How We Test AI Tools
The same 5-criteria framework, applied to every tool we review — so a score means the same thing across every guide on this site.
Star ratings without a rubric are just vibes. We built the Teknexia AI Tool Evaluation Framework so every review scores tools the same way — you can compare a 4-star Jasper review to a 4-star Copy.ai review and know "4 stars" means the same thing in both.
What we actually do before publishing a score
We don't score a tool from its pricing page or a 10-minute demo. Every review starts with a real task — a blog draft, a video edit, a brand-voice training cycle — run through the tool the way a working creator would use it, not the way a vendor's onboarding flow wants you to use it.
That means: real prompts on real briefs, tracking how many edits a draft needs before it's publishable, testing the free tier or trial limits honestly, and using the tool for at least several days before writing a word of the review.
Two ways we evaluate a tool
Some tools have no usable free plan or trial worth testing. Rather than fake a hands-on test or skip a tool entirely, every review uses one of two clearly labeled methods — we never blur the line between them.
Both methods use the same 5-criteria framework and the same 0-10 scale — only the source of the data changes, and it's traceable: every review states which method applies. We clearly label which method applies to each review, so you always know what you're reading.
The Teknexia AI Tool Evaluation Framework
Every score you see on this site breaks down into these 5 criteria, each out of 10.
Why we publish all 5 numbers, not just an average
A single overall score hides the tradeoff that actually matters. A tool can be excellent at output quality and still be the wrong buy if pricing value or beginner friendliness drags the average down for your specific situation. Publishing all 5 lets you weight them yourself instead of trusting our weighting.
When we re-test
Last framework update: July 16, 2026
Tools change fast. We re-run the framework on any tool that ships a major pricing or feature change, and we note the last-updated date at the top of every review so you know how current the score is.
Where affiliate links fit in
We use affiliate links on some recommendations, disclosed on every page that has one. Scores are set before we decide whether a link is affiliate — see our Editorial Policy for the full breakdown of how that separation works.
Read our full affiliate disclosure →