How we score tools,
apps, and fintech products.
Every score on Your Tech Compass is earned through hands-on testing, a structured evaluation framework, and honest editorial judgment; never influenced by advertisers or affiliate commissions.
Our scoring system exists to give you a fast, trustworthy signal, not to manufacture a number that makes a product look good.
Independently tested
Oscar or Diana uses every product personally for a minimum of seven days before scoring begins. No score is based on press releases, vendor briefings, or secondhand information.
Weighted, not averaged
Different dimensions matter differently. A tool’s output quality carries more weight than its onboarding experience. Our weights reflect what actually matters to real users, making real decisions.
Africa-aware scoring
Every score includes an African Accessibility dimension, a differentiator unique to Your Tech Compass. A tool that works beautifully in San Francisco but fails on Nairobi mobile data scores lower here.
We apply a structured framework calibrated for AI tools, productivity apps, and consumer technology products.
Applied to AI tools, productivity apps, software platforms, and consumer technology products. Evaluates across five weighted dimensions with a maximum score of 100.
Each dimension is scored from 0 to 10, then multiplied by its weight. The resulting scores are summed and converted to a 100-point scale.
What we test
- Accuracy across factual and technical queries
- Hallucination rate over 50+ test prompts
- Consistency of results across sessions
- Depth and nuance in long-form outputs
How we score it
- 9–10: Industry-leading, rarely makes errors
- 7–8: Reliable with occasional lapses
- 5–6: Adequate but requires verification
- Below 5: Unreliable for professional use
What we test
- Time to first useful output from signup
- Clarity of UI and navigation
- Quality of onboarding and documentation
- Learning curve over 7 days of use
How we score it
- 9–10: A non-technical user succeeds in minutes
- 7–8: Minor friction, resolved quickly
- 5–6: Requires patience or prior knowledge
- Below 5: Significant barrier to entry
What we test
- What the free tier actually includes
- Price vs closest competitors
- Whether the paid upgrade is genuinely worth it
- Hidden costs, rate limits, and paywalls
How we score it
- 9–10: Exceptional value, free tier is generous
- 7–8: Fair pricing, reasonably paid tier
- 5–6: Overpriced or heavily restricted free tier
- Below 5: Poor value relative to alternatives
What we test
- Whether user data is used for model training
- Opt-out options and their accessibility
- Clarity of privacy policy in plain English
- Track record on data security incidents
How we score it
- 9–10: Full transparency, data never sold or trained on
- 7–8: Generally trustworthy with minor concerns
- 5–6: Vague policies or limited opt-out options
- Below 5: Significant privacy red flags
What we test
- Availability in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana
- Performance on mobile data connections
- Local payment method support
- African language or localisation support
How we score it
- 9–10: Fully available, optimized, locally priced
- 7–8: Available with minor limitations
- 5–6: Accessible but not optimized for Africa
- Below 5: Unavailable or severely limited in Africa
Scores are designed to be honest signals, not marketing tools. A score of 70 is genuinely good; it means the product is worth your time.
Score range | Verdict | What it means | Visual |
|---|---|---|---|
85 – 100 | Excellent | Best-in-class. We recommend this without reservation. Very few products reach this range. | |
70 – 84 | Good | Solid product worth using. Minor weaknesses exist, but don’t significantly affect the experience. | |
55 – 69 | Average | Functional but outperformed by competitors. Consider alternatives before committing. | |
40 – 54 | Below average | Significant weaknesses. We recommend exploring alternatives unless there is no other option. | |
0 – 39 | Poor | Not recommended. Serious problems with quality, trust, or value that make this product hard to justify. |
7-day use
Oscar or Diana uses the product daily for at least one week on real tasks
Structured testing
50+ standardized test prompts or scenarios run across all five dimensions
Dimension scoring
Each dimension scored 0–10 independently, then weighted and summed
Editorial review
Score reviewed by both Oscar and Diana before publication. Disagreements are discussed and resolved
Living score
Scores are updated when a product releases major changes. Every update is date-stamped
Independence & conflicts of interest
Scores are never influenced by advertising relationships, affiliate commissions, or sponsored partnerships. If a product we have reviewed subsequently advertises on Your Tech Compass, its score is not revisited unless the product itself has materially changed.
Some reviews are based on products provided by vendors at no cost for testing purposes. This is noted in every article where it applies. Free access to a product does not guarantee a positive score; our testing methodology applies identically regardless of how we obtained access.
If you believe a score is incorrect or outdated, contact us. We take corrections seriously and respond within 48 hours.
See our scores in action
Browse our AI Unboxed and African Tech reviews to see the YTC scoring system applied to real products.