TechRadar Reviews

HostNoc is headquartered in Ontario, Canada, but has offices in the US, the UK and the UAE as well. It has been serving individual customers and businesses of various sizes all over the world. Being founded in 2016, HostNoc is a rather young company, and yet it managed to become one of the more popular web hosting options out there. Next to basic shared hosting, they offer cloud hosting, VPS and dedicated servers, all packed with numerous features and first-rate cyber security.

HostNoc’s main website features a nice-looking intuitive interface and feels user-friendly at first, but fails to provide more relevant information about the host itself. In addition, information on locations of HostNoc’s data centers are not available at the moment. There are a decent number of languages to choose from, but the translation is only partial, so the users who are not familiar with the basics of English language at least may feel slightly deceived.

• Want to try HostNoc? Check out the website here

On the other hand, HostNoc has an official blog and a pretty good one to boot. You’ll be able to search the blog using the search box, or browse articles sorted by date of publication or by topics. In addition, the archive is also available, in which all the articles are classified by the month of their publication. The oldest one dates back to August of 2018, so we can safely conclude that’s the time the blog was created. These articles appear to be informative enough and the blog seems to be updated on a weekly or biweekly basis at the very least.

When it comes to social networks, HostNoc is present on Facebook and Twitter and both accounts appear to be active.

HostNoc routinely offers steep discounts on its hosting plans (Image credit: Future)Plans and pricing

HostNoc’s pricing system appears to be pleasingly transparent. Users are able to choose between a few pre-made plans (their number depending on a hosting type) or create a custom plan, whichever suits their needs. With shared hosting plans, as an example, the price will vary depending on whether you choose Windows or Linux as an operating system. The Windows Essential shared hosting plan packs more extra features, so it will cost you a bit more.

It is important to note that HostNoc frequently offers hosting at discount prices that go up to 50% of the original price. Even though there is no free trial, the money-back guarantee is valid for 30 days after the purchase, so you’ll have enough time to make a final decision.

As for paying methods, HostNoc accepts credit cards and PayPal.

Yes

No

Shared hosting

Green hosting

Cloud hosting

Colocation hosting

Linux hosting

Free hosting

VPS hosting

Bare metal hosting

Managed WordPress Hosting

Video hosting

WordPress hosting

Email hosting

Dedicated hosting

Website builder

Windows hosting

E-commerce hosting

Small business hosting

Reseller hosting

Managed hosting

Ease of use

The plan you choose will appear in the View Cart section, where you’ll be able to go through all the specifications and details before proceeding to checkout. Before that, if you want a new domain name, you can check its availability and add it to the cart as well. It’s necessary to note that the price for a new domain, although reasonable, will be calculated for the whole year.

Before finalizing the purchase you’ll be required to add your personal information (albeit pretty regular ones), generate a password and select a paying method. In addition, you may leave any further notes related to your purchase and choose if you want to join HostNoc’s mailing list.

If you want to use cPanel to manage your site, you'll have to choose from one of HostNoc's shared Linux hosting plans (Image credit: cPanel)

The shared hosting plan will provide its users with a standardized control panel: Plesk for the Windows users and cPanel for Linux. If you have any prior experience with either of these, you’ll have no trouble finding your way around. Even with unmanaged plans, the script installation is automated, and by using Softaculous, you’ll be able to install software like WordPress, Joomla, Magento, Drupal and Prestashop, among others, with a single click.

Websites you need to host are run on SSD storage which is supposed to offer top-notch performance. Failures and breaches involving data stored on disks should be prevented by the provided RAID configuration. To offer additional safety, the provider will give you around-the-clock infrastructure for monitoring paired with security mechanisms that feature antivirus protection and a shield against DDoS attacks.

We used GTmetrix to measure the performance and uptime of our HostNoc site (Image credit: GTmetrix)Speed and experience

As reported by the speed test run through GTmetrix, HostNoc should offer a reasonably good service, at least judging by their main website. It took 10.2 seconds to fully load the page which doesn’t look too good in comparison to an average of 8.1, but it’s nothing too extreme. Additionally, the loading of the site required mere 39 requests which looks outstanding compared to an average of 89. In conclusion, GTmetrix rated the speed of HostNoc’s official website with an A (93%) which is an excellent result, especially when compared to the average grade, which is C (77%).

As expected, HostNoc offers an uptime guarantee of 99.9%. During our uptime test of their main website which ran for two weeks, we did not manage to record any downtime at all. However, there were a few oscillations in response time, but nothing worth worrying about.

HostNoc has an extensive knowledgebase but you will need to be a registered user to access it (Image credit: HostNoc)Support

If you get stuck somewhere along the way, you can always consult HostNoc’s first-class and well-documented knowledgebase which will provide you with thorough step-by-step guides and solutions for issues you may encounter, pictures included. From there, you are able to search the knowledgebase with the help of the search box, by one of the categories, or by selecting one of the most popular articles (if the issue you have is a common one).

However, to enter HostNoc’s knowledgebase you need to be a registered user, which may be a reasonable decision on their part, but doesn't seem to be a necessary one.

As an alternative, you are able to contact HostNoc’s customer support via telephone, live chat, ticket, e-mail or online contact form. The support is available round-the-clock and is responsive once you are registered on the website.

At the moment, HostNoc doesn’t appear to have a support forum.

The competition

When comparing the two, the first difference you’ll notice is that Tsohost is a UK-based provider while HostNoc’s main office is in Canada. Both offer a whole variety of options and customizations at budget-friendly prices, with plans often offered at a significant discount. However, Tsohost throws a free domain name in the bundle, while HostNoc doesn't.

When it comes to being beginner-friendly, both HostNoc and Hostgator both pass the test without any doubt. They offer good value for a quite affordable price and have enough hosting options for most customers. At the same time, each Hostgator’s plan includes a free website builder which might be decisive for some users.

Similar to HostNoc, Certa Hosting provides relatively cheap hosting options with a wide range of features and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Another similarity they share, and not a good one, is not providing any information regarding the location of their data centers.

Bluehost is another big competitor to HostNoc, offering everything HostNoc does and even more at pretty much the same prices. In addition, Bluehost offers a free SSL certificate with all of its plans to ensure the safety of visitors to your site, which is a good thing to have.

Final verdict

HostNoc claims their goal is to lower the burden on their customers while providing them with maximum service at a budget-friendly cost. Based on what we saw, we can conclude with certainty that they are well on their way to achieving that. Although they offer a good value for money (particularly for small to medium-sized businesses), some aspects of their offer as well as their main website could be improved. If you are not sure if HostNoc is the right choice for you, you can’t go wrong with Hostgator or Bluehost as more than suitable alternatives.

• We've also highlighted the best web hosting

FiiO KA15: Two-minute review

Is this little teal DAC one of the best headphone DACs around? You bet it is. The FiiO KA15 is the successor to the popular FiiO KA13, and it adds a small color display with a fun audio cassette-style animation during playback. It has high power output in desktop mode that enables it to drive even fairly demanding headphones, and it has both 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm headphone outputs. The 3.5mm can also be used as an audio output.

One of the big pluses here is wide compatibility with smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktop PCs and handheld games consoles. For some devices such as iPhones you'll need to borrow a computer to configure the 10-band equalizer as FiiO's iPhone app doesn't connect to the KA15, but this is a relatively minor snafu.

I really, thoroughly enjoyed listening to all kinds of music with the KA15. It has a wide soundstage and delivers plenty of detail; it's warm without overly coloring the sound and there are tons of options to sink your teeth (read: ears) into, including switchable amplification modes and digital filtering.

FiiO KA15 review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Released September 2024
• Priced $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$189.99

The FiiO KA15 was released in September 2024 with a retail price of $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$189.99. It sits just below the flagship KA17 in FiiO's portable DAC line-up.

This is an exceptionally competitive part of the market: it's where iFi has its also five-star GO Link Max DAC, for example. But the combination of low cost and high power output makes the FiiO KA15 very attractive. (As does the fact that it looks like a tiny cassette Walkman. And I stand by that.)

FiiO KA15 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• DSD256 and 768kHz/32-bit PCM support
• Dual Cirrus CS43198 DACs and SGM8262 op-amps
• Unbalanced 3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm outputs

The KA15 features dual Cirrus CS43198 DACS and dual SG Micro SGM8262 op-amps. It supports decoding of PCM audio up to 768kHz/32bit and DSD256 and has both 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced outputs designed for headphones with impedances of up to 150 ohms and 300 ohms respectively.

You can toggle key settings such as EQ presets and amp modes via the display and physical buttons, but EQ is best left to the Android app or web control panel where you can also set a 10-band parametric EQ. I've written more about that in the "ease of use and setup" section.

The USB-C audio is switchable between UAC 1.0 and 2.0 for the widest possible compatibility, enabling the KA15 to work not just with smartphones, tablets and laptops but also handheld games consoles and older hardware.

The KA15 runs in two modes: normal and desktop mode. Desktop mode enables it to deliver considerably more power but, as the KA15 takes all of its power from the device it’s connected to, that mode is best suited to mains-powered devices such as desktop PCs and laptops that aren’t running on battery.

In normal mode the KA15 can deliver 50mW per channel into 32 ohms on the 3.5mm output and 170mW on the balanced output. In desktop mode both increase to 180mW per channel and 560mW respectively.

There are a lot of control options to choose from, including: ten EQ presets (three of which are for FiiO IEMs); Class H / Class A/B switching; channel balance; display brightness; display themes; display rotation; and five filters. The filters are non-OS (non-oversampling), Fast-LL (low latency), Fast-PC (phase compensated), Slow-LL, and Slow-PC. The fast filters are recommended for dynamic music and gaming and the slow ones for more complex listening.

