How We Test Email Marketing Platforms
Every review receives substantive editorial evaluation. Hands-on reviewed pages add documented product-use evidence; editorial reviews and research previews remain clearly labeled.
Methodology scorecard
Seven dimensions, weighted out of 100. Scores use the strongest supportable evidence available for each review; status labels show whether that includes documented hands-on use.
Ease of use
10 / 100Features
20 / 100Deliverability
25 / 100Support
10 / 100Pricing
15 / 100Integrations
10 / 100Value
10 / 100The protocol for hands-on evidence
These details apply only when a review is labeled Hands-on reviewed. They are not inferred for editorial reviews or research previews.
What we don’t do
The hard rules that protect editorial independence. Every contributor signs off on these before joining BestSends.
- We never accept paid placements. Rankings cannot be bought, sponsored, or upgraded.
- We never let vendors review their score before publishing. They see the review when you do.
- We identify demos, documentation review and direct product use as different evidence types.
- We do not present vendor marketing claims as our own observations.
- We never publish a hands-on status without documented product-use evidence signed off by Carlos.
Documented hands-on reviews
These reviews are backed by stored product-use evidence. Test dates and testing modules appear on the individual review only when supported.
Editorial principles
Evidence status is explicit
Every review is labeled hands-on reviewed, editorially reviewed, or research preview. Only documented product use qualifies as hands-on.
Affiliate links never change rankings
We use affiliate links to fund the work, but rankings are decided before any partnership conversation. If a platform we already recommend has an affiliate program, we use it. If we cannot recommend a platform, we do not promote it — even if the commission would be high.
Dates describe what happened
Every review has an updated date. A separate test date appears only when a documented hands-on test occurred; documentation and pricing checks are never presented as product tests.
Transparent on what we got wrong
When we change a recommendation, we say so in the review changelog. When a platform we recommended drops in our ranking, we explain why. We would rather lose your click than mislead you.
“I personally sign off on every review and every score on BestSends. If a methodology decision on this page is wrong, that’s on me — email me at carlos@gilmediagroup.com and I’ll look at it.”
See the methodology in action
Browse all reviews to compare evidence status, verdict, pricing and fit — or read our affiliate disclosure to see how we make money.