How We Evaluate & Score Email Marketing Tools
Our Approach
Every tool on The Phil Collective is scored using a weighted algorithm across 5 dimensions. Scores are computed from verified data — not opinions, not vendor claims. We re-verify pricing and features every 7 days.
Scoring Dimensions
| Dimension | Weight | What We Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 30% | Core feature coverage, automation depth, unique capabilities per plan tier |
| Pricing | 25% | Entry price, subscriber-tier scaling, hidden fees, annual vs monthly savings |
| Ease of Use | 20% | User review scores for usability, onboarding time, learning curve |
| Integrations | 15% | Number of native integrations, ecommerce platform support, API availability |
| Customer Support | 10% | Support channels, response times, user satisfaction ratings |
Data Sources
We aggregate data from multiple sources to reduce bias:
- Pricing: Verified directly from vendor pricing pages. We check monthly.
- Features: Tested against actual product capabilities, cross-referenced with documentation.
- User Reviews: Aggregated from G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius. We weight by review count to prevent manipulation.
- Integrations: Verified from vendor docs, marketplace listings, and API documentation.
Database Stats
| Metric | Count |
|---|---|
| Tools tracked | 17 |
| Pricing plans | 57 |
| Feature data points | 340 |
| Head-to-head comparisons | 50 |
| Price changes tracked | 10 |
What We Don't Do
- We don't accept payment for higher rankings.
- We don't let affiliate relationships influence scores.
- We don't use AI-generated "reviews" — our analysis is based on structured data.
- We don't hide pricing — if a vendor won't publish prices, we note it.
Confidence Scores
Every data point in our database has a confidence score (0.0 to 1.0):
- 0.8+ — Verified from primary source (vendor pricing page, official docs)
- 0.5–0.8 — Cross-referenced from secondary sources (review sites, third-party reports)
- Below 0.5 — Estimated or outdated — flagged for re-verification
Questions about our methodology? See our analyst profile or reach out via the contact info in the footer.