Features score: 5 / 5

FiiO KA15 review: Sound quality

iPhone users will need to turn to their computer to create personalized EQs. (Image credit: Future)

• Excellent warmth, detail and clarity, especially in desktop mode
• Customizable amplification and filtering
• You may need a computer to customize the EQ

If you're currently listening to your computer's headphone output or have a simple headphone dongle on your phone or tablet, the FiiO KA15 is a significant audio upgrade – especially if you use it on a computer and have it set to desktop mode, which massively increases the output power.

The FiiO KA15 has a neutral sound signature with clean, punchy but not overly exaggerated bass, and you can adjust both the amplification mode and the audio filter settings to suit your preferences. I liked it best in Class A/B mode with filtering set to Slow-PC and the EQ off, which I felt was warmer and slightly more spacious than Class H, fast filtering and any of the preset EQs. However, the lack of an iPhone app or on-board EQ customization was an irritant on IEMs, where many vocals were too sibilant as I turned the volume level up.

Despite listening across multiple genres and decades of music I didn't feel the need to change the EQ or filters with my closed- or open-back over-ears: whether it was U2's 30th anniversary remaster of Achtung Baby, Stevie Wonder's Superstition, Little Simz' Point and Kill, Talk Talk's New Grass or Robyn's Dopamine I had tremendous fun listening loud, hearing previously buried elements in every mix and only encountering distortion around the low end at unsafe listening levels.

The FiiO delivered excellent clarity and detail across genres. The aforementioned Little Simz track was a great example, a thrilling mix of snaking bassline and beautifully close voices; when the backing vocals came in in the second verse my goosebumps got goosebumps.

Sound quality: 5 / 5

FiiO KA15 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Brushed aluminum with small color LCD
• 152 x 25 x 11mm (HxWxD)
• 21g and in case I didn't mention, it looks like a tiny cassette Walkman

The KA15 is slightly smaller than its more powerful sibling, the KA17, and it is a little bit smaller than a standard 9V rectangular battery. Its dimensions are 152mm x 25mm x 11mm and it weighs a titchy 21g, and it comes in a choice of two brushed aluminium finishes: black and a silver/turquoise mix.

Both versions have a large black lozenge on the front with a small 0.96-inch rectangular color LCD display embedded in the centre, and both feature a delightful animation that makes the display mimic a cassette tape complete with moving reels. You can change its colours in the KA15's theme menu. It comes with an extremely short USB-C to USB-C cable designed for use with a phone, and there's an optional MagSafe clip that can snap it to the back of one.

The KA15 looks and feels well-made, and its design is very minimal. There are three tactile buttons on top for navigating the screen and a toggle switch for desktop mode that feels solid. The USB port is on the bottom and the 3.5mm single-ended and balanced 4.4mm outputs are on top. The single-ended output is also switchable to S/PDIF.

Design score: 5 / 5

FiiO KA15 Review: Usability and setup

• Plug it in and you're good to go
• Interface can be a little fiddly
• No iPhone app

The stripped-back design does mean the KA15 is a little fiddly to configure: there are just three buttons taking care of everything. If you hold the KA15 upright, the topmost button is volume up, the middle button is volume down and the lower button is play/pause. Tap that button twice to turn the display on and off, and long-press it to go into the KA15's settings. In that mode the volume buttons move you left and right through menu items and the lower button cycles through each section and confirms your selections.

There is one big problem with the KA15 if you're using it with an iPhone or iPad: you can't customize its 10-band equalizer from the on-board menus, and FiiO's companion iOS app doesn't work with the KA15. That means for iPhone/iPad users you'll need to plug your device into a Mac or PC and use the FiiO Control webpage in a browser such as Opera (Safari on Mac doesn't support the necessary hardware control). This web page enables you to create personal EQs and if you wish, to share your creations with others and vice-versa. It also enables you to download any firmware updates in a process that took me less than one minute.

If you're using a Mac and intend to listen to Hi-Res Audio you'll need to enable higher quality USB output via the Audio MIDI Setup app in your Applications > Utilities folder or your KA15 will be limited to 48kHz audio.

Usability and setup score: 4 / 5

FiiO KA15 review: Value

• It's cheap and it'll make you cheerful
• A significant audio upgrade for smartphones and computers

If like me you have big audio ambitions and a very small budget, the KA15 is excellent value for money. It's a significant upgrade in sound quality for smartphones and computers, and while it's not as powerful as a desktop headphone amp it has more than enough oomph for a wide range of headphones and IEMs so it's fairly future-proof.

Value score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the FiiO KA15?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Lots of customization options and wide compatibility

5/5

Design

Solid and portable with tactile controls

5/5

Sound quality

Warm, detailed and crystal clear. Desktop mode is superb.

5/5

Value

A big upgrade with a relatively small price tag

5/5

Buy it if...

You want to power up your phone
If your main music player is your phone then this is an enormous upgrade over Bluetooth or a USB-to-headphone dongle: it puts out more power to drive your headphones and it sounds much more inviting.

You prize portability
The KA15 is exceptionally small and virtually weightless, so it's not an effort to take it traveling.

You don't need a desktop amp
The KA15 is considerably cheaper than FiiO's K11 entry-level desktop DAC/amp, and comes close to the same power output: 560mW to the K11's 660mW.

Don't buy it if...

You've got heavy-duty headphones
While the KA15 is powerful for such a portable device, very demanding headphones will be better paired with a dedicated desktop amp such as the 2,400mW K13 R2R.

FiiO KA15 review: Also consider

If you don't need a screen or high power output, the iFi GO Link Max is even more compact than the KA15, and it's cheaper too. It puts out up to 241mW of power and features dual Sabre DACs.

FiiO makes plenty of other DACs, and if you need something with a higher spec than the KA15 the next step up is the FiiO KA17. That's roughly 30% more expensive and boasts dual ESS ES9069 DACs, maximum output of 650mW per channel and support for DSD512.

Want something just as small and almost as retro-cute, but wireless? Look to the matchbox-sized iFi Go Blu Air.

How I tested the FiiO KA15

• Hi-Res FLAC and multitrack Logic Pro projects
• Lossless and lossy streaming
• Beyerdynamic and Philips over-ears, Soundmagic IEMS

I tested the iFi KA15 over two weeks with a variety of headphones and IEMs including BeyerDynamic DT990 Pro and Philips Fidelio X2HR open-back headphones, DT770 closed-back headphones, and SoundMagic E11C IEMs.

I tested the DAC with music from multiple audio sources including hi-res FLAC files via the Vox music player on Mac; lossy and lossless streaming on desktop, iPhones and iPad; and my own multitrack Logic Pro X music projects.

• First reviewed: February 2026
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

ThunderX3 Core gaming chair: one-minute review

Having spent the past two years glued to the ThunderX3 Core gaming chair, I can say with confidence that the technology packed into the backrest is not, in fact, a gimmick. Looking at this racer-style gaming chair with its wiggly backrest protruding out, you might think it's undergone some kind of malfunction. But sit down and prepare to be amazed, because the ThunderX3 Core goes above and beyond for the price point, and it does so with impeccable style.

I've always steered away from gaming chairs with a separate lumbar cushion like that of the Corsair TC100 Relaxed; their rigidity does little for me as someone who moves around a lot, and I always feel like there's too much of a gap in the middle of my back. With the majority of racer-style gaming chairs opting for this solution, or some form of adjustable lumbar like the AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL's practical but not-so-elegant, built-in side dial, I had thought my only other option was to spend over $1,000 on an office-style gaming chair that would adapt and reform itself to my body in motion. Then I spotted the ThunderX3 Core.

This ergonomic gaming chair features Lumbar 360° technology that sees almost the entire backrest deftly responding to your body as you bend and lean in the sitting position. I've felt consistently supported from the lower back right up to the upper back since the moment I started using it, helping me avoid the usual back pain that arises from all those awkward sitting positions I've been warned off.

(Image credit: Future/Katie Wickens)

The gently-bucketed seat can be tilted forward and locked at a slight angle, and the backrest can tilt and lock in several positions up to around 45 degrees. That does mean you don't get the full recline, but all that adjustability adds up, not to mention the four-dimensional armrests that even some mega premium chairs I've tested have omitted. Granted, the ThunderX3 Core doesn't come with an adjustable headrest like more premium ergonomic designs do, but it does include a gorgeous memory foam headrest with winged sides, as well as a footrest with two zippable sections and a non-slip texture on the bottom. All this while oozing premium design, without the premium price tag.

The major drawback for me has always been the armrests, which have always been a little rattly, but more so after a few years of learning. They've also always felt a little far forward for my liking, and don't move back as you recline, so the gap tends to see me leaning forward to reach them with my little arms. Over the years, the back of the armrest has been dented by my elbows while the rest hasn't, but it's still comfy as anything. I can't feel the plastic under the padding even after two years of everyday use.

Even the best gaming chairs will start to rattle a little after a time, and while it does get picked up by my mic every now and then, these little gripes haven't compromised the overall adjustability and comfort of a well-aged chair. If you're looking for refined aesthetics that combine steady comfort with dynamic and highly-adjustable ergonomics, I can wholeheartedly recommend the ThunderX3 Core. Not least thanks to the money saved compared to premium ergonomic chairs like the X-Chair X2 K-Sport Management.

(Image credit: Future/Katie Wickens)ThunderX3 Core gaming chair: price and availability

• List price: $399.99 / £249.95 / around $595
• Footrest cushion is extra in the US, but totally unavailable in the US
• Affordable end of the spectrum and good value for money

Available in the US and the UK from Amazon and other big retailers, the ThunderX3 Core is easy to get a hold of and well worth the price of admission. It only comes with the footrest cushion in the UK, sadly, meaning US citizens will need to pay extra for the privilege, but with the money saved, you could buy two or three of these babies for the price of other premium gaming chairs like the Herman Miller x Logitech Embody.

