Why This Page Exists
Every review and comparison on hu-qian.com is built on a repeatable process, and this page is that process, written down. If you can see how a verdict was reached, you can judge whether to trust it.
This page covers how a product is reviewed and ranked. The rules for where prices come from, how a cost table is built, and how each figure is labelled are on the Methodology page.
The Three-Bucket Rule
Everything on this site falls into one of three labeled categories. If a claim is not in one of these buckets, it does not get published.
| Bucket | What it is | How it is labeled |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor-published facts | List prices, plan names, rate sheets, renewal terms from the official source | “Per vendor documentation / official rate sheet” |
| My recorded observations | Something I measured, tested, or verified myself, with a date | “Recorded on [date]” |
| Estimates & assumptions | Projections, community-reported figures, or my judgment | Explicitly flagged as an estimate |
I never publish a figure I cannot assign to one of these three buckets. If I could not verify a number, I say so instead of guessing. The full labelling standard — and what each label looks like inside a table — is on the Methodology page.
How Reviews Work
- Scope the claim. I review what a product actually promises in its official documentation — pricing, limits, supported protocols, and payment terms.
- Pull the vendor facts. Prices and terms come from official rate sheets and pricing pages, recorded with the date they were observed.
- Cross-check community signal. Where available, I compare against community benchmark datasets and developer reports — and I label those as community-reported, not vendor-verified.
- Score only what is verifiable. A score is only displayed when it has a named basis (
rating_source). No score, no rating. The score reflects the fit for a one-person business, not marketing quality. - Write the verdict. I state what the tool is good for, and just as importantly, what it is not good for.
What I Never Do
- No invented experience. If I have not tested a product hands-on, I say I have not tested it. I never write “I tested” for a product I have only researched.
- No paid placements. No platform can pay to appear higher in a comparison, review, or cost table. This is stated in the Affiliate Disclosure and enforced here.
- No invented numbers. Every figure in a cost table traces to a source or is explicitly an estimate.
- No invented authority. Claims of personal experience are limited to what actually happened. Analysis of public data is labeled as analysis of public data.
How Comparisons & Cost Tables Are Built
- Same period, same basis. Prices are compared as recorded on the same observation window, so renewal hikes and launch discounts do not distort the comparison.
- TCO, not sticker price. Where a product has renewal traps, I show the renewal cost, not just the first-month price.
- Commissions do not change the table. Whether or not a link is an affiliate link, the table shows the same numbers. My Affiliate Disclosure explains this in detail.
- Every price carries its source and read date. The four required fields per row are specified on the Methodology page.
How This Page Is Maintained
- Changelog: Material changes to prices, verdicts, or methodology are logged in the Editorial Changelog.
- Corrections: If a figure is wrong, I correct it and note the correction with a date.
- Last review: This page was last reviewed on 2026-09-15. The methodology itself changes only with a dated changelog entry.
Questions About a Verdict
If you believe a recommendation was influenced by a commercial relationship, or you want to know the source behind a specific number, email [email protected] or use the Contact page. I answer, and I document the answer.
