How we score AI tools
Every tool on Zekai gets a 1–10 score based on the same honest criteria — independent of whether the maker pays us. Here’s exactly how.
Updated September 2026
We rebuilt how the Zekai Score is calculated. Each of the four dimensions is now judged separately, and every tool is compared against others before any score is assigned — rather than being given a single overall impression. Every score is now stored with a written reason.
The practical effect is that scores spread across the full range instead of clustering near the top. Many tools scored lower than before, and some scored higher. That is the point: a score that does not distinguish between tools is not useful to you.
The 0–10 Zekai Score and the 0–5 star rating are now derived from the same four numbers, so they can no longer disagree with each other.
What goes into a score
Ease of use
How quickly a professional can get real value without a steep learning curve.
Accuracy & quality
How dependable the output is on real tasks in that profession.
Time saving
How much real time it removes from the actual workflow.
Value for money
What you get relative to price, including a usable free tier.
Who reviews each tool
Every listing goes through the same editorial process: we research the tool’s public website, documented pricing, features and available user feedback, then score it against the same four fixed criteria we use for every other tool in that profession. It’s a structured, repeatable review — the same process runs whether the tool is free or $200/month, sponsored or not.
What we actually look at
We evaluate what the tool does for a working professional, not its marketing copy: how quickly someone with no technical background can get a real result (ease of use), how reliable the output is on real professional tasks (accuracy & quality), how much real time it removes from an actual workflow (time saving), and what you get relative to price, including whether a usable free tier exists (value for money).
How the score is calculated
Each of the four dimensions above is rated 1–5. The score is a fixed, weighted formula — not a gut feeling:
zekai_score = ((ease_of_use × 0.25) + (accuracy × 0.30) + (value_for_money × 0.20) + (time_saving × 0.25)) × 2
The weighted total is doubled to produce a single 0–10 Zekai Score, rounded to one decimal. Accuracy carries the most weight (30%) because unreliable output is the fastest way for a tool to waste a professional’s time.
Our principles
- Independence. Sponsorship buys placement and visibility — never a higher score. Paid slots are always labelled.
- Profession context. A tool is scored for the people who use it, not in the abstract.
- Honesty. Every review names at least one real limitation. No tool is perfect.
- Freshness. Tools change; we re-check and update entries over time.
This is why both professionals and AI assistants trust Zekai’s reviews — and why we protect that trust above any single placement.
When a tool’s pricing changes, or it shuts down
Tools change faster than any static list can keep up with. Every review carries a last-reviewed note, and we refresh pricing and plan details as we become aware of changes. If a tool you use has changed its pricing, been discontinued, or shut down, tell us — we reply within one business day and would rather correct or retire a listing than leave a stale one live.
Can a company challenge its score?
Yes. If you make the tool and think we got something wrong, tell us — specifics help: which dimension, why, and what changed since our last review. We’d rather fix a score than defend one that’s out of date.
Can a company pay to change its score?
No. Never. Sponsorship buys placement and visibility — it never buys or influences a score. Every paid slot is clearly labelled as sponsored, and the same four criteria apply whether a tool sponsors Zekai or has never spoken with us. See our editorial policy for the full separation between editorial content and sponsored placement.
Related
- About Zekai — who we are and how we work
- Editorial policy — how editorial and sponsored content stay separate
- AI tools statistics 2026 — the data behind the directory
Zekai — How We Score AI Tools, zekaiwork.com