For the price, it's rare to spy a chair design with no corners cut. That's exactly what we like to see in a gaming chair: zero compromise and exceptional comfort, two things the ThunderX3 Core has in droves, and all at an exceptionally affordable price point. Plus, a three-year warranty is always much appreciated.

ThunderX3 Core gaming chair: specs

Thunder X3 Core

Price

$399 / £339 / around AU$595

Maximum user weight

331lbs / 150kg

Min seat height

18in / 46cm

Seat width

21.7in / 55cm

Recline angle

125 degrees

Warranty

3 years

(Image credit: Future/Katie Wickens)ThunderX3 Core gaming chair: design and aesthetics

• Lovely refined colorways
• Extra storage in the back
• Racer wing shape is a bit much

With several options when it comes to aesthetics and materials, the ThunderX3 Core doesn't pigeonhole gamers looking to live ergonomically enjoyers of the standard gamer aesthetic. While the Core Racer option caters to that with its high-contrast, almost neon blue strips along the back, the Loft and Modern options lean more toward refined colourways. Their ashy greys, muted red and navy give mature gamers the option to go subtle, or even opt for a suede-trimmed weave fabric chair if Pleather isn't your thing. I appreciate not having to peel myself off a Pleather seat in the summer heat, too.

I will say that cleaning a light grey fabric chair has been a minor challenge, but it's worth it for the gorgeous snowy look and plush feeling. Besides, over the years, it hasn't started to bobble, tear, or discolour.

The overall shape is a little over the top, with wings protruding unnecessarily far from either side of the head, but that's the only thing that gives it away as a racer. With the addition of a multifunction footrest, you're getting an extra boost where ergonomics are concerned, either for propping your feet up or leaning your arms on while gaming with a controller. Plus, the little pocket in the back is great for storing anything from a small laptop to a folder, or even a secret love note if that's how you roll.

(Image credit: Future/Katie Wickens)ThunderX3 Core gaming chair: comfort and adjustability

• Auto-adapting comfort
• Cushioned to perfection
• Armrests could be nicer

The Thunder X3 Core nails overall comfort, with oodles of latex foam padding that doesn't immediately deflate. Like our long-term favorite, the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022, the fantastic combination of dynamic ergonomics and versatile adjustability is great for getting awkward sitters like me through long days at my desk without feeling stiff before the week is out.

Since the armrests are a little too far forward for my frame, they have dented slightly due to constant pressure on the back. Still, those with a larger build will be best pleased. The wide, only-mildly-bucketed seat is yet another indicator that this chair caters to larger gamers. It also means I can sit with my legs crossed like an ergonomic heathen, because what's the point of joint hypermobility if you can't exercise it?

(Image credit: Future/Katie Wickens)ThunderX3 Core gaming chair: assembly

• Super short assembly time
• Simple instructions
• Heavy to get it where you need it

It took me under 20 minutes to get this whole chair up and running, though that's discounting the time it took me to lug it up the stairs and get it unpacked. Considering the amount of greebles, I was amazed I hardly needed the instructions aside from figuring out a practical order of events.

Out of the box, the arms are already screwed in place, and with no mechanisms left bare for me to mangle myself in there was no need to have my partner supervise the process either. Sure, it doesn't come fully assembled like the Herman Miller Vantum, but sixteen minutes of time for years of comfort is well worth the effort.

(Image credit: Future/Katie Wickens)Should I buy the ThunderX3 Core gaming chair?Buy it if...

You want dynamic back support
If you shift around in your chair a lot and need constant back support as you move, the Thunder X3 Core has you covered from lumbar to upper back.

You're looking to save a buck
The Thunder X3 Core is one chair that nails that price-to-performance ratio. I've tested chairs with far fewer features and worse comfort being sold at double or triple the price.

Don't buy it if...

You're rocking a smaller skeleton
Smaller gamers might struggle to reach the far-forward armrests. They don't move back enough for children, for example. But larger, heavier frames will have zero trouble fitting into it.

You prefer static ergonomics
If you know what you want and don't tend to shift around much (or prefer not to), then other, more rigid ergonomic designs might be more your speed.

Also consider...

If the ThunderX3 Core isn't quite for you, then consider these two fine alternatives that we think really highly of.

ThunderX3 Core

Secretlab Titan Evo XL

X-Chair X2 K-Sport Management

Price

$399 / £339 / around AU$595

$599 / £514 / AU$869

$879 / around £655 / around AU$1,315

Maximum user weight

331lbs / 150kg

393lb / 180kg

275lb / 125kg

Min seat height

18in / 46cm

18in / 46cm

15.81in / 40.1cm

Seat width

21.7in / 55cm

22.8in / 58cm (inc. sides)

19.5in / 49.5cm

Recline angle

125 degrees

165 degrees

40 degrees

Warranty

3 years

5 years

15 years

Secretlab Titan Evo 2022
Still our favorite gaming chair, the XL version of the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 is only a little more expensive than the ThunderX3 Core, and comes with a slightly better warranty. Sure, there's no dynamic lumbar, but it ticks all the build quality boxes and offers a much higher weight capacity.

For more information, check out our full Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 review

X-Chair X2 K-Sport Management
The X-Chair X2 K-Sport Management has a lot to offer in terms of ergonomics without breaking the bank. While it's not as adaptable in real-time and takes far longer to set up, it's a much more customizable option. It's also super breathable and comes with an incredible 15-year warranty.

For more information, check out our full X-Chair X2 K-Sport Management reviewView Deal

(Image credit: Future/Katie Wickens)How I tested the ThunderX3 Core gaming chair

• Used the chair nearly every day for almost two years
• Tested all the mechanisms
• Compared long-term wear with out-of-the-box condition

I've been using the ThunderX3 Core almost every day for the past 2 years, and having put it together and dragged its bulk up and down the stairs several times, I've had enough hands-on experience with it to give an informed opinion.

I check the ease of use where mechanisms are concerned, the overall comfort then versus now, and have noted the general wear that's happened over the years.

First reviewed between 2023-January 2026

Read more about how we test

AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Price & Availability

The P280 sits in the mid-to-upper tier of portable power stations, competing with other 2kWh-class systems. The base unit from Aferiy is currently (as of February 2026) priced at £799. Other well-known brands with similar capacities include the:

- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max (£1199)

- Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 (£899)

- BLUETTI Elite 200 V2 (£1,199)

- Anker SOLIX F2000 (£899), and.

- FOSSiBOT F2400 (£599)

This places the P280 in a competitive position, undercutting some premium brands while offering a higher inverter output than several similarly sized rivals.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Design & Build

This is not a “throw it in a backpack” power station. With a 2048Wh battery and a high-output inverter, the P280 feels closer to a compact home backup unit than a lightweight travel companion.

Specs & Features - at a glance

Capacity: ~2048Wh

• Battery Chemistry: Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄)

• Cycle Life: 4,000+ cycles to 80% capacity

• Inverter: 2800W continuous pure sine wave

• UPS: <10ms automatic switchover

• AC Charging: Up to 1800W (0–80% in ~55 minutes)

• Solar Input: Dual MPPT, up to 1200W (2 × 600W)

• Combined Charging: AC + Solar up to ~2000W

• Car Charging: 17–18 hours via 12V

• AC Outputs: 3 × 220–240V (2800W shared max)

• USB-C: 2 × 140W PD, 2 × 20W PD

• USB-A: 2 × QC 3.0

• DC Outputs: 2 × 12V DC, 1 × XT60 (12V), 1 × 12V/10A car socket

• Weight: 21.6kg

• Expandable: Up to 10kWh+ with additional batteries

The design is industrial but clean, with clearly laid-out, front-facing ports, more robust sockets on the sides, integrated carry handles and a large display panel showing battery status, input/output wattage and system alerts. Overall, it feels robust and well assembled, which is reassuring given its intended role in home backup and emergency scenarios.

The P280 also features a small LED light on the front of the unit. It offers steady-on, flashing and SOS modes. While useful in the absence of any other available light source, it does not appear to be as bright as the light found on the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2, making it more of a convenience feature than a serious work light.

However, given its capacity, the P280 is somewhat larger than some rival brands. Take, for example, the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2. While similar in capacity, it has a lower-rated 2200W inverter though still enough to power most household appliances. However the Explorer is roughly 2cm shorter side-to-side, about 2cm shorter in height and approximately 1cm less deep, resulting in a noticeably more compact overall volume. The trade-off, of course, is inverter headroom.

One minor criticism is the power button. It appears to be made from faux-chrome plastic and doesn’t feel as confidence-inspiring as the more rugged, IP-rated buttons found on some of Bluetti’s comparable models.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Battery & Longevity

The use of LiFePO₄ battery chemistry is a major plus. Compared with standard lithium-ion, it is more thermally stable, safer under stress and significantly longer lasting. With 4,000+ cycles to 80% capacity, you could realistically expect a decade or more of regular use before meaningful degradation — a strong selling point for home backup buyers.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Inverter Performance

This is where the P280 truly stands out. A 2800W continuous pure sine wave inverter puts it firmly into serious appliance territory. It can comfortably handle full-size fridge/freezers, microwaves, kettles (depending on rating), power tools and multiple devices simultaneously. For many households, 2800W is enough to cover essential circuits during an outage.

In testing, I was able to power a Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer drawing approximately 2400W with both baskets in use. The Jackery Explorer 2000 v2, mentioned earlier, was unable to sustain this load for an extended period, whereas the P280 handled it without issue. That additional inverter headroom makes a tangible difference in real-world scenarios.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: UPS Capability

The built-in UPS function switches to battery power in under 10ms during a power cut. That is fast enough to keep PCs, routers, network storage and other sensitive electronics running without interruption. For remote workers or home office setups, this adds genuine practical value.

AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Charging Performance

(Image credit: Future)

Fast charging is another highlight. Via AC wall charging, the unit accepts up to 1800W, reaching 0–80% in around 55 minutes — excellent performance for a 2kWh system and a significant reduction in downtime. Solar charging is equally impressive, with dual MPPT controllers allowing up to 1200W of solar input (2 × 600W).

This makes it viable for semi-permanent off-grid or van life setups, especially where panels may be oriented differently. Combined AC and solar charging can reach approximately 2000W, dramatically reducing recharge times when both sources are available. Car charging, however, remains slow at 17–18 hours via a 12V vehicle socket and is best treated as a top-up option rather than a primary charging method.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Ports & Connectivity

The port selection is generous and practical. Three 220–240V AC sockets share the 2800W maximum output. USB provision is strong, with two 140W USB-C PD ports suitable for high-end laptops, two additional 20W USB-C ports and two USB-A QC 3.0 ports. DC options include two 12V DC outputs, one XT60 (12V) and a 12V/10A car socket.

This makes it suitable for everything from MacBook Pros to CPAP machines, routers and portable fridges. It can also be used to charge drone batteries; however, if that is your primary intention, it is worth considering DJI’s Power Stations, which offer dedicated fast-charging outputs tailored specifically for DJI drone batteries.

The P280 can also be controlled via the Bright EMS app. Through the app, you can monitor power flow direction, view input and output wattage and remotely switch AC or DC outputs on and off. However, the app appears to be third-party rather than AFERIY-owned, which may or may not concern some users depending on their expectations around long-term software support and ecosystem integration.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Expandability

The P280 supports expansion batteries, scaling total capacity to over 10kWh depending on configuration. That is a substantial increase and shifts the unit from “portable power station” towards “modular home energy backup” territory. For users thinking long term, this flexibility is a major advantage.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Real-World Use

For short outages, the 2048Wh capacity is sufficient to run a fridge for many hours, keep lights and internet active and power a TV while charging essential devices. With expansion batteries, it becomes viable for multi-day outages.

For campers and van lifers, it may be overpowered unless running induction hobs, coffee machines or power tools, but for more demanding setups the inverter headroom is welcome. LiFePO₄ chemistry combined with UPS capability and fast recharge times also makes it a strong emergency preparedness solution.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: What Could Be Better

At 21.6kg, it is not lightweight and portability is relative. Car charging is slow via 12V. Finally, while competitively priced, it competes with established brands in terms of price, availability and ecosystem, and brand reputation may influence some buyers.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY P280 Portable Power Station: Verdict

The AFERIY P280 is built for people who genuinely need power — not just for charging phones, but for running real appliances. With a 2800W pure sine inverter, fast 1800W AC charging, 1200W solar input, long-life LiFePO₄ battery chemistry,

UPS functionality and expandable capacity, it is a highly capable and future-proof portable power station. It loses a star due to its bulk and the fact that not everyone requires this level of inverter output. However, if you do, the P280 represents strong value and serious performance.

Buy it if

• You need a powerful 2800W inverter capable of running high-draw household appliances.• You want very fast AC charging with minimal downtime.• You’re buying primarily for home backup with UPS protection.• You value long-life LiFePO₄ battery chemistry for long-term use.• You want the option to expand capacity beyond 2kWh in the future.

Avoid it if

• You prioritize lightweight portability and compact size.• You only need to charge small devices and low-wattage appliances.• You plan to rely mainly on 12V car charging.• You prefer buying into a more established brand ecosystem.

We list the best laptop power banks.

Philips Baristina: one-minute review

With the Philips Baristina, brewing espresso using freshly roasted beans is as easy as using coffee pods. Unlike most of the best bean-to-cup coffee makers, where the entire brewing process takes place within the case, the Baristina uses a portafilter handle much like a manual espresso machine. Push the empty handle into place, select your drink, and the Baristina will grind the right dose of coffee into the filter basket, tamp it down, then move it to the brewing group automatically for the shot to be extracted.

It's a clever design that's unlike any other bean-to-cup machine I've tested, and because the Baristina uses a portafilter, cleaning up is a piece of cake. There's no need to take the side off the machine, empty messy internal bins, remove components, or wipe up stray coffee grounds that have escaped.

It's a good-looking little coffee maker as well. Although its case is plastic, its matt finish and choice of tasteful colors mean it doesn't look cheap or attract fingerprints. The portafilter handle even arrives in a choice of colors and natural wood finishes (the exact options available will depend on where you buy your machine).

(Image credit: Future)

During my tests, coffee was consistently well extracted using my usual freshly roasted beans, with the pressurized filter basket producing a thick layer of crema.

In my opinion, the biggest drawback is that the Philips Baristina doesn't allow you to adjust the grind size, which means you have no control over how quickly your coffee is extracted. You can adjust the volume of your brew, but that's all. If your coffee tastes over- or under-extracted, you'll need to try different beans until you find something that works well with the standard settings.

You should also be aware that the Baristina doesn't have a steam wand or any other means of foaming milk, although it's available bundled with a standalone milk frother if cappuccinos and lattes are your thing.

All in all, it's an excellent beginner-friendly espresso machine that's ideal if you're new to using fresh beans and want to keep things as simple as possible. It's remarkably affordable, too, with a list price of just $299.95 / £279.99 (about AU$600).

Unlike most espresso machines, the Philips Baristina doesn't offer a way to adjust the grind size. (Image credit: Future)Philips Baristina: price and availability

• Very cheap for a bean-to-cup coffee maker
• Sold in North America and Europe
• Often available at a discounted price

The Philips Baristina is the most affordable bean-to-cup coffee maker I've tested to date, with a list price of $449.99 / £299.99 ( about AU$650). You can pick up a good-quality manual espresso machine for around the same price — the five-star rated De'Longhi Dedica Duo for $299.95 / £279.99 (about AU$600), for example — but if you're after an automatic coffee maker, I haven't seen another model that delivers better in terms of value for money.

It's often available at a discount at major retailers, making it even better value. You'll find all today's best deals below.

The Baristina is available in North America and throughout Europe, but isn't currently sold in Australia unless you import it.

• Value score: 5/5

Philips Baristina: specifications

Name

Philips Baristina

Type

Bean-to-cup

Dimensions (W x H x D)

7 x 13.6 x 15 inches / 18 x 34.5 x 38cm

Weight

11lbs / 5kg

Water reservoir capacity

47oz / 1.2 liters

Milk frother

No

Bars of pressure

16

User profiles

None

Philips Baristina: design

• Sleek design with matt finish
• Clever "one swipe" portafilter design
• No steam wand (although separate milk frother is available)

The Philips Baristina is a compact coffee maker with a smart, minimalist design. It comes in two colors, black and white, with matching portafilter handles as standard. Some retailers also offer a selection of contrasting portafilter shades (including red, green, and yellow), plus light and dark wood options so you can pick something that suits your kitchen décor. Whichever color you choose, the portafilter is fitted with a non-removeable pressurized basket.

All in all, it's a good-looking machine, and although its case is made from plastic, its matt finish means it doesn't appear cheap or attract fingerprints like some more expensive coffee makers I've tested.

The Baristina uses what Philips calls a "one-swipe" system. Push in the portafilter, slide it to the right, and the machine does the rest (Image credit: Future)

The Baristina is controlled using a simple set of three buttons: one for a single shot of espresso; one for a lungo (a longer drink with the same amount of coffee and twice as much water); and one to boost the intensity by increasing the dose of ground coffee.

The bean hopper is quite small, but that isn't a problem unless you're preparing coffee for a crowd; it's best to keep your coffee in a dark, cool, airtight place until you're ready to grind it and refill your coffee machine little and often.

The Baristina's water tank slides onto the back of the machine, and although I'd have liked to see a handle, its ridged surface makes it easy to grip when filling and replacing. It has a robust lid that fits firmly in place to avoid accidental spills, but do note that there's no water filter provided, so if you live in a hard water area then you might want to use a separate water filtration pitcher.

The water tank has no handle, but its ridged surface provides grip (Image credit: Future)

There's a removable plastic drip tray for your espresso cup, which slots into place below the groupset. It's nicely made — but, unfortunately, it isn't designed to accommodate a larger cup if you want to use your espresso as the foundation for a long drink.

The Baristina doesn't have a steam wand or automatic milk-frothing system. However, if you want to make milky drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos, it's available bundled with a standalone milk frother.

The standard Philips Baristina (which I tested here) has a single hopper, but there's also a model called the Baristina Variety, which has a larger dual hopper so you can choose between two different beans or roasts on-the-fly.

• Design score: 5/5

Philips Baristina: performance

• Super easy to use, with no need to weigh or measure
• Produced well-extracted espresso in tests
• Easier to keep clean than a typical bean-to-cup machine
• Grind size can't be changed

The Philips Baristina is a beginner-friendly espresso machine that combines the convenience of a bean-to-cup coffee maker with the easy cleanup of a manual one. To use it, just fill the water tank and bean hopper, gently push the empty portafilter handle into place, and slide it to the right under the coffee grinder. Choose your drink (espresso or lungo), hit the extra intensity button if you like, and the machine will get to work.

The appropriate dosage of coffee will be ground and dispensed directly into the filter basket, then tamped down evenly. Once it's ready, the machine will slide the handle to the left so it sits under the brew group, and extract your drink into your waiting espresso cup. You never touch the coffee grounds yourself, and there's no need to weigh or measure anything.

