Our Software Review Methodology
We are a community of HR professionals, leaders, and people managers who are passionate about helping teams succeed. Through our articles, podcasts, newsletters, membership community, and independent software reviews, we share practical insights to support better workplace decisions.
Selecting the right HR software is a critical decision. That’s why we invest significant time and effort into deep research and hands-on evaluation—so our audience can make confident, informed purchasing choices.
Our reviews are designed to be up-to-date, detailed, and practical, helping decision-makers clearly compare and evaluate software solutions.
What You’ll Find on This Page
- Why you can trust our expertise
- What makes our reviews honest and reliable
- How we test and evaluate software
- How our comparison criteria works
- How we assess software for real business challenges
Why You Can Trust Our Expertise
We’ve been researching, testing, and reviewing HR software since 2019. Our team is made up of HR practitioners who understand both the tools and the real-world needs of HR teams and business leaders.
To date, we have:
- Conducted research on 2,000+ software tools
- Published 1,500+ in-depth software reviews
This hands-on experience allows us to evaluate software from a practitioner’s perspective—not just a marketing one.
Honest, Independent, and Trustworthy Reviews
Our editorial team is committed to providing unbiased and independent evaluations. We maintain strict editorial independence and never allow commercial relationships to influence our opinions.
To ensure accuracy and balance, our reviews are based on:
- First-hand product testing
- Interviews with real users
- Verified product data
- Expert insights from HR professionals
Our goal is to deliver clear, reliable guidance that helps HR teams and organizations make better software decisions.
How We Test Software
Every organization has unique software requirements. That’s why our review process considers multiple factors and applies a consistent, structured evaluation framework.
Depending on the software category, our review process may include:
Hands-On Testing and Evaluation
We personally use and test the software to understand how it performs in real-world scenarios—not just how it’s marketed.
Our testing typically includes:
- Reviewing product demos
- Signing up for free trials
- Hands-on feature testing
- Benchmarking key functionalities
- Identifying gaps or limitations
For each category, we define specific evaluation criteria. For example, collaboration tools may be assessed on usability, while financial software may focus more heavily on data security.
This approach allows us to provide insights that are practical, relevant, and genuinely helpful.
User Feedback Analysis
To strengthen our reviews, we analyze feedback from real users across trusted platforms—excluding testimonials provided directly by software vendors.
Our process includes:
- Collecting diverse user opinions
- Evaluating real-world performance and reliability
- Assessing usability, efficiency, and satisfaction
This ensures our reviews reflect actual user experiences, not just internal testing results.
Conversations With Software Providers
To maintain factual accuracy, we also communicate directly with software vendors. These discussions help us better understand product capabilities, updates, and future development plans.
This step ensures our reviews remain current and technically accurate—without influencing our editorial judgment.
Our Software Comparison Criteria Explained
With thousands of tools available, comparing software can be overwhelming. Our evaluation framework simplifies this process by focusing on the most important decision-making factors.
Features and Functionality
We analyze what each tool offers—and what it doesn’t.
- Feature inclusion and exclusions
- Practical performance of key functions
- Standout capabilities that differentiate the tool
Usability and Onboarding
We assess how easy the software is to learn and use with minimal training.
- User experience and interface design
- Onboarding resources such as templates and guides
- Time-saving potential and workflow efficiency
Integrations
We evaluate how well the software works with existing tools.
- Ease of integration setup
- Speed of implementation
- Real-time data syncing
- Seamless data flow between systems
Customer Support
Reliable support reduces frustration and downtime.
We assess:
- Response speed and accessibility
- Available support channels (live chat, documentation, forums)
- Quality and effectiveness of assistance
Pricing and Value
Software is an ongoing investment, not a one-time purchase.
Our pricing evaluation includes:
- Value compared to cost
- Feature availability across pricing tiers
- Cost-effectiveness for startups and small businesses
Editorial Ethics and Transparency
We believe transparency is essential. Every review on our site includes the following disclosure:
Our reviewers evaluate software independently. Clicks may earn a commission, which supports testing. Learn how we stay transparent and review software.
Our editorial team does not manage affiliate relationships and does not receive commission-based incentives. Reviewers are paid for their work and are never rewarded for promoting specific tools. Sponsored content, when present, is clearly labeled.
Evaluating Software for Real Business Challenges
Different tools are built to solve different problems. Our reviews focus on how software performs in real business situations.
Software for Hiring and Retention
We evaluate tools based on their ability to:
- Streamline recruitment workflows
- Improve employee retention
- Enhance the candidate experience
These areas are critical for building and sustaining high-performing teams, which is why they are a core focus of our evaluations.