How We Evaluate If Something Is Worth It
We're not here to sell you anything. We're here to help you decide.
Our Evaluation Framework
Every product on IsItWorth.it is analyzed through four lenses:
1. Cost Analysis
We don't just list the price—we break it down:
- Monthly vs. annual pricing (and the real discount)
- Hidden costs (add-ons, required extras, upgrade pressure)
- Price per feature compared to alternatives
- Refund policy (can you get your money back?)
2. Time Investment
Money isn't the only cost. We calculate:
- Setup time — How long before it's actually usable?
- Learning curve — Will you spend hours figuring it out?
- Time to value — When do you see real results?
A $10/month tool that takes 20 hours to learn may cost more than a $30/month tool you can use in 10 minutes.
3. Alternatives Comparison
We always ask: What else could you use?
- Free alternatives that cover 80% of use cases
- Cheaper paid options
- One-time purchase vs. subscription
- The "do nothing" option (is this even necessary?)
4. Opportunity Cost
The hardest question: What are you giving up?
- Could this money be better spent elsewhere?
- Does this subscription add to "subscription fatigue"?
- Is there a free trial to test before committing?
Our Rating System
We don't use 5-star ratings. We give one of three verdicts:
| Verdict | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BUY | Clear value for the target user. Worth the cost. |
| SKIP | Not worth it for most users. Better alternatives exist. |
| DEPENDS | Worth it only for specific use cases (we explain which). |
Most products get "Depends." That's honest.
What We Don't Do
- ❌ We don't accept payment for reviews. Ever.
- ❌ We don't let affiliate potential influence verdicts. If we'd make more money recommending something, but it's not worth it, we say "Skip."
- ❌ We don't use fake urgency. No "limited time offers" or "buy now before it's gone."
- ❌ We don't hide the downsides. Every review includes a "When It's NOT Worth It" section.
Affiliate Disclosure
Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
This never affects our verdict.
We recommend products we believe are worth it. We also tell you when to skip products—even ones with affiliate programs.
Our reputation depends on being right, not on being profitable.
Our Process
- Research — We analyze official pricing, user reviews, and competitor offerings.
- Test — When possible, we use the product ourselves.
- Calculate — We run the cost/time/alternative math.
- Write — We draft with a skeptical, analytical lens.
- Update — We revisit articles when pricing or features change.
Contact Us
Think we got something wrong? Have data we missed? Contact us — we update our reviews when new information comes in.