How test AI tools

The AI space is the fastest moving sector tech has seen since the birth of the Internet.

Everyday, hundreds of new tools appear, often claiming to do the same thing - except better / faster / cheaper than their competitors.

Sifting through these tools to find the hidden gems isn’t easy, but at AllThingsAI we’ve got a solid, battle-tested process we follow.

Here’s what our tool testing and review process looks like:

1. We scour the Internet and our own submissions portal every day, looking for the best tools and paying attention to which tools are gaining traction
2. We verify the tool is legit and ask the key questions - Are the founders findable, do legit reviews and testimonials exist, have real people gotten real value from the tool?
3. We signup to the tool with our own details and, if necessary, our own card and payment details.
4. We run through the tool and make sure it delivers the main value it promises. We verify the pricing is as-reported on the homepage and we look for any secondary or hidden features that you, our reader, might find interesting.
5. We look at what other people have said about the tool we’re reviewing - is there something we're missing?
6. We take a second deep-dive into the tool and find the lesser-known tips and tricks to give our readers an advantage. This forms our “Insider Tips” section
7. We try out similar tools, including a given tool’s closest competitors and figure out what they do - and don't do - better. We strive to make balanced recommendations - Every tool has its pros and cons
8. We make sure the pricing is fair vs the market - If a tool is ludicrously overpriced, we’ll make sure you know about a cheaper alternative.
9. And we’ll figure out if and when our readers should pay - Free credits for AI tools can get you very far
10. We write our reviews with a focus on Authenticity (does the tool do it what it says?), Competency (Does it do its main job well?), Affordability (Is the pricing reasonable, for the value given?) and Simplicity (Is it so easy your grandmother could use it?)

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Why did I get a __ star rating?

Great question, it's one we get everyday. While there is a significant amount of subjectivity from review to review, we are particularly stingy with 5 Star reviews and with that in mind, here’s is how we rate tools:

1 Star. We reserve this badge of horror for broken, "scammy" or otherwise terrible tools. To achieve a 1 star, the tool must go far below failing to solve a users problem and be treading into deceptive and malicious territory or be outrageously incompetent.

2 Stars. Don't have a shade of maliciousness but struggle to be a functional product. They often have glaring issues or consistently fail to achieve what they claim. At a minimum, you should expect broken links, and at a maximum, false claims about their product.

3 Stars. These are good tools for one or more reasons. These tools are able to consistently solve users problems but may be lacking verified social proof, often don't have a large amount of traction or may not have a strong product to stand behind.

4 Stars. These are great tools for more than one reason. These tools are above average in what they do, have strong traction, and verified social proof from their own customers. They are consistently solving customers problems, building their product, fixing mistakes and growing their influence.

5 Stars! Excellence, market share domination or one of the top 3 tools in its category.  These are the words you should think of when we describe a 5 Star Tool. These tools are few and far between, and always recommended!

If you're not happy with your review, please reach out to info@allthingsai.com. We will happily reassess your product from our first principles approach. Keep in mind, that means your rating could go down.