1. Purpose of the methodology
Our goal is to make consumer security comparisons understandable and reproducible at an editorial level. We document what we consider, show the weighting and distinguish editorial judgment from independent laboratory testing.
2. Scoring criteria
- Protection — 35%: documented real-time, web, phishing, ransomware and update capabilities.
- Privacy — 20%: VPN and privacy tools, clarity of privacy claims and account protections.
- Ease of use & performance — 15%: interface clarity, setup, device impact and sensible defaults.
- Compatibility & value — 15%: device coverage, plan fit and the usefulness of included tools.
- Support & transparency — 15%: support paths, renewal clarity, refund terms and disclosure quality.
3. Source hierarchy
We prioritize official product pages, support documentation, plan terms and policy documents. We may use reputable independent testing for context when clearly attributed, but our numeric score remains an editorial rating unless explicitly stated otherwise.
4. Commercial independence
Affiliate compensation can support the publication, but it does not guarantee a positive review, a specific score or a ranking position. Affiliate links are labeled and our affiliate policy is public.
5. Updates and corrections
Pages show the most recent editorial review date. Product features and prices can change after that date. Readers and vendors can submit corrections through contact@protectmypictures.com; factual corrections are evaluated against reliable sources.