How We Review and Test Software

Who tests and writes the content

All reviews and guides are written by Ashley Kemp. I'm a digital entrepreneur who has used GoHighLevel daily for years — previously on ClickFunnels and Leadpages before switching. I run multiple businesses on GoHighLevel including CRM, pipeline management, automations, funnels, email, SMS, AI Employee, Voice AI, Conversation AI, and Agent Studio.

When I review GoHighLevel, I'm writing about a platform I use every day for real revenue. When I review competitors, I sign up, test the interface, build something in it, and evaluate it against GoHighLevel from direct experience — not from screenshots on their marketing page.

How we test

Every tool reviewed on this site goes through a hands-on evaluation. The minimum standard:

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  Sign up and use the product. Not a demo video. Not a marketing page walkthrough. An actual account where I build something — a pipeline, a funnel, an automation, a campaign.
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  Test on a paid plan where possible. Free tiers often limit features. Where a tool’s value proposition depends on paid features, I test on the plan most readers would actually buy.
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  Document with screenshots. If you see a claim about a feature, there should be a screenshot or specific UI reference backing it up. If there isn’t, it’s a gap I’m working to fill.
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  Note the testing date. Software changes. What was true six months ago may not be true now. Every review notes when it was last tested or updated.

How scoring works

Reviews on this site use a scoring rubric across multiple categories. Each review includes a ScoreBreakdown showing individual scores and an overall rating out of 10.

The categories scored depend on the type of software, but typically include:

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  Ease of use — How quickly can a new user get value from the platform? Is the interface intuitive or does it require training?
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  Feature depth — Does the tool deliver on its core promise? How does the feature set compare to alternatives at the same price point?
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  Value for money — What do you actually get for the monthly cost? Are there hidden fees, usage caps, or essential features locked behind higher tiers?
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  Automation and workflows — How powerful are the automation capabilities? Can you build the workflows a real business needs, or are they limited to basic sequences?
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  Support and documentation — Is help available when something breaks? Is the documentation clear and current?
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  Integrations — Does the tool connect with the platforms and services your business already uses?

Scores are not calculated by algorithm. They are editorial judgments based on hands-on testing. A tool can score well overall but poorly in a specific category — and I'll say so. The goal is to give you an accurate picture, not a flattering one.

How comparisons work

Comparison pages (GoHighLevel vs HubSpot, GoHighLevel vs ClickFunnels, etc.) follow a consistent structure:

• •A head-to-head feature table showing where each tool wins and loses
• •An honest assessment of when the competitor is the better choice — not just when GoHighLevel wins
• •Pricing verified against each tool’s current public pricing page
• •A clear verdict with specific recommendations based on use case, team size, and budget

I do not write comparisons where I've only tested one side. If I haven't used the competitor enough to have a genuine opinion, I either test it first or I don't publish the comparison.

How we keep content current

Software changes constantly. A review that was accurate six months ago may have outdated pricing, renamed features, or missing capabilities. Our update approach:

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  Pricing is verified against official sources at least quarterly. Every pricing page and review includes a “last verified” note or a dateModified signal in schema.
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  Feature changes are tracked through GoHighLevel’s official blog, release notes, and community. When a significant feature ships or changes, affected reviews are updated.
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  Full refreshes happen at least annually for major reviews and comparisons. Minor updates (pricing, screenshots, feature additions) happen more frequently.
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  Schema dates reflect actual updates. The dateModified in our Article schema is updated only when real content changes are made — not artificially bumped.

What we won't do

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  Fake scores. If a tool earns a 6/10, it gets a 6/10. We don’t inflate ratings to drive affiliate clicks.
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  Hide downsides. Every review includes honest cons. If GoHighLevel’s website builder isn’t as polished as a dedicated builder, we say that.
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  Review tools we haven’t used. If we haven’t signed up and tested a product hands-on, we don’t publish a review of it.
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  Claim official status. This site is independent. We do not represent ourselves as part of GoHighLevel, HighLevel, Inc., or any official channel.

Questions about our methodology

If you have questions about how a specific review was conducted, what plan was tested, or when content was last verified, reach out via the contact information on our About page. We take accuracy seriously — if something on this site is wrong, we want to know so we can fix it.