We research enough to make a call.

AlreadyChecked is designed to tell the customer what to buy, not leave them with another list of twenty options. We focus on purchase-intent problems, evaluate the fit of monetizable partners, check the important facts and limitations, then publish one primary recommendation when the evidence supports it.

1. Start with the customer problem

The decision comes first: find freelance leads, choose a VPN, select business software, buy a laptop, or solve another concrete purchase problem. The recommendation has to answer that problem rather than simply promote a merchant.

2. Prefer a legitimate partner path

AlreadyChecked is commercially partner-first. We prioritize products and services with legitimate affiliate relationships because those relationships fund the business. Partner availability is therefore part of what we choose to research and feature.

3. Require real fit

A commercial relationship is not enough by itself. We check current pricing or plan structure where relevant, core features, terms, restrictions, workflow fit and the limitation most likely to change the buyer's decision.

4. Compare enough to avoid a misleading recommendation

We do not need to publish every alternative on the homepage, but we should know the realistic alternatives before making the call. If a non-partner option makes the partner recommendation materially weaker for the target use case, that tradeoff belongs in the research.

5. Publish one primary recommendation

The customer-facing page should make the answer obvious. Supporting evidence, alternatives and methodology can sit below the decision instead of competing with it above the fold.

6. Surface the catch

Every recommendation should state the important limitation: subscription cost, renewal structure, missing protection, usage limits, quote-based pricing, learning curve, or another fact that could make the buyer walk away.

7. Disclose the commercial relationship

Affiliate links are marked and explained. We do not describe a commercially prioritized pick as fully independent from monetization when monetization helped determine what was prioritized.