Independence & Transparency

How We Test & Rate Marketing Software

Every score on SOYRA Insider comes from hands-on testing — not spec sheets, not paid placements, not affiliate pressure. Here's exactly how we do it.

SOYRA Insider exists because agency owners waste thousands of dollars every year on software that looks great on a landing page and falls apart in production. Our 100-point scoring methodology is designed to cut through the marketing and tell you what a tool actually does — and whether it's worth your money. We test every platform the same way, score it against the same criteria, and publish the results whether the platform is an affiliate partner or not.

Our Rating Criteria

Six weighted dimensions, scored 1–5, totaling 100 points.

Ease of Use

20 pts

How quickly can a non-technical agency owner set up and use the tool? We time real onboarding flows, count clicks to complete core tasks, and assess the learning curve for new team members.

Feature Depth

25 pts

Does the platform deliver the features agencies actually need — CRM, automation, reporting, white-labeling — or is it a single-feature tool dressed up as a suite? We test each feature hands-on, not from a feature list.

Pricing & Value

15 pts

What does it really cost at scale? We calculate the total cost for a 10-client, 10,000-contact agency and compare it against the value delivered. Per-seat and per-contact pricing penalties are heavily scrutinized.

Support Quality

10 pts

We submit real support tickets and time the response. Chat, email, and phone support are all tested. A platform with great features but slow support loses points — agencies can't afford downtime.

Integration Ecosystem

15 pts

How well does the tool connect with the rest of an agency stack? We test native integrations, Zapier/Make connectivity, and API quality. A tool that lives in isolation scores lower.

AI Capabilities

5 pts

In 2026, AI is table stakes. We assess whether a platform's AI features are genuinely useful (AI conversation agents, content generation, predictive analytics) or just marketing fluff bolted onto a legacy product.

Our Testing Process

Every platform goes through the same six steps — no shortcuts.

Free Trial Signup

We sign up for the free trial or lowest paid tier — the same way you would. No VIP access, no demo environments. If the signup flow is painful, that's the first data point.

Core Feature Testing

We test the 5-10 features that matter most for agencies: CRM setup, automation workflows, email/funnel building, reporting, and client management. Each is tested with real tasks, not feature checklists.

Integration Tests

We connect the platform to 3-5 common agency tools (a CRM, a payment processor, a calendar, a form builder) and test whether the integrations actually work or just exist on a feature page.

Support Interaction

We submit a real support ticket with a real question and time the response. We also test live chat availability during business hours. Slow or unhelpful support costs points.

Pricing Analysis

We calculate the real cost for three agency sizes: solo (1 client), small (5 clients), and established (15+ clients). Hidden fees, per-seat costs, and contact-tier pricing jumps are all factored in.

Community Sentiment Cross-Check

We cross-reference our hands-on findings with G2, Capterra, Reddit, and agency community forums. If our experience diverges sharply from community sentiment, we investigate why before publishing.

Our Independence Pledge

We do not sell review spots. We do not accept payment for higher scores. We do not rank platforms based on affiliate commission rates. Affiliate relationships are disclosed on every page — when you click a link and sign up, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, but that commission never changes our score.

If a platform that pays us a commission scores lower than a platform that doesn't, we publish the lower score. Our reputation depends on it.

Review Update Policy

Software changes fast. A review that was accurate in January can be outdated by July. To keep our scores trustworthy, every review is revisited on a regular schedule:

Every review is re-tested at least every 6 months, regardless of whether the platform has changed.
Reviews are updated immediately when a platform announces a major change — a pricing overhaul, a new feature suite, an acquisition, or a significant policy shift.
Each review page displays a 'Last updated' date so you always know how fresh the data is.
If a platform's score changes significantly after an update, we publish a note explaining what changed and why.

Reviewed by Josi

Josi is the agency software researcher behind SOYRA Insider. An active agency owner since 2021 with 40+ local service business clients, he tests every platform on real client accounts before publishing a score.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you accept payment for higher scores?

Never. We do not sell review spots, ranking positions, or scores. Affiliate relationships are disclosed on every page and never influence our ratings. A platform that pays us a commission can still score 60/100 if it deserves it.

How often are reviews updated?

Every review is revisited at least every 6 months, or immediately when a platform announces a major change (pricing overhaul, new feature suite, acquisition). Each review displays a 'Last updated' date so you know how fresh the data is.

Do you actually use these tools?

Yes. Josi is an active agency owner who runs real client accounts on the platforms we review. Hands-on testing is the foundation of our methodology — we don't score tools from spec sheets or marketing pages.

What is the 100-point scale based on?

Six weighted criteria: Feature Depth (25 pts), Ease of Use (20 pts), Integration Ecosystem (15 pts), Pricing & Value (15 pts), Support Quality (10 pts), AI Capabilities (5 pts), plus 10 points distributed across Reporting, Mobile, Onboarding, and Innovation. The full breakdown is on each review page.