Editorial Policy

Last updated: October 2026 · Version 1.0

This page documents how GearCrafted produces, funds, and updates its reviews. It exists so affiliate program managers, press contacts, vendors, and readers can verify our standards without having to ask.

1. How we test

Every tool review on GearCrafted follows the same four-step protocol before publication:

1. 30+ days of real-world use. The reviewer pays for the product (or uses the public free tier honestly) and uses it across daily work for at least one month. No "first impressions" reviews.
2. Side-by-side benchmark comparisons. Where the category has meaningful competition, the same workflow is run through two or three leading alternatives, and outputs are compared.
3. Transparent total-cost analysis. We compute what a user will actually pay over 12 months, including base plan, seat fees, usage caps, add-ons, and currency conversion where relevant.
4. A clear Buy / Wait / Skip verdict. Every review ends with a single-sentence verdict reflecting what we would do with our own money. There is no "depends on your needs" hedging.

2. Re-testing and freshness

Every published review carries a "Last tested" date. We re-test every review on a quarterly rotation. If the verdict changes after re-testing, we update the review in place and flag the change. Reviews older than 18 months without a re-test are marked as "needs re-test" and deprioritized in our internal linking.

3. Editorial independence

GearCrafted does not accept payment in exchange for coverage. Vendors cannot pay to be reviewed, pay to be ranked higher, pay to influence verdicts, or pay to suppress negative coverage. If a vendor offers any of the above, we decline and disclose the offer in the relevant review's editor's note.

4. AI in our content

Our reviews are research- and testing-led. We use AI tools to accelerate research, summarization, and editing — but every verdict is the result of hands-on testing by a human reviewer and is reviewed before publication. Specifically:

• AI generates: research summaries, draft outlines, grammar/style cleanup, citation formatting, and competitive landscape mapping.
• Humans produce: verdicts, hands-on test results, pricing analysis, and final editorial review.
• AI never generates: test results, verdict scores, or quoted user feedback.

5. Sponsored content policy

If we ever publish sponsored content (we have not yet), it will be:

• Clearly labeled as "Sponsored" or "Partner content" both in the headline and at the top of the article.
• Kept strictly separate from editorial reviews — no shared authorship, no shared bylines, no shared URLs.
• Subordinate in our navigation and internal linking to editorial reviews.
• Disclosed in full on this page and on our Affiliate Disclosure page.

6. Affiliate links

GearCrafted participates in affiliate programs run by Awin, ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, Impact, and Amazon Associates. Affiliate commissions never affect our verdicts. See our full Affiliate Disclosure for details on how affiliate relationships are structured and disclosed.

7. Corrections and reader feedback

If you spot a factual error in one of our reviews, please get in touch. We re-verify the claim, correct the article in place (with an editor's note describing the correction and the date), and update the "Last tested" date if the correction was material.

8. Reviewer conflicts of interest

Reviewers disclose any personal financial relationship with a covered tool (stock holdings, prior employment, family connections) at the top of the relevant review. Conflicts that cannot be reasonably disclosed result in reassignment of the review.

9. Press and vendor inquiries

We accept press kits, product updates, and pricing change notifications from vendors. These do not affect coverage. We do not accept pre-publication review copies on embargo that prevents us from writing a negative review if warranted. Embargoed access is only accepted when accompanied by a clear, written right to publish negative findings.

10. For affiliate program managers

If you are reviewing this page as part of an affiliate program application, the short version is:

• Independent editorial. Coverage is never paid for; verdicts are never influenced by commission rates.
• Active publishing cadence. 4 reviews + 1 buying guide per month.
• Re-testing commitment. Every review is re-tested quarterly.
• FTC compliance. Full affiliate disclosure page that meets 16 CFR Part 255 and equivalent UK / EU / Australian rules.
• Transparent contact. Direct email on our contact page — no third-party CRM.