Overview
Sonary’s ratings for software brands are evaluated based on comprehensive criteria that reflect essential aspects of software services. Each brand is scored across multiple categories, resulting in a final, weighted score. The methodology emphasizes factors crucial to software, like prices, ease of use, performance, customer support, and features.
Methodology: How We Calculate Our Ratings
Our ratings are based on five key factors, each weighted equally at 20% of the total score. Here’s a detailed explanation of how we evaluate each factor and how we assign scores on a 1-to-5 scale:
1. Price (20% of the Total Score)
- What We Evaluate: The affordability of the product compared to competitors, considering pricing tiers, free plans, trials, and overall value.
- How We Measure:
- 1: Overpriced with no free trial or free plan, and limited value at the entry-level price.
- 2: Above-average pricing with limited trial (e.g., less than 7 days) or few features at the base price.
- 3: Competitively priced with a reasonable free trial (e.g., 7-14 days) but no free plan.
- 4: Good value with affordable pricing tiers and/or a generous free trial (e.g., 14-30 days).
- 5: Excellent pricing, offering a free plan and a free trial (e.g., 14+ days) with feature-rich paid tiers.
Example:
- A product with a free plan, a 14-day free trial, and affordable pricing gets a 5.
- A product with no free trial and expensive pricing gets a 1.
2. Ease of Use (20% of the Total Score)
- What We Evaluate: The intuitiveness and simplicity of the user interface and overall experience.
- How We Measure:
- 1: Complicated interface, hard to learn, or unintuitive for most users.
- 2: Somewhat confusing, requiring significant effort to understand and use.
- 3: Usable, but with a few minor usability challenges (e.g., cluttered menus).
- 4: Easy to navigate, with a clear structure and minimal learning curve.
- 5: Extremely user-friendly, requiring no prior experience to get started.
Example:
- A product with drag-and-drop functionality and a clean, simple design earns a 5.
- A product with outdated design and poor navigation earns a 1.
3. Features (20% of the Total Score)
- What We Evaluate: The range, quality, and uniqueness of the features offered.
- How We Measure:
- 1: Very basic features, missing essential tools expected for the category.
- 2: Limited features, with significant gaps in core functionalities.
- 3: Meets the standard expectations for its category, with adequate features.
- 4: Above average, offering additional features or innovative tools.
- 5: Outstanding feature set, including unique or advanced tools not found in competitors.
Example:
- A project management tool offering task tracking, Gantt charts, and collaboration tools earns a 5.
- A tool missing basic task-tracking features earns a 1.
4. Support (20% of the Total Score)
- What We Evaluate: The quality, responsiveness, and availability of customer support.
- How We Measure:
- 1: Poor support, with long response times (e.g., 72+ hours) or no help offered.
- 2: Support is available but slow or unhelpful (e.g., response time >24 hours).
- 3: Decent support, meeting basic needs with acceptable response times.
- 4: Reliable and helpful, with live chat, email, or phone support available during working hours.
- 5: Exceptional support, offering 24/7 availability, live chat, and fast response times (<1 hour).
Example:
- A product offering 24/7 live chat and email support with under 1-hour response time gets a 5.
- A product with only email support and slow response times (>72 hours) earns a 1.
5. Performance (20% of the Total Score)
- What We Evaluate: The speed, reliability, and efficiency of the product.
- How We Measure:
- 1: Frequent bugs, crashes, or slow response times, making the product unreliable.
- 2: Below-average performance, with occasional bugs or downtime.
- 3: Acceptable performance, with minor delays or rare issues.
- 4: Smooth performance, meeting user expectations with no major issues.
- 5: Exceptional performance, consistently fast, stable, and reliable under all conditions.
Example:
- A product that loads instantly, has no bugs, and performs well even under high usage gets a 5.
- A product with frequent downtime and crashes earns a 1.
Total Expert Score Calculation
Each factor is scored on a 1-to-5 scale. The total score is then calculated by applying equal weight (20%) to each factor:
Total Score=(Price Score×0.2)+(Ease of Use Score×0.2)+(Features Score×0.2)+(Support Score×0.2)+(Performance Score×0.2)
Example Calculation: If a product has these scores:
- Price: 5
- Ease of Use: 4
- Features: 4.5
- Support: 4
- Performance: 4.5
The total score is:
Total Score=(5×0.2)+(4×0.2)+(4.5×0.2)+(4×0.2)+(4.5×0.2)=4.4
Total Users Score Calculation
At Sonary, we allow users to share their personal experiences by writing reviews and rating products on a scale of 1 to 5. These user-generated reviews provide valuable insights based on real-world usage, helping businesses make more informed decisions.
Expert and User Reviews Contribution to Overall Rating
The overall rating is derived from both expert and user reviews. The calculation methodology ensures transparency and consistency, as detailed below:
Weight Distribution
- User Reviews Contribution: 50% of the overall rating is based on user reviews.
- Expert Review Contribution: 50% of the overall rating is based on expert reviews.
- In Absence of User Reviews: If no user reviews are available, 100% of the overall rating is derived from the expert review.
Expert Review Calculation
The expert review score is determined by evaluating five key factors, each scored on a 1-to-5 scale:
- Price
- Ease of Use
- Features
- Support
- Performance
Each factor is assigned an equal weight of 20% in calculating the total expert review score:
Overall Rating Calculation Scenarios
- When User Reviews are Available: The overall rating incorporates both user reviews and the expert review with equal weight:
Example:- Average User Review Score: 4.2
- Expert Review Score: 4.5
- Rounded Overall Rating: 4.4
- When User Reviews are Not Available: In the absence of user reviews, the overall rating relies entirely on the expert review:
Example:- Expert Review Score: 4.7
- Rounded Overall Rating: 4.7
Example for Expert Review Calculation
Assume the following scores for each factor:
- Price: 4.0
- Ease of Use: 4.5
- Features: 4.2
- Support: 4.8
- Performance: 4.6
Rounded Expert Review Score: 4.4
*** The numbers are rounded, for example, 4.67 rounded up to 4.7, 3.43 rounded down to 4.4