Editorial Policy

Last updated: June 2025

This page explains how Clearly evaluates products, makes recommendations, and separates editorial decisions from commercial relationships.

How we evaluate products

Every product listed on Clearly is evaluated against the same criteria. We do not add products simply because a vendor approached us or because an affiliate relationship is available. Our evaluation process considers the following factors:

• Pricing transparency and total cost of ownership: We look at base pricing, per-employee or per-user costs, add-on fees, and any costs that only become clear after you sign up.
• Core features for the target company size: We focus on whether a product actually does what a 1–100 person business needs, not whether it has an impressive features list designed for enterprise buyers.
• Ease of setup and ongoing use: We consider how long it takes to get started, whether onboarding is self-serve, and how much ongoing admin the product requires.
• Company size and stage fit: A product built for 500-person companies is not the right recommendation for a 10-person business, even if it scores well on features.
• Integrations with common SMB tools: We look at compatibility with the tools most small businesses already use: QuickBooks, Xero, Stripe, Shopify, and similar.
• Quality and accessibility of customer support: We consider whether support is self-serve only, whether live chat or phone is available, and what the typical response time looks like.
• Scalability: We assess whether a product can grow with the business or whether a switch will be required at a certain size threshold.
• User reviews from verified sources: We reference reviews from G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and similar platforms. We do not count vendor-hosted testimonials as independent review signals.

How we make money

Clearly earns affiliate commissions when users click through to provider websites and make a purchase or become a lead. This is how the site is funded. Some providers pay flat fees per referral; others pay ongoing revenue share.

Our editorial team operates independently of these commercial relationships. A product’s affiliate commission rate does not affect its ranking, badge, or recommendation language. See our affiliate disclosure for full detail on how these relationships work.

How we rank products

Rankings on Clearly reflect fit for a specific use case, not commission size. Within a category, we consider the evaluation criteria above and prioritize the products that best serve the majority of SMBs in that category. Our “Editor’s pick” designation reflects the product we believe is the best starting point for most buyers in that category, not the highest-paying affiliate relationship.

The “Best for” and “Not ideal for” philosophy

Every recommendation on Clearly includes who the product is best for and who it is not. We believe honest caveats build more trust than promotional claims. No product is the right choice for every buyer, and we say so. If a product has a known weakness (complex pricing, limited integrations, difficult cancellation) we include that in the description.

How content gets updated

Pricing, features, and product quality change. We review and update content when we become aware of significant changes. If you notice outdated information on Clearly, please let us know and we’ll prioritize a review.

Corrections policy

If factual errors are found in our content, we correct them promptly. We do not alter historical content to remove accurate negative statements about products unless those statements are no longer factually accurate.