Seven consistent criteria
Every tool in a category is scored on the same criteria - value for money, privacy & GDPR, performance & context window, German-language quality, integrations & API, multimodality, and business admin & compliance. Each criterion gets a score from 0 to 5, with a short justification, so the rating stays traceable instead of being just a number.
Individuals or businesses: same scores, different verdict
The switch above every table toggles between the individual and business perspective. The five scores stay identical in both views - they're facts about the tool, not opinions. What changes are the strengths, weaknesses, "ideal for" tags, and the Beyond Prompt verdict: the same fact (e.g. "no EU data residency") weighs differently for a business bound by a data processing agreement than for an individual.
Scoring and commerce are strictly separated
An affiliate link or a paid listing can affect an entry's visibility (for example, a "sponsored" label), but never its score. The rating is derived exclusively from the criteria above - regardless of whether a commercial relationship with the vendor exists.
We use affiliate links in select spots (currently on the Claude entry) - every affected entry is clearly marked "Affiliate link" right next to the link, not just here on the methodology page. An affiliate link only changes which link sits behind the "Visit website" button - it changes nothing about the score, the strengths/weaknesses, or the verdict. We don't currently use paid listings; if that changes, we'll mark it just as clearly directly on the entry.
How we keep this current
AI tools change frequently - prices, context windows, and privacy terms can shift within a few weeks. That's why every entry links to an official source (usually the vendor's pricing or legal page) and shows a "last reviewed" date. Changes at that source trigger a review - but we never publish a change automatically; we check it manually first before a table gets updated.
Spotted a mistake?
Despite careful research, a vendor can change faster than we update. If you notice an outdated or incorrect figure, let us know - we'll correct it promptly and transparently.