Methodology

How we test

Every app on this site went through the same protocol, paid for with our own money. When a number appears on this site, it carries the date we measured it.

The protocol

1. We subscribe like a normal user. Card on file, no press accounts, no partner onboarding. Prices quoted are the prices we were actually charged at checkout — when they differ from the advertised price, we say so.

2. We measure the free tier. Message caps, locked features, and where the paywall actually lands, tested by using the app, not by reading the pricing page.

3. We count the cancel steps. From account page to confirmed cancellation, every click and every retention screen is counted and screenshotted. Guilt-trip screens and hidden buttons get named.

4. We read the privacy policy so you don't have to. Whether your chats train their models, whether you can delete your data, and what their age checks actually consist of — quoted with section numbers.

5. We date everything. This category changes prices and policies monthly. Every figure carries its test date, and the pricing tracker is refreshed on a schedule.

What we don't do

No sponsored placements in rankings. No review copy approval for vendors. No undisclosed affiliate links — the disclosure page explains exactly how this site makes money, and rankings are locked before partnerships are signed.

Corrections

If we got a number wrong, we fix the page, note the correction, and re-date it. Corrections and retests are part of the protocol, not an embarrassment.