How we score
How scoring works
We score automation tools for small teams so you can pick one. A scorecard is a weighted comparison, not a vibe. If we cannot point at a criterion, we do not invent a number.
The math, in plain English
Each tool is rated 1–5 on named criteria. Each criterion has a weight; the weights add up to 100. Contribution is rating × weight. We add those contributions up. A perfect score is 500 (5 × 100).
Scoring in progress — 0 of 28 criteria published. Higher is a better fit for small teams on our criteria — not “best tool forever.”
The two cards use different criteria. Do not compare the automation card to the workspace card. Scoring in progress — 30 of 33 criteria published.
n8n Self-hosted is on the same card. It is not a fourth cloud product. Self-hosted is a separate lane.
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Not ranked yet
This page can be public, but we have not published a ranking.
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Published scores
Some criterion scores are on the page. A total is shown only when every criterion score is published.
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Full scorecard
Every criterion score is on the page, and the total is published.
Swipe sideways for weights and max contribution.
| ID | Criterion | Weight | Max contribution | What we measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Time-to-competence | 15 | 75 | How long a non-developer operator needs to ship a reliable three-step workflow with basic error handling. |
| C2 | Reliability and operability | 20 | 100 | Execution consistency, retries, logs, and the operational burden of keeping the stack healthy. |
| C3 | Ecosystem | 15 | 75 | First-party integrations and templates that small teams actually use: email, sheets, Notion, chat, payments, accounting. |
| C4 | Billing & regional fit | 15 | 75 | List currency as the vendor publishes it, plus tax invoices, data-residency options, and privacy posture as disclosed. |
| C5 | Pricing at small-team scale | 20 | 100 | Realistic monthly spend for a 2–5 person shop, in the vendor’s published list currency. Tax is called out separately when the vendor discloses it. |
| C6 | Portability and lock-in | 10 | 50 | Export paths, self-host options, and the real cost of leaving. |
| C7 | Support and documentation | 5 | 25 | Official docs, community, and paid support that is reachable at small-team spend. |
Swipe sideways for the workspace-tools weights.
| ID | Criterion | Weight | Max contribution | What we measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Time-to-first useful ops system | 12 | 60 | How quickly a small team can stand up a working ops hub: docs, a source of truth, and one live process. |
| C2 | Docs + database UX clarity | 10 | 50 | Whether writing, tables, and linked records stay legible for non-specialists day to day. |
| C3 | Native automation depth | 12 | 60 | First-party buttons, formulas, and automations without leaving the hub. |
| C4 | External connector / webhook reach | 10 | 50 | APIs, packs, and inbound/outbound webhooks that actually reach the rest of the stack. |
| C5 | Pricing predictability at small scale | 14 | 70 | Whether a 1–10 person shop can forecast the bill without surprise seat, AI, or automation add-ons. |
| C6 | Automation reliability & observability | 8 | 40 | Run history, failure visibility, and retries on native automations. |
| C7 | Extensibility (API / code / agents) | 10 | 50 | Public API, scripting, and agent hooks a small team can actually turn on. |
| C8 | Admin & collaboration | 8 | 40 | Permissions, sharing, and guest/commenter paths at small-team scale. |
| C9 | Compliance & data controls | 8 | 40 | Retention, export, SSO/SCIM, and what the vendor actually publishes on controls. |
| C10 | Lock-in & portability | 5 | 25 | Export paths and the real cost of leaving the hub. |
| C11 | Self-host / control option | 3 | 15 | Whether an operator can run the hub themselves. Absence is scored; we do not invent a self-host lane. |
How a criterion is filled
01 · Sources
Primary sources
Vendor pricing pages, docs, DPAs, status pages, and licence texts — dated, with the URL we used.
02 · Evidence
Vendor docs and pricing
Scores are based on the vendor’s docs and pricing as of the date on each scorecard. Automation scorecard: 2026-09-07. Workspace scorecard: 2026-09-17.
03 · Billing
Currency and residency as disclosed
We quote the vendor’s published list currency. We do not invent a converted price. Tax is a separate invoice line when the vendor discloses it. Privacy and residency claims are limited to what the vendor actually publishes.
04 · Review
What you see on the page
Some criterion-level 1–5 scores are not published yet. We do not guess a missing score.
Independence
- Affiliate relationships never change a score, a weight, or whether a tool is included.
- We would rather lose a commission than launder a ranking.
- Make Partner is live (
pc=stackscorecard) and marked affiliate. Other programmes are not enrolled — no invented IDs. - Vendors do not get a preview of unpublished scores in exchange for a relationship.
Full text: Affiliate disclosure.
What we will not do
- Invent testimonials, user counts, or “most teams choose X.”
- Publish a “best [category] 2026” list without a scorecard behind it.
- Score “AI magic,” “innovation,” or other unfalsifiable adjectives.
- Treat self-host operational cost as free because the licence is cheap.
- Rank a card as #1 before every criterion is scored.
- Give legal, tax, or privacy advice. Billing and residency notes are not counsel.
Billing & regional fit. We name what the vendor publishes: list currency, tax on the invoice, and a named cloud region when one exists. That includes Zapier’s multi-currency billing, n8n Cloud in EU Frankfurt, and n8n self-host wherever you run it. We do not certify compliance.