The Baristina's pressurized filter basket produces plenty of crema (Image credit: Future)

When the Baristina is done and your coffee is ready, the handle will be unlocked so you can pull it out, knock the puck of used coffee grounds into your food waste bin, and clean the basket. It's a lot easier than cleaning up a conventional bean-to-cup coffee maker, which involves pulling out the drip tray to clean out used coffee grounds, removing a side panel to take out and rinse the brew group, wiping up any stray coffee grounds inside the machine's casing, and leaving the whole thing open to dry so it doesn't grow mold.

The biggest drawback of the Baristina is that there's no way to change the grind size, so if your drink tastes under- or over-extracted (sour or bitter), you'll need to experiment with different types of coffee until you find something that works with the machine's default setup.

During my tests, the used coffee grounds always formed a dry, solid puck, showing that the coffee was properly extracted (Image credit: Future)

It's also worth noting that while manual coffee makers give you a choice of single and double filter baskets, with double (pressurized) and single walls, the Baristina's basket is integrated into the handle and can't be removed. Again, this limits customization, but it's unlikely to be a concern for those looking for their first espresso machine, or upgrading from a capsule coffee maker.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Philips Baristina? Philips Baristina score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

The most affordable bean-to-cup coffee maker I've tested – and one that doesn't skimp on quality.

5/5

Design

Simple, compact and stylish, without the tricky clean-up associated with most automatic coffee makers – although it lacks a steam wand.

4.5/5

Performance

Quick and easy to use, even for beginners, and produces great results with the right beans. Grind size can't be adjusted, but at this price it's tough to complain.

4.5/5

Buy it if

You're on a budget

This is the most affordable bean-to-cup coffee maker I've tested, and Philips hasn't cut corners to achieve its affordable price tag.View Deal

You want to upgrade from coffee capsules

The Philips Baristina is just as convenient as a capsule coffee maker, but without the hassle of having to recycle the pods (which can be difficult, depending on the facilities in your area).View Deal

Don't buy it if

You want to experiment with different beans

The Baristina doesn't offer any way to customize the grind size, so you'll have to stick with coffees that work well with its default settings. There's nothing you can do to change the extraction rate.View Deal

Philips Baristina: also consider

If the Philips Baristina doesn't sound like the right coffee maker for you, take a look at these two highly rated alternatives:

De'Longhi Dedica Duo

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous and want more control over your coffee, this is the best entry-level manual espresso machine I've tested in the past couple of years. You'll need a separate coffee grinder, but this setup provides more scope for experimentation.

Read our full De'Longhi Dedica Duo reviewView Deal

De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo

This semi-automatic coffee maker doesn't have a spring-fired portafilter so you'll come into contact with loose coffee, but it gives you a lot more brewing options than the Baristina, and is a good way to start developing your home barista skills.

Read our full De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo reviewView Deal

How I tested the Philips Baristina

I used the Philips Baristina for two weeks with my usual regular and decaffeinated coffee beans, freshly bought from a local coffee roaster. I used fresh tap water, and compared the taste of the coffee with that from my usual Gaggia Classic espresso machine. I used both the regular espresso and lungo options, with and without the "intensity boost" feature. I cleaned the portafilter between each drink, and flushed the brewing group with hot water by pressing and holding one of the control buttons.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad Lineups have regularly faired quite well in our reviews. In the real world, outside of testing studios, they also review very well. I’ve had my hands on the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 for the last few weeks. In that time, I’ve found myself grabbing it regularly, even among other laptops I am testing right now. I remember the P16 Gen 2 that I tested almost exactly a year ago.

The Gen 3 is somehow even lighter, has a better battery life, doesn’t seem to run as hot and can charge via USB-C. It’s almost as though Lenovo saw the very notes I made about the last one, and said, “understood” and fixed exactly that. The Gen 3 still has the incredible power, with now an even more powerful offering, it still has a great display, it has the beloved Lenovo keyboard, and everything else that we loved from the earlier models.

I will say, one negative is that Lenovo is going to have a hard time topping this in the future. But hey, that’s future Lenovo’s problem. For now, this laptop has climbed its way to a 5-star rating, offering something that really works in the real world for the business professional, those who need a high-performing Windows machine they can rely on to run their business, without having to compromise.

In 2026 we have some phenomenal options for business laptops. Some are more powerful in graphic capabilities, some at single core performance, some at multi core. Some are better for engineering and some for video editing.

But, as we know with Lenovo since we see them in the real world all over the professional business space, there’s something to be said about compatibility in real-world applications. Lenovo thrives here - this is an easy recommendation for our best mobile workstation round-up. So, to have this powerful of a machine, in an industry that already trusts and relies on previous models, is pretty impressive. Hats off to Lenovo.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The P16 Gen 3 is available from a range of online retailers, as well as direct from the likes of Lenovo US and Lenovo UK.

A base P16 Gen 3 starts at around $2,400, currently priced out using Lenovo’s website. That gives you an Intel Core Ultra 5, Nvidia RTX Pro 1000 Blackwell GPU with 8GB, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, a WUXGA 1920x1200 non touch display at 60Hz, fingerprint reader, and a Wi-Fi 7 chip along with Bluetooth 5.4 as well.

For a base model 16-inch workstation, that’s pretty solid. Now, where it gets really impressive is when you climb up and add features.

My review model, for example, has an Intel Core Ultra 9, Nvidia RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell Generation with 24GB, 32GB RAM, a 3.2K (3200x2000) Tandem OLED with Touch, 1TB SSD, and the same Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips. This unit comes out to $6,998.95 and is a fully spec’d model.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3: Unboxing and First Impressions

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

This Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 came in standard Lenovo packaging, a basic brown box with some red badging, some nice packaging for the laptop and then the charger and documentation that I have literally never read more than the cover of, and I think that was even accidental. Nothing too crazy.

Right away, yes, this is a big machine, but it doesn’t feel like I expected it to. It didn’t feel as heavy as I expected, and when I looked into it, yes, it is actually a decent amount lighter than the Gen 2 model. The Gen 2 was 6.5 lbs, and the Gen 3 is 5.6lbs, almost a full pound lighter, while still keeping the 16-inch frame and the powerful internals, plus adding all of the things that I apparently wished into existence.

Of course, there is the matte dark grey frame with the red accents, the touchpoint in the middle of the keyboard I have gotten comfortable using over the years testing these laptops, and a great touchpad/trackpad. Another thing that is expected, but always good to see, is still present: the killer keyboard, the great ports, and the rugged build. That’s not even to mention the fingerprint reader, Windows Hello face recognition, and other features.

A huge thing I noticed right away was actually the ports, as a good tech reviewer does. First up, all of the ports are on the left and the right, as they should be, which is great. No ports on the back, which immediately signals to users “this should stay on a desktop.” For the Gen 3, all ports are on the right and left. Next up, there is no longer a proprietary charger. This version has a USB-C charging port.

Now, let's not get too crazy and think that your little headphone or even smartphone charger will juice this thing up really at all. You’ll need a powerful brick if you aren’t planning on using the one from Lenovo. But regardless, the ability to use my Anker and UGREEN power stations, bricks, and portable chargers on the go has been excellent, greatly improving day-to-day usability.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 is a classic Lenovo feel, with some great ports added. Most of the Lenovo laptops I have tested look like they could be brothers and sisters, in that they are very similar in style, materials, and design language.

The P16 Gen 3 is continuing that legacy with fantastic build quality, a strong hinge, and a design that prioritizes getting work done. Some laptops have shifted to focusing on portability, lightweight designs, or other features that are a bit more niche or not focused on the business worker, but the ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 clearly focuses on removing as much friction as possible to getting work done.

This even extends to features like the ThinkShutter, privacy modes, the fingerprint reader, the self-healing BIOS, spectacular port offerings, a comfortable all-day keyboard, and more. All of these things are intentionally thought through by Lenovo to help ensure a smooth workday.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

...as tested...
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 HX
Graphics: Nvidia RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell
Memory: 32GB
Storage: 1TB SSD
Display: 3.2K OLED, 16-inch

This laptop is impressively powerful. It’s great for all-day work, no matter what I am working on. I’ve grabbed it for a lot over the last bit of time that I’ve had it in for testing. It’s been wonderful to type on, test some other gear, run virtual meetings, project manage, and so on.

I’ve spent six to eight hours a day working on the P16 Gen 3, jumping in and out of my many roles throughout the day. I’ve even been able to do some heavier lifting, like large-scale database management, light engineering, video conversion, NAS management, and even consolidating other drives onto my NAS.

I’ve been able to knock out everything that's come up without any issues or stutters. One of the projects I worked on in the last few weeks was a large camera system upgrade, and with this machine, I was able to stream dozens of 4K camera feeds simultaneously, all without breaking a sweat on the CPU or GPU.

Another project I have been working on is my newest obsession: human-in-the-loop coding with Replit. I’ve been able to run full preview windows of the apps and webpages I am working on across multiple displays while researching and agentic coding, using other agents too, such as Notion, Slack, Chrome, and more.

Even with my heavy workloads across several companies, I can run them all without having to close anything down in-between context switching. Usually, for lighter weight machine that I am testing and put my workflow on, I have to shut down some of the apps or understand that things will get throttled. But, for this one, I can keep everything open and running, helping for me to jump in and out of everything as needed.

Throughout hours of typing and living on the keyboard, my fingers are still just as comfortable. I can stay in the standard typing position, use the touchpoint to move the cursor around the screen, and even click really easily with the built-in buttons.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 is a laptop for those who need to be able to get real work done. The previous Gen 2 was my top pick in my guide to the best laptops for engineering students - and this upgrade now capably takes that crown.

It’s not for gamers, it’s not for those who want a budget laptop, nor is it for those who need a specific travel laptop or lightweight machine.

But, if you want a machine that can perform at workstation levels, have a good battery life, be portable enough to take with you anywhere, and also be great to use, look at, and type on, then this is worth considering.

The Lenovo P16 Gen 3 is built for those who do, those who get work done every day, and need a tool to help them get there faster.

Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future

For more professional picks, we've tested the best business laptops.

In 2026’s persistent tug-of-war between online convenience and privacy, DeleteMe continues to stand tall as one of the most trusted and comprehensive data removal services. With over a decade of experience in privacy protection, DeleteMe’s mission is simple yet vital: to erase your personal details from the sprawling databases of data brokers who profit from your digital footprint.

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DeleteMe: Plans and pricing

(Image credit: DeleteMe)

DeleteMe’s pricing is straightforward, centered on annual or biennial prepayments rather than short-term monthly options. This structure encourages consistency - keeping your data protected throughout the year instead of risking gaps in coverage.

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Each subscription tier includes:

• Unlimited removals for names, aliases, and emails
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DeleteMe: Features

(Image credit: Shutterstock / metamorworks)

What truly sets DeleteMe apart in 2026 is its blend of automation and human oversight. The platform covers over 750 data brokers.

DeleteMe automates removal from the 100–125 most active brokers, including notorious players like Whitepages, Spokeo, and MyLife, while expert privacy specialists manually handle the rest. This hybrid approach ensures that each removal is executed correctly and consistently, rather than relying solely on bots that might inadvertently confirm your data’s accuracy to brokers (a common pitfall of less automated tools).

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DeleteMe’s dashboard serves as a control center for tracking all this activity. It offers live metrics such as total removals, pending actions, and active exposures, and integrates a Google self-check tool, enabling users to monitor their search visibility in real time. Combined with masking utilities, it provides both transparency and reassurance: you can watch your digital privacy improve, click by click.

Additional tools, such as email alias creation (included at no cost) and phone masking (available for $7 per number), help users reduce their surface exposure. DeleteMe’s own manual also provides DIY guides for removing yourself from specific platforms, such as Reddit or BeenVerified, making it perfect for privacy enthusiasts who want hands-on control.

For organizations, DeleteMe’s business suite extends these protections to executive teams, journalists, and employees handling sensitive data. With targeted anti-doxxing and impersonation countermeasures, it is especially popular among companies that are conscious of online reputation risks.

DeleteMe: Setup and onboarding

DeleteMe’s signup process reflects its emphasis on simplicity. Users register online, create their profile via a welcome email, and fill in identifying information such as names, aliases, email addresses, phone numbers, and past addresses. The system only requests as much as it needs to find your listings, and optional identity verification helps confirm records for precise removals.

Once your profile is set up, DeleteMe’s privacy advisors launch manual searches and begin submitting opt-out requests almost immediately. More often than not, you will receive your first progress email within days.

What’s noticeable during onboarding is how low the learning curve feels. The dashboard is intuitive and clutter-free, with helpful tooltips for new users. You don’t need technical experience or cybersecurity know-how as DeleteMe’s team handles almost everything in the background while keeping you informed through reports and alerts.

DeleteMe: Ease of use

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

DeleteMe strikes a fine balance between professional rigor and user convenience. The centralized dashboard displays everything you need without demanding daily attention. Quarterly PDF reports offer a clear, chronological summary of which brokers were contacted, which entries were deleted, and which may require resubmission.

Submitting custom requests is equally straightforward. If you spot your information on a site not yet on DeleteMe’s list, you can submit a request through the portal. You can file up to 40 custom removals per year, and the privacy team typically responds within 48 hours, making it far faster than competitors that rely solely on automated scheduling.

DeleteMe: Security and privacy

DeleteMe’s architecture is built around privacy-by-design principles. All data deletions are performed by US based privacy experts, not by outsourced bots or offshore contractors, ensuring your personal information never leaves secure domestic servers.

This manual process emphasizes two key benefits. First, it maximizes compliance with brokers’ varying submission requirements, as some demand documentation or nuanced phrasing only a human can adapt effectively. Second, it minimizes risk: automated scraping tools may inadvertently validate a record’s accuracy, re-exposing users rather than protecting them.

DeleteMe’s internal handling of user data is deliberately minimal. Personal details entered during setup are stored securely, used solely to submit removals, and deleted once those removals are confirmed complete. The included email and phone masking features further protect users from re-identification or repeat listings.

While DeleteMe doesn’t directly clear Google’s cache, its approach focuses on root-cause removal by eliminating your records from the original sources so they eventually disappear from search engines as the cache refreshes. Over time, this results in a noticeable reduction in online visibility.

Delete: Customer support

DeleteMe offers email, live chat, and phone support, along with dedicated privacy advisors who review reports and guide each user through custom cases. The company’s Help Center includes articles on two-factor authentication, security best practices, and subscription management, along with downloadable DIY guides for over 100 brokers.

Customers commend DeleteMe’s support staff for their responsiveness, especially during the first few months, when exposure reports are most active. Unlike some competitors that offer only generic responses, DeleteMe’s advisors review your unique data profile before replying to ensure each interaction is specific, accurate, and genuinely helpful.

DeleteMe: The competition

(Image credit: Kanary)

In 2026, the data removal market has matured, and competition is fierce. Services like Incogni, Kanary, PrivacyBee, OneRep, and Mozilla Monitor Plus each approach privacy protection differently.

Each service has its niche. Budget-conscious or international users might prefer Incogni for its simplicity, while privacy enthusiasts who value versatility lean toward PrivacyBee’s ecosystem. However, for users who value human-guided removal, particularly Americans concerned about domestic data brokers, DeleteMe remains the benchmark for reliability, transparency, and verified follow-through.

DeleteMe: The verdict

After fifteen years of refining its craft, DeleteMe continues to set the standard for professional data removal services. Its combination of human expertise, automation, and transparent progress reporting makes it ideal for individuals, families, and businesses wanting continuous, realistic protection.

While other services may promise faster automation or lower prices, few can match DeleteMe’s track record or its deliberate attention to each user’s privacy footprint. Backed by a trusted reputation, a proven removal infrastructure, and a genuine focus on security, DeleteMe is an indispensable ally for anyone seeking to reclaim control of their online identity.

• Sign up to DeleteMe

Protecting personal information online has only become more crucial in 2026. With artificial intelligence tools making data scraping and identity fraud easier, consumers need protection that goes beyond basic antivirus software. Data removal services like Aura aim to give users back control of their information, automatically monitoring, securing, and removing their data from the web’s most persistent collectors: data brokers.

Aura continues to position itself as an all-in-one digital security platform, offering not just data-broker removal but also identity theft protection, credit reports, VPN protection, a password manager, device security, parental controls, and even scam-call filtering. Its 2026 version refines and automates much of this ecosystem, making it one of the most complete packages for personal and family privacy available today.

Aura: Plans and pricing

(Image credit: Aura)

Aura offers three main subscription tiers in 2026 — Individual, Couple, and Family — each priced for monthly or annual billing. While the structure hasn’t changed significantly since 2024, the company has updated its value propositions by introducing new automation tools and expanding insurance coverage.

• Individual Plan: Priced at around $12 per month (when billed annually). It includes full identity theft monitoring, VPN access, antivirus, password manager, credit monitoring from all three bureaus, and up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
• Couple Plan: Approximately $22 per month annually. Designed for two adults, each with their own accounts and dashboards. Users also get an alerts dashboard and joint monitoring capabilities.
• Family Plan: Aura’s flagship package, available for about $29 per month with annual billing. It supports up to five adults and unlimited children, with added benefits such as child SSN monitoring, parental controls, and online safety tools, including cyberbullying detection alerts and predator activity monitoring on social media.

Across all tiers, Aura offers a 14-day free trial and a 60-day money-back guarantee, making it relatively low-risk to test. Prices sit slightly above pure data removal competitors like DeleteMe or Kanary, but Aura’s advantage lies in its breadth, as it’s not only about data removal but complete digital defense.

Aura: Features

(Image credit: Future)

At its core, Aura is built around identity monitoring and data removal automation, but the platform’s appeal lies in its suite of interconnected features that reinforce one another.

• Data Broker Removal: Aura routinely scans and requests removals from over 200 data brokers. In 2026, this process has become more proactive: once you enter key identifiers (such as email addresses, aliases, or phone numbers), Aura automatically generates and tracks opt-out requests. It even resubmits them if a data broker re-lists your information later.
• Privacy Assistant AI: New in 2026, Aura’s AI Privacy Assistant analyzes your online exposure and gives customized recommendations. For example, it might flag an old online profile that is still visible on a background-check website or recommend stronger security settings for your social media accounts.
• Credit & Identity Protection: All plans include near-real-time credit alerts from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The system can detect unauthorized account openings, new address registrations, and suspicious transactions.
• Dark Web Monitoring: Aura scans dark web marketplaces and hacker forums for signs of compromised credentials, personally identifiable information, or leaked financial information. It stands out for automatically triggering password changes via its built-in password manager when data leaks are detected.
• Financial Fraud Alerts: In 2026, Aura enhanced transaction tracking with AI models trained to detect financial anomalies. You’ll receive immediate alerts about possible account tampering or fraudulent activity through text or push notifications.
• VPN & Antivirus Integration: Aura operates its own encrypted VPN network and now includes malware protection at the DNS level, stopping threats before they reach your device. This dual system offers more robust coverage than many competitors that still rely on third-party integrations.
• Secure Document Vault: Documents such as ID scans, medical records, and financial statements can be uploaded to Aura’s encrypted cloud storage. Files are protected with AES-256 encryption and accessible only through multi-factor verified logins.
• Lost Wallet Recovery: Still one of Aura’s most convenient tools, this feature helps users cancel and replace credit cards and government IDs quickly using their stored information.
• Parental Controls: Family users benefit from content filtering, screen-time management, and activity summaries, while the system can now detect potential cyberbullying language in messages exchanged through monitored accounts.

