Methodology
How we rate software
Every one of the 10,333 products on App Advisor carries a rating out of 5. It measures transparency and fit for Indian buyers — not user satisfaction — and the formula is published here so you can argue with it.
The four dimensions
Pricing transparency
35%Free plan (10), free plan with paid tiers (9), published subscription pricing (7.5), quote-only (4). We reward vendors who let you evaluate without a sales call.
Popularity
30%How widely used and searched the product is in India, from our editorial ranking within each category. Not a review count and never influenced by payment.
India readiness
20%Built in India (10), GST/e-invoicing/TDS handled natively (7), global product used in India (5.5). Local compliance and support hours matter more than feature lists.
Company maturity
15%Years in business, capped at ten years. Mature vendors are less likely to disappear or change pricing abruptly.
The weighted 0–10 score is divided by two and shown as stars out of 5. The same formula applies to every product, and it is recomputed whenever we update a listing.
What the rating is not
- Not a review average. We do not borrow star ratings from other sites and we do not fabricate reviews. When we collect verified buyer reviews they will be shown separately.
- Not for sale. Vendors can buy Verified or Featured badges, which are visible labels. They cannot buy a higher rating or a higher position in a ranked list.
- Not a judgement of feature depth. Two products with the same rating may suit very different workflows — that is what demos are for.
Editorial tags
Recommended marks the top three products in a category by rating. Trending marks fast-rising products founded in the last eight years. New marks products founded in the last three years. AI powered, Made in India, Free plan, Open source, GST ready and Mobile app are derived from the vendor's own published facts. Featured and Verified are commercial labels and are always shown as such.
Where the facts come from
Names, logos, pricing models, starting prices, deployment options and company details are read from each vendor's official website. Prices change; every product page links to the vendor's site so you can confirm. If you spot an error, report the listing and we will correct it.
Questions
Why does a global product rate lower than an Indian one with fewer features?+
Because the rating measures transparency and India fit, not feature depth. GST, INR pricing and local support hours are real costs when they are missing.
Can a product with no published price still rate well?+
Yes, if it is Indian, mature and popular — but it loses the transparency points, and its page says so.
How often is the rating updated?+
Whenever a listing changes, and in a full recomputation at least quarterly.