Why This Page Exists
Articles on hu-qian.com are meant to rest on a repeatable process, and this page is that process, written down. If you can see how an assessment was reached, you can judge whether to trust it.
This page covers how an article is sourced and how its claims are labelled. The rules for where prices come from, how a cost table is built, and how each figure is labelled are on the Methodology page.
What an Assessment Can Be Based On
Every article states what its assessment rests on. There are three categories, and they are not interchangeable:
| Basis | What it means | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing / documentation analysis | Reading the vendor’s own pages, terms, and rate sheets, and comparing them | The default basis for most cost tables and comparisons |
| Worked example / modelled scenario | A calculation from verified inputs under a stated usage pattern, labelled as an estimate | Where a headline number only means anything under a scenario |
| Hands-on test | Something run, measured, or observed directly, with a record of when | Only where a record of that use actually exists |
A cost comparison is not a hands-on product test. Where an article rests on documentation or a worked example, it says so; price and performance claims are not inferred from having used a tool for something else.
The Three-Bucket Rule
A figure published here should fall into one of three labelled categories. If a claim cannot be assigned to one of these buckets, it should not be published.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” |
| Recorded observations | Something observed directly — a page read, a figure recorded, a workflow run — with the date | “Recorded on [date]” |
| Estimates & assumptions | Projections, community-reported figures, or my judgment | Explicitly flagged as an estimate |
A figure that cannot be assigned to one of these three buckets should not be published. Where a number cannot be established, the article says so instead of guessing. The full labelling standard — and what each label looks like inside a table — is on the Methodology page.
How an Assessment Is Built
- 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 should trace to a source, or be explicitly labelled 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 should carry 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, assessments, or methodology should be 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 2026-09-18. 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. Corrections and source requests are answered, and one that changes a figure is logged.
