Our Methodology
How We Test & Review Email Tools
Every review and comparison on EmailToolsHQ follows the same process. Here's exactly what we look at, what we don't, and how we keep this site honest.
Last updated: July 2026
Our Research Process
EmailToolsHQ is run by a small independent editorial team. For every platform we cover, we review official pricing pages, product documentation, and changelogs directly from the vendor, then cross-check that against independent sources like G2 and Capterra to see how real users rate the same features over time.
We do not create paid accounts with every platform we cover, and we don't claim to. Where we reference specific ratings or user feedback, we cite the source (for example, "4.7/5 on G2") rather than presenting it as our own testing. This is a deliberate choice: we'd rather be transparent about how a conclusion was reached than imply hands-on testing that didn't happen.
What We Evaluate
Every review and comparison looks at the same core criteria, so platforms are judged on a level playing field:
- Pricing — plan tiers, what's actually included at each price point, and hidden costs like contact-based pricing jumps
- Core features — automation depth, segmentation, templates, and integrations, based on vendor documentation
- Ease of use — as reported by verified users on independent review platforms
- Free plan / free trial terms — verified directly against the vendor's current pricing page
- Support & documentation quality — availability of live support, help docs, and onboarding resources
Our Honesty Standards
No pay-for-placement
No platform can pay to appear higher in our rankings or reviews. Affiliate commission does not influence our recommendations.
Pros and cons, always
Every review covers genuine drawbacks, not just the highlights a vendor would choose to promote.
Sourced claims
Ratings, statistics, and user feedback are attributed to a named source, not presented as unverified opinion.
Regularly updated
Pricing and feature changes happen often. We revisit pages periodically and mark the "Last updated" date when we do.
Who Writes This
Content on EmailToolsHQ is researched and written by the EmailToolsHQ editorial team. We're an independent site — not owned by, or affiliated with, any of the email marketing platforms we cover. If you have a correction or spot something outdated, we'd genuinely like to hear about it.
Affiliate Disclosure
Some links on EmailToolsHQ are affiliate links. If you sign up for a platform through one of these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects which platforms we choose to cover or how we rate them — our evaluation criteria above are applied the same way regardless of whether a link is monetized.
Questions or Corrections
Spotted outdated pricing or a factual error? Email us at:
contact@emailtoolshq.com