How we review AI tools
Each iKnow AI review finishes with one editorial score out of 5. This page explains how we arrive at it: the criteria we weigh, what each range of numbers means, how we check facts, and the rules we follow to keep verdicts fair.
The five things we score
We split every score across the same five criteria. That way you see a tool's strong and weak spots in addition to the headline number.
Features
How the tool's real abilities compare with its promises: how much it covers, how far each feature goes, and whether its headline capabilities hold up in daily use.
Ease of use
Sign-up and onboarding, a clear interface, and how fast a first-time user reaches a useful result with no manual.
Output quality
The heart of an AI tool. We look at how accurate, useful and consistent its output is on typical tasks, and at what happens when it gets something wrong.
Value for money
How much the free tier gives you, how the paid plans compare on price with competitors, and how openly the provider lists its prices.
Safety & privacy
How the provider handles your data, whether you can opt out of model training, which content safeguards exist, and how mature its security practices are.
What the score means
| Score | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5 – 5.0 | Outstanding | Top of its class. We recommend it with no reservations. |
| 4.0 – 4.4 | Excellent | A strong choice with a few small trade-offs. |
| 3.5 – 3.9 | Very good | Dependable, and worth a look if it matches your use case. |
| 3.0 – 3.4 | Good | It does the job, but weigh its clear limitations first. |
| 2.0 – 2.9 | Fair | Fits a few narrow needs. You can usually find a better option. |
| 0 – 1.9 | Weak | In its current state we don't recommend it. |
The rules we hold ourselves to
Independent scores
Each score is our own editorial opinion on a 0–5 scale. We don't average anonymous user ratings, and we won't publish an aggregate star count we can't back up.
No pay-for-score
No one can pay for a listing, a higher score or a better ranking. We score each tool on the same criteria.
Verified and dated
We check features and pricing on the provider's official site and add a 'last verified' date, so you can see how recent a review is.
The complete rules are in our Review Policy, Editorial Policy and AI Content Policy.
Methodology: FAQ
Do you test every tool hands-on?
We test tools ourselves where we can. For anything we can't test, we rely on the documented capabilities and the provider's official material. Every review shows the editorial score and a last-verified date, so you can judge how current it is.
Why don't you show user star ratings?
iKnow AI is an independent directory, and we avoid aggregate user ratings that we have no way to verify. The score at the top of a review is our own editorial assessment of the tool.
How often are reviews updated?
AI products change quickly. We return to a review when the product changes in a meaningful way and recheck pricing at regular intervals. Each review lists its published, updated and verified dates so you can see when we last looked.
Read our latest reviews
Check how this method plays out in the AI tool reviews we have published.