretend the stopwatch already ran.

The method every stack must pass

Real work, real stakes

Every tool is used inside actual paid client projects by a working professional in that field. Never demo data, never marketing-page feature lists. Minimum two weeks per tool.

Head-to-head, same task

Competing tools get the identical brief. Same article, same client call, same deck. We keep the outputs and time logs.

Scored on four axes

Output quality, time actually saved (tracked, not estimated), setup friction, and value at the price a solo professional pays, with no enterprise-discount fantasy pricing.

Re-tested every 90 days

AI tools change monthly. Every stack page shows its last test date and next scheduled re-test. If a pick gets worse, it gets removed publicly, with a changelog note.

The honesty rules

Commissions never touch rankings. The scoring is finished before we check whether a tool even has an affiliate program.
We recommend $0-commission tools when they win. Claude is our top writing pick and pays us nothing. Every click on that link is revenue we chose not to make, and it's the best marketing we have.
Every review has a "skip this if." If we can't name who shouldn't buy it, we haven't tested it hard enough to publish.
Rejected tools are listed with reasons. What we said no to tells you more than what we said yes to.
No sponsored placements. No "featured" slots. Ever. Vendors can't pay to appear here, and this rule has no price.

What we do with the money

Affiliate commissions fund the subscriptions (we pay full price for every tool we test), the testers' time, and the 90-day re-test cycle. Reader-supported means exactly that: you buying through our links is what keeps the testing independent of vendors.

Found a problem?

If a recommendation didn't hold up for you, we want to know. That's re-test signal. Email contact@provenstacks.com and it goes straight to the tester who wrote the page.