How we pick tools.

What we check

Nothing is added automatically. Before a tool is listed we check that its website works, that it’s still maintained (for open source projects, recent activity on GitHub), and that it does a similar job to the product it’s listed against. Tools in Friday drops are reviewed by a person before the drop goes out, and discount codes are checked against the maker’s own page when they’re added.

We don’t claim to have used every tool in depth. A week after each drop, members tell us whether they actually used what they claimed, and that’s the most honest signal we have.

What a tool needs to be listed

• It’s a real product you can sign up for and use today.
• It’s actively maintained: recent updates, a working website, and for open source, recent activity on GitHub.
• It does a similar job to the product it’s listed against, not just something in the same category.
• Pricing is clear. Offers that renew into a paid plan say so before you claim.

Indie, open source, and drop tools

Indie means built by a small, independent team rather than a large company. Open source means the code is public and you can host it yourself; we show GitHub stars as a rough sign of community size. Tools marked with a free code took part in a Friday drop, where members claim one code each.

How the order is decided

If a page has a top pick, it comes first, with a note on why we chose it. The rest are grouped by type: tools with a free code from our drops, then indie tools, then open source projects (larger communities first, by GitHub stars). We only call a tool “best” when we’ve chosen it as the top pick. “Best for” lines describe who each tool is built for.

Paid placements are labelled

Makers don’t pay to be in a drop or on an alternatives page. If a placement is ever paid, such as the top spot on the Deals page, it’s clearly labelled “Sponsored”.

Keeping it up to date

Each page shows when it was last updated. Discount codes disappear automatically when they end. Spot something wrong or out of date? Reply to any of our emails and we’ll fix it.