How we test, score and price

RealCostLabs is an independent review lab for marketing software. We exist to answer one question: what does a tool really cost — and is it worth it — once your list actually grows?

The Lab Score

Every tool earns a single 0–10 Lab Score built from five weighted factors, applied identically to every product:

• Value at scale — 30%. The real monthly cost at 1K–50K subscribers, not the teaser price.
• Deliverability — 20%. Whether your emails actually reach the inbox.
• Automation depth — 20%. How far the workflows, logic and CRM go.
• Ease of use — 15%. How quickly a real person ships a campaign.
• Support — 15%. Speed and quality of help when you need it.

“Real cost at scale”

Pricing pages are designed to look cheap. Per-contact tiers, overage fees, annual-vs-monthly gating and generous contact-counting all hide what you will actually pay at renewal. For every tool we calculate the true monthly bill at 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000 and 50,000 subscribers and put the numbers side by side in our Real Cost calculator.

No pay-to-play

Rankings are set by the Lab Score and nothing else. We may earn an affiliate commission when you sign up through our links — that is how the lab is funded — but a commission has never changed, and will never change, a score, a ranking, or a price we show. See our affiliate disclosure.

When prices change

We date every price we publish and re-verify on a rolling basis. If you spot a figure that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.

Who writes RealCostLabs

Joonas, founder of RealCostLabs, writes and maintains every page on this site. Each price is read from the vendor’s own pricing page on the date shown on that page, scores follow the Lab Score only, and no vendor pays for placement. If a figure looks wrong, use the price-change alert form on any pricing page and it gets re-checked.