All told, Aura’s feature set is about integration—bringing security, privacy, and data removal under one, easy-to-manage ecosystem.

Aura: Setup

Aura’s setup process in 2026 has been streamlined considerably. Once you sign up, you’re guided through an onboarding sequence that sets up data monitoring, installs necessary apps, and helps connect bank accounts, social media profiles, and credit data.

The app (available for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows) automatically detects your exposure level. You’ll see an initial Digital Risk Score, a new feature introduced this year that visually charts how exposed your personal data is, along with step-by-step suggestions for improvement.

Setting up the browser extensions - for Secure Browsing and Scam Protection - took minutes. The interface clearly marks whether each area of protection (such as identity, finances, passwords, and devices) is “secured,” “partially secured,” or “unprotected.”

Overall, users can expect to be fully set up within 15 to 20 minutes.

Aura: Ease of Use

Aura’s biggest achievement has been refining its user interface to be accessible without sacrificing complexity. The 2026 dashboard feels modern and uncluttered, offering a unified snapshot of your protection status.

The main screen now consolidates data-broker removal progress, credit alerts, device security, and VPN status in a single view. To help users track the biggest threats, notifications are sorted by severity - Critical, Moderate, or Informational - with suggested actions for each. The app also now offers Face ID login, faster push notifications, and in-app data removal tracking, all previously requiring desktop access.

While Aura remains feature-rich, its controls never feel overwhelming. Compared with 2024’s design, which buried alerts in submenus, the 2026 update puts essential information front and center.

The only minor drawback is that advanced users may want more filter or export options for data removal logs, which remain limited to Aura’s native interface.

Aura: Security and Privacy

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Security is where Aura continues to justify its cost. Every component is built around zero-knowledge architecture and bank-level encryption.

• Encryption: Data stored in Aura’s vault uses AES-256 encryption, and communication between clients and servers is protected by TLS 1.3.
• Authentication: Multi-factor authentication (2FA) is standard. In 2026, Aura introduced support for hardware keys (YubiKey, Titan) to enhance account protection.
• Privacy Policy: Aura remains U.S.-based, which means it’s not protected under GDPR-like rules—but it maintains SOC 2 Type II compliance and claims it doesn’t sell or share user data for third-party advertising.
• Insurance Coverage: Identity theft insurance now provides up to $5 million in total coverage for the Family plan (aggregated across family members), a significant increase from prior years.
• AI Fraud Detection: Aura’s AI monitoring system scans billions of data points for suspicious behavior, catching identity fraud attempts faster than many competitors.

Aura also distinguishes itself by combining privacy and cybersecurity at the infrastructure level—something pure data removal services typically don’t offer.

Aura: Support

Customer support has remained one of Aura’s strongest points. In 2026, users can reach support through:

• 24/7 Live Chat (available across all plans)
• U.S.-based phone support
• Email ticket system
• AI Help Assistant that routes users to relevant help articles or escalates issues automatically

Support responsiveness is fast, typically under two minutes on chat, and representatives are knowledgeable across billing, technical, and cybersecurity issues.

The Digital Security 101 help center remains excellent for learning privacy fundamentals, and Aura’s security alerts blog continues to update users about new scams, breaches, and fraud trends.

Aura: The competition

(Image credit: DeleteMe)

DeleteMe is still best known for data broker removals, manually handling over 700 brokers globally. It’s relatively affordable at about $10 per month but remains limited to removal only — offering no VPNs, threat monitoring, or credit alerts.

Kanary provides a clean interface and aggressive data tracking removal, with automation similar to Aura’s newer system, though it lacks the wide range of bundled security tools.

Privacy Bee combines data broker removal with marketing opt-outs and spam management, making it more affordable but missing Aura’s all-in-one security integrations.

Mozilla Monitor Plus focuses on breach alerts and limited broker removals within a privacy-first platform from a trusted nonprofit, appealing to open-web advocates.

IDX Identity, a long-established provider with government partnerships, delivers strong credit alerts but charges a premium while offering fewer non-financial privacy features.

Where Aura stands out is in its breadth — it consolidates tasks that competitors split across multiple tools, making it ideal for users who want a “set it and forget it” experience. The tradeoff, however, is cost, as Aura can run two to three times more expensive than minimalist removal services.

Aura: Verdict

In 2026, Aura remains a top choice for comprehensive identity and privacy protection. It’s overkill if you only want your data removed from people search sites—but invaluable if you want total online risk mitigation in one ecosystem.

For individuals and families who value privacy, security, and convenience over cost, Aura’s 2026 platform justifies its premium. It’s not just about removing data — it’s about controlling your entire digital presence.

• Sign up to Aura

4 UK Host is an experienced web hosting service, now owned by Miss Group, the company behind StableHost, nameISP, https.se and other hosting-related brands.

The host has four main product ranges: Shared Hosting, Value VPS, SSD VPS and Dedicated Servers. There's a focus on value, although there's real power available here, too. Dedicated servers start at £54.99 ($65.99) a month on the annual plan, for instance, but you can opt for a 2 x Xeon E5, 40 CPU core, 256GB RAM monster for £389.99 ($467.99) a month, if you can use it.

The baseline Shared Hosting 4UK-10 plan looks like great value, with unlimited bandwidth and 12 months for free. A one-year free trial, really? There must be a catch, we thought. And there was.

Drilling down to the details, the plan is relatively basic, with just 1GB disk space, one email account and no MySQL databases. And although it's advertised on the site as £0.00 a month, the comparison table shows it has a £14.99 ($17.99) setup fee. That's equivalent to £1.25 ($1.50) a month.

• Want to try 4 UK Host? Check out the website here

There's better news further up the range. The 4UK-30 plan gives you 15GB disk space, unlimited bandwidth, a free domain name, 10 databases, unlimited emails and FTP accounts, and support for hosting up to three websites. Prices range from £4.99 ($5.99) billed monthly, to a more competitive £3.54 ($4.25) a month billed three-yearly.

Support is available via live chat, 24/7. There's also telephone support, albeit for limited and slightly odd hours (7am-4pm).

Although the website doesn't make a big deal of any 'money-back guarantee', the small print makes it clear that's exactly what you get. 'If you are not satisfied within your first 30 days we would be happy to provide you with a full refund' (subject to the usual exclusions, like domain name registrations).

While these prices aren't bad, there are better deals around. Hostinger's shared hosting has fewer limits and can be 20% or more cheaper, or you could opt for a VPS and still save money (prices start at $3.95.) But beware, you'll have to subscribe for up to four years to get the headline prices.

Setup

Signing up with 4 UK Host starts by choosing your hosting plan, then entering whatever domain name you'd like to use. The latter can be something you register now, for free with some plans, or a domain you own already.

All plans may be billed monthly, or every one, two or three years. You'll need to pay yearly or longer to get a free domain name, and longer subscriptions get a 10-15% discount.

There aren't a lot of extras, especially for the more basic plans. Our 4UK-20 Shared Hosting plan came with free local backups, for instance, but 4 UK Host offered us remote weekly backups from £3 ($3.60) a month. Backups are important, but that's more than you might be paying for your main hosting account, which isn't going to appeal to bargain hunters.

The 4 UK Host registration form asks for a lot of personal data, including an email address, name, physical address and telephone number.

The form also asked for our 'Organization number / Personal number', but didn't offer any hints to what this was, or why the company needed it. We just entered a memorable number, assuming it would be treated as a second password, and the website accepted it.

Payment options were card or PayPal. We tried PayPal, but ran into a problem: the website hung for minutes, but no PayPal window appeared. Eventually we gave up, restarted the process, and went to pay via card. As we were about to do that, an invoice for the first aborted payment appeared. We gave up on our second payment, without entering any details, but, too late: an email invoice for that payment arrived, too.

Issues like this can happen with anyone, and we're not attaching any blame to 4 UK Host. But it did give us an opportunity to test how the company's systems could cope with unexpected events.

There were no obvious ways to help us solve this problem. The emails and invoices didn't explain what to do if we had problems. The web console displayed our two invoices, but had no way to cancel or delete them. An 'Open Ticket' option pointed us to a near useless web knowledgebase, where searching for 'invoice' gave us only two irrelevant hits: 'Passing Values to Offer URLs' and 'How those the price model work' (not a typo, that's the real title).

While that's bad news, 4 UK Host regained our respect with the quality of its live chat support. We opened a session, explained what had happened and asked for the company to activate our first order, and cancel the second invoice, and gave our two invoice numbers.

We expected to wait for an age, and possibly then be forced to answer an avalanche of questions (what's your name, your order number, your email address, your PayPal transaction ID, and so on). But instead, after two minutes an agent responded; after nine minutes, they told us they were checking; two minutes after that, they told us they'd activated one account and deleted the other invoice.

We didn't have to answer a single further question, the agent just did as we'd asked, and all in under a quarter of an hour. That's great support performance, especially for a very basic shared hosting package.

(Image credit: 4 UK Host)Creating a website

The 4 UK Host account management system is based on the industry standard WHCMS platform. That's generally good news, as it's a capable system, and if you've used it with another host you'll immediately feel at home.

Choose your hosting package, and WHCMS provides various shortcuts to help you get started. A link to the File Manager enables uploading an existing site to your web space, for instance. Experienced users get shortcuts to the MySQL Databases and phpMyAdmin modules, and you can create email accounts for your new domain by filling in a couple of boxes (email account name and password).

One further click takes you to a standard cPanel console, where you'll find the full set of site creation and management tools.

4 UK Host's Site Builder is a simple BaseKit-powered template-based website creator. It doesn't have the power of the high-end competition, and the bundled version is limited to just three pages, but that could be enough for simple tasks. Your three pages can at least have some rich content, with support for image galleries, custom forms, videos and SoundCloud clips, file links (Dropbox, PDF), basic social media integration and more.

