How we check prices and savings

Every idea shows what it costs, what it's worth and how quickly it pays for itself. Here is where each figure comes from, and what it doesn't tell you.

Where prices come from

Each price comes from the vendor's own pricing page, and the date it was checked is shown next to the tool. Where a vendor has a UK page, that page is used first.

Some vendors only show prices in dollars or euros. A tool's own price is shown in the vendor's currency; what an idea costs a month is always in pounds.

Currency conversion

Prices are converted at $1 ≈ £0.75 and €1 ≈ £0.86, then rounded to the nearest pound. These are working rates, not live ones, so a figure can be a pound or two out on the day. What an idea costs covers every tool it needs, on the plans its page describes.

What an idea is worth

Each idea's worth is the monthly figure from its own worked example: either time saved at a stated hourly rate, or profit at a stated margin on extra work won. The page spells out the rate or margin, so you can swap in your own.

These are assumptions, not promises. Your numbers will differ, and some ideas won't suit some businesses.

Some ideas aren't measured in money. A backup reminder that protects a deadline, or a compliance log, is worth having because of what it prevents. For those, the page says the worth is “Not measured in money” and that it is “Not a money saving”, rather than show a loss.

Typical cost and typical saving

Industry and type-of-business pages show a typical cost and a typical saving. Each is the middle figure when the ideas are lined up from lowest to highest, so one unusually large idea doesn't pull it up. The typical saving only counts ideas measured in money.

When an idea pays for itself

This is how many days of an idea's worth it takes to cover a month of its cost. It uses the middle of each range, so a cost of £20 to £40 counts as £30, and a month counts as 30 days.

Free to run: The tools cost nothing a month.
In a few days: 1 to 3 days of its worth covers a month's cost.
In about a week: 4 to 8 days.
In about two weeks: 9 to 16 days.
Within the month: 17 days up to the whole month.
Not within a month: A month's worth doesn't cover a month's cost.
Not a money saving: The idea isn't measured in money (see above).

Check before you buy

Vendors change their prices, plans and limits without notice. Treat the figures here as a guide to whether something is worth a look, and confirm the price on the vendor's site before you buy. Some links are affiliate links; see how we make money.