synthbid is a review site for software people pay for. Right now that means security and privacy tools, and VPNs. I’m Erik. I run the site, and I write everything on it.
The idea is simple: a review should show how it got its score. Every product here is scored on the same five criteria, and each score has a reason written next to it.
What you will find here
- Reviews look at one product at a time, with the score broken down into its five parts.
- Rankings list the products in a category in score order, with the price and who each one suits.
- Guides cover a specific task, or the difference between two products.
How the scores work
Each product gets five sub-scores out of 10: core features, ease of use, privacy and data handling, value, and support. They are combined with fixed weights into one total. The weights and the evidence I use are on the How I test page.
How the site pays for itself
Some links on synthbid are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the company may pay me a referral fee. I set the score before I look at any fee, and a product with no affiliate program is reviewed the same way. The details are on the How I make money page.
Corrections
If something here is wrong or out of date, tell me through the contact page. I fix it, change the Updated date on the article, and note what changed at the bottom of the page when it matters for a buying decision.