How We Pick Products

Our goal is simple: recommend the software, services and gear we'd confidently choose for our own work and homes. Here's how we get there.

1. We start with what matters to you

Before looking at any product, we work out what actually makes a difference for the people using it, for example no-logs policy, independent audits and speed for a VPN, or uptime, support and renewal pricing for hosting, rather than marketing claims.

2. We research widely

We compare features, read vendor documentation and published policies, check independent audits and reviews, and study long-term user feedback to spot problems and common complaints that don't show up in the first week.

3. We are clear about what our picks are based on

When a product has been tested by our team, we say so and share our own photos and observations. When a recommendation is based on research rather than our own hands-on use, we make that clear too.

4. We keep guides up to date

Plans change, prices change and new products launch. Each guide shows when it was last updated, and we revisit our picks regularly — especially before big sales events like Black Friday.

How we score

Each product in a guide gets a CrateNorth score out of 10. We rate every pick on the same four criteria for that category (for example privacy, speed, ease of use and value for a VPN), and the overall score is the simple average of those four.

Scores are our own editorial judgment, based on the research described above: features, vendor information, independent reviews and patterns in long-term user feedback. They are not vendor or store star ratings and are not paid for. They compare products within the same guide, so an 8.5 in one category isn't directly comparable to an 8.5 in another.

5. Our independence

Vendors cannot pay to be featured or to influence our rankings. We earn affiliate commissions on some purchases, but that never determines what we recommend. Read our affiliate disclosure.