How we test

Every recommendation on DesignTested follows the same process, so reviews can be compared with each other.

1. We use the product

We sign up for a free trial or demo (or buy a month where there is none) and work through a standard small project: one room from first sketch to a client-ready presentation, plus a proposal and an invoice where the tool supports them.

2. We score the same things every time

• Speed to result: how long it takes to get from a blank project to something you can show a client.
• Output quality: renders, plans, documents or proposals you can send as they are.
• Learning curve: how much time a designer needs before the tool pays for itself.
• Real cost: the plan you actually need, not the cheapest headline price.
• Support and reliability: documentation, response times, and what happens when you cancel.

3. We check facts at the source

Prices, limits and features come from the vendor’s own pricing and help pages and are re-checked when we update an article. Every article shows its last-updated date. Software changes quickly; if you spot something out of date, please tell us.

4. We say what we could not test

When we have not used a feature ourselves, we say so instead of repeating the vendor’s marketing.