Short version: a real review shows downsides, proves the writer actually used the product, and tells you who should not buy it. If all three are missing, treat the page as an advertisement.
Why fake reviews are everywhere
When a new AI tool launches, hundreds of pages appear overnight, all titled "[Product] Review." Many are written by people who never opened the product — they're built to rank for the product's name during launch week and push you to buy. That's not illegal, but it isn't a review either. The good news: the fakes share a pattern, and once you see it you can't unsee it.
Nothing but praise
Real products have trade-offs. If a page lists ten benefits and zero drawbacks, the author either didn't use it or isn't telling you everything. A trustworthy review names the limits, the learning curve, and who it's wrong for.
No proof of hands-on use
Look for evidence the writer actually ran the tool: a real screenshot of their account, a specific task they tried, an unexpected detail the sales page wouldn't mention. Stock images and recycled promo screenshots are a tell.
Urgency doing the persuading
"Price goes up at midnight!" can be true at launch — but if the deadline is the main argument and the product analysis is thin, the page is engineered to make you buy before you think. A real review survives you sleeping on it.
The price is hidden or half-told
Many launch products have a cheap front-end and several pricey upsells (often called OTOs). A review that quotes only the $37 entry price and stays silent on the $197 upsell behind the checkout is hiding the real cost. (We made a whole launch-deal checklist for this.)
It reads like the sales page
Copy-pasted feature bullets and the brand's exact marketing language mean the author summarized the pitch instead of evaluating it. A review uses the writer's own words and judgment.
No author, no standards, no contact
Who wrote this, and why should you trust them? A credible site tells you who is behind it, how it reviews, and how to reach it. If there's no "about," no named author, and no way to send a correction, be cautious.
It never says "don't buy this"
The strongest signal of an honest reviewer is a "no." If a site recommends every single product it covers, its recommendation is worth nothing — because it was never really a choice.
What a real review does instead
It tells you what the tool actually does, who it fits, and the honest catch. It shows the price in full, upsells included. It discloses clearly when the writer earns a commission — and makes plain that the commission didn't buy the verdict. And it's comfortable telling you to skip something, or to use a free alternative, when that's the truth.
That's the bar we hold ourselves to. You can read exactly how we review, and who's behind this site.