One number. Four dimensions. Zero paid placements.
Every tool gets a single 8020 Score from 0–100. Here's exactly what goes into it, what the tiers mean, and the rules we never break.
What we actually measure.
The criteria flex slightly by category, but the four dimensions and their weights stay constant.
Value for money
What you get relative to what you pay — including the real cost of the free tier and how pricing scales as you grow.
Depth & power
How far the tool takes you before you hit a wall. Ceiling, extensibility, and whether power-user features are real or marketing.
Time to results
How fast a real person gets to a useful outcome — from signup to first win. Onboarding friction, defaults, and learning curve.
Ecosystem
How well it plays with everything else — integrations, community, import/export, and how easily you could leave if you needed to.
What the labels mean.
Scores map to three plain-English tiers so you can decide at a glance.
Buy without overthinking
Best-in-class for its job. If you're in this category, this is the default choice and the burden of proof is on alternatives.
Great for the right team
Excellent tools with a clear ideal user. Pick these when their specific strengths match your specific situation.
Only in specific cases
Worth listing, but only the right circumstances justify them over a higher-tier option. We'll tell you when.
From "we should cover this" to a score.
Hands-on testing
We sign up like a real customer and build an actual workflow — not a checklist read of the marketing site. We time how long it takes to reach a first useful result.
Score against the rubric
Each of the four dimensions is scored against fixed criteria. The weighted sum produces the 0–100 8020 Score and its tier.
Write the honest take
Every tool gets a written verdict that names the trade-offs out loud. If we wouldn't recommend it to a friend, we say so.
Vendor fact-check
Vendors can correct factual errors before publication — but they cannot influence the score or the position. Ever.
Re-score quarterly
The landscape moves fast. Every tool is re-evaluated each quarter, and score changes are logged publicly in the Journal.