How we rank alternatives

Every list on AppBreakup is ordered by the same published formula. The numbers on this page come straight from the code that ranks the lists, so they can't drift apart.

The formula

Each alternative gets a score from 0 to 100, made of five parts:

Signal	Weight	How it's measured
Editorial fit	30%	How directly the app replaces the one you're leaving. Each app's alternatives are listed best-first during research; fit is 1 ÷ (1 + 0.15 × the app's place in that list), multiplied by 0.6 when the app comes from a different category. It keeps new lists sensible before reviews and clicks build up.
Reviews	30%	Weighted average rating, pulled toward 3.5 stars until enough reviews arrive.
Clicks	15%	Visits sent from AppBreakup in the last 90 days, on a log scale relative to the most-visited app in the list.
Freshness	15%	Share of the app's facts verified in the last 45 days (70%) and whether its site was reachable (30%).
Votes	10%	“Is this a good alternative?” votes, starting from 2 imaginary up and 2 down votes so a handful of votes can't swing the order.

Reviews count more when we can verify them

Every review starts with a prior of 3 imaginary reviews at 3.5 stars, so one glowing review can't push a new app to the top. Then each real review is weighted by how well we could confirm the reviewer uses the app:

Not verified: counts 0.5×
Work email on file: counts 1×
Public profile checked: counts 1.5×
Screenshot checked: counts 2×
Receipt checked: counts 2.5×

Reviews where the writer received money, credit or a gift are shown and labelled, but they never count toward the score.

What doesn't affect rankings

Money. We take no payment, sponsorship or affiliate fees from any app, and there are no paid placements.
Who submitted the app, or when.
Whether a maker has claimed their listing.

How we research and write

App descriptions, pros and cons, verdicts, comparisons and alternative lists are researched from each app's own website, documentation and public sources, following our written research rules. They're our editorial opinion, not statements by the app's maker.

Facts (prices, licences, platforms and so on) are different: each one cites a page on the app's own website or repository, and is only marked verified when our checker finds the quoted text on that page. See how we verify facts.
Editors handle corrections, reports and every user review.
Spotted a mistake? Request a correction. We aim to reply within three working days.

When a page is indexed

To keep thin pages out of search engines, a page is only marked for indexing when it has enough original, sourced content:

App pages: at least 80 words of description, 3 sourced facts and a category.
Alternatives pages: at least 5 alternatives, each with a written reason.
Category pages: at least 5 apps.
Comparisons: a published verdict and write-up of at least 150 words together.