4 UK Host shared hosting includes Softaculous, too, for automated installation of WordPress, PrestaShop, Joomla, and hundreds of other popular apps. It's one of the best user-friendly installers around, and not something you'll always get with the most basic shared hosting. (Some providers use simpler installers with fewer features, maybe supporting just a handful of applications.)

Once your site is up and running, you have access to all the usual cPanel site management tools, covering everything from FTP accounts, subdomains and aliases, to email forwarders, autoresponders and in-depth site metrics (Webalizer, AWStats and more).

We did have an issue with the web knowledgebase, which was short on content and poorly organized. Articles are in multiple languages, for instance, and if you search on a technical term which is identical in both ('DNS') then you'll get multi-lingual results.

Knowledgebase issues are much less important when you have decent live chat support, though, and overall, 4 UK Host provides a capable set of features with everything you need to build and run a quality website.

(Image credit: Uptime.com)Performance

It's tricky to measure the performance of any web host. The results you'll see will depend on the type of site you're running, the resources it uses (CPU, storage, database), where your visitors are, when they visit, and other factors besides.

We attempted to get a baseline idea of a server's performance by measuring it over time with Uptime.com. Average response times were fractionally below average, though by so little you're unlikely to notice (50ms). 

4 UK Host response times were relatively consistent, too, with no downtime, and no major spikes which might indicate an overloaded server.

Dotcom-tools website speed test measured the load time of our test site from 16 locations across the US and Europe. This second test broadly matched the results of the first. 4 UK Host achieved mid-range speeds only, but the difference wasn't significant, and our results showed consistent speeds over time.

Put it all together and 4 UK Host delivered the performance we'd expect from decent shared hosting; not outstanding, but good enough, and reliable throughout the duration of our review.

Final verdict

4 UK Host wasn't outstanding at any point during our review, but its products are generally well-specified, live chat support was good and we saw consistent and reliable speeds. Worth a look – check it out and see if the company has a plan which suits your needs.

• Also check out the best web hosting services.

ProfesionalHosting is a popular Spanish provider with over 17 years of experience in web hosting and domain registration.

To be clear, the company has absolutely nothing to do with Professional Hosting at 'professionalhosting.com.' And that matters, because the other provider is very, very different to this one. If you're typing its name somewhere, rather than following our links, be sure to type one 's' in 'profesional', rather than two.

However you arrive at the site, you'll find a huge range of products. You can get regular shared hosting, custom plans for specific web apps (WordPress, Magento, PrestaShop, more), along with a variety of VPS offerings. On top of that there are assorted dedicated servers (Windows, Linux, Elastic Cloud), video and streaming servers, and supporting services such as remote backup, email marketing, SSL certificates and more.

• Want to try ProfesionalHosting? Check out the website here

The company is largely focused on the Spanish-speaking market, claiming on the website that 'in our hosting you will have the best support and service in Spanish.'

There is an English language version of the site, but it's a little more difficult to use than it should be, thanks to some inconsistent and incomplete translations.

As we write, for example, the VPS link on the English language site takes us to a Spanish page. There's a language selector at the top, but choosing English just takes you to a 'Page not found' message – in Spanish! We could still find our way around with the aid of Chrome's Translate feature, but that shouldn't be necessary.

Brush these hassles aside, though, and you'll find an impressive set of products, where even the most basic plans are well-specified and ready for use.

Shared hosting starts at €6.19 ($7.29, £5.31) a month on the annual plan, for instance. Not a big outlay, but it gets you 3GB hard drive space, unlimited bandwidth, a free domain, a Plesk control panel (a powerful alternative to cPanel) antispam, daily backups, and free SSL via Let's Encrypt.

There are four plans in total, but picking just one, Plan WEB + enables hosting up to 10 websites, offers 10GB disk space, and throws in a free year of a professional SSL certificate, all for €15.44 a month ($18.18, £13.48).

You can get hosting for even less, but it often comes with hidden flaws and catches. ProfesionalHosting isn't cutting corners to get a low headline rate, and even its low-end plans should be able to handle some major tasks.

And even if it turns out that the company doesn't live up to its promises, you're protected by a 15-day money-back guarantee.

Setup

Signing up at ProfesionalHosting works much like any other host, at least in principle. But in real life, translation issues make it a little more complicated for English speakers.

You must opt to check out by clicking the 'Contract' button, for instance. The shopping cart icon makes that a relatively easy guess, but when you start the purchase process, even the English language page has a Spanish description of the money-back guarantee.

There's more confusion on the account registration page. Not only does this ask for your name, email address, physical address and phone number, it also demands your 'CIF/DNI' (a national ID number), and further asks '¿Como nos ha conocido?' (which means 'how did you hear about us?').

You can ignore that question, but not the demand for a national ID number. That's bad news if you don't have one, although the website can't validate it, so you can enter whatever you like, and no-one is likely to notice. (You're probably violating a 'be honest about your personal data' clause in the small print, but if you don't have the requested data, there aren't many other options.)

We completed the purchase process, handed over our cash, and three follow-up emails arrived – in Spanish, obviously.

This wasn't quite the hassle you might think. The final welcome email was easy to identify, and even if you don't speak a word of Spanish, it's easy to pick out the Control Panel URL and credentials, FTP login, nameservers, email servers and more.

Logging in took us to the main Plesk control panel, a one-stop platform for configuring and managing your account, domain, website and more. The Plesk interface can use multiple languages, but for some reason, ProfesionalHosting's shared hosting plans are available in Spanish only. You must choose VPS or higher to be able to run your console in English. It's annoying, but once again, Chrome's Translate feature was just about good enough to save the day.

(Image credit: ProfesionalHosting)Creating a website

Plesk's main website management screen includes tools to create and manage your website, email and FTP accounts, databases, subdomains and more, as well as key metrics on your visitors, which pages they're visiting, and a breakdown of your bandwidth use.

An automated installer tool makes it easier to set up WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, PrestaShop, Magento, phpBB and more. Its choice of 21 apps doesn't get close to the 400+ you'll get with Softaculous, a platform commonly provided with cPanel, but if you're happy with WordPress (or one of the others) you're unlikely to mind.

The installer is configured with Spanish speakers in mind, for example offering us no less than nine Spanish language options for our test WordPress setup (Spanish, Spanish from Chile, Spanish from Peru, and so on). But there are plenty of other options, this time, and ours had English selected by default.

Our general shared hosting package didn't include a website designer. As with the missing Softaculous, that's bad news for some, but won't matter to the majority.

There's no shortage of ways to manually set up a website, though. The File Manager uploaded our test site with a quick drag-and-drop, Let's Encrypt support allows even hosting newbies to quickly assign a free SSL certificate – and experts can play around with everything from FTP accounts and databases to PHP settings, DNS, and even Apache and web application firewall (ModSecurity) settings.

It's a capable set of tools, especially for the most basic shared hosting package in the range. It would be even better if ProfesionalHosting allowed shared hosting packages to be set up in English, but Chrome Translate got us through most issues, and overall it's a likeable service.

(Image credit: Uptime.com)Performance

Websites can fail for all kinds of unexpected reasons, and whether you're a total newbie or an old hand, it's vital to choose a web host with top quality support.

ProfesionalHosting offers 24/7 support via telephone, live chat, email and ticket, and for really stubborn problems, can even connect to your system via TeamViewer for a closer look.

This all sounds good to us, and the company handled our test query well. An agent responded within three minutes, didn't waste time with more questions or authentication (what's your username, your email address, your account number, your domain), and just gave us an accurate and helpful answer, immediately.

Language remains an issue for international users, with the opening chat screen displaying its instructions in Spanish. But we got through that in seconds, and there were no problems afterwards: we posted in English and got an English-language reply.

To complete the review, we ran a couple of performance tests.

Uptime.com monitored our site over time. Response times were a little below average, but that could be because ProfesionalHosting's Spanish servers were located further away from our testing locations. The difference was small, anyway, and there was no downtime during our review.

Dotcom-tools website speed test benchmarked the download speed of our test site from 16 servers located around Europe and the US. This is more relevant as a speed test, and here ProfesionalHosting performed a little better, with downloads running around 10% faster than average.

Final verdict

Not the cheapest service around (and using Plesk rather than cPanel won't appeal to everyone), but ProfesionalHosting's products are top-quality and fairly priced for the excellent features you get. But if you don't speak Spanish, the constant translation issues can be a major irritation.

• Also check out the best web hosting services

Razer BlackShark V3 X review: One-minute review

The bells-and-whistles version of Razer’s latest BlackShark V3, the V3 Pro, is one of the best wireless gaming headsets on the market. This model might share the name and the basic chassis design, but it’s available at a very different price, and that means the feature spec sheet looks wildly different too.

Razer’s positioning this as an esports model, based on the low-latency wireless connection its Hyperspeed 2.4GHz wireless dongle offers, and the impressively svelte 9.6oz / 270g weight. In reality, as welcome as those attributes are, they’re probably more relevant to a non-professional gamer who wants to save some cash, stay comfortable while they play, and avoid connection dropouts more than a professional player in a stadium.

One thing that translates very well all the way down the BlackShark range is the comfort and adjustability of the headband and earcup design. There’s a brilliant balance of clamping force and headband weight distribution that makes this headset immediately comfy, and it stays that way into the last moments of your 40-player World of Warcraft raid.

The microphone isn’t especially standout, but it offers decent clarity and noise cancellation, and it’s detachable, which means if you opt to connect the headset to your smartphone via Bluetooth, you can wear these on the train or bus without looking like you’re organizing air traffic.

Your mileage of the 7.1 virtual surround may vary, but to this reviewer’s ears, it sounds thin and artificial, inevitably detracting from the original audio source rather than widening it. These aren’t the same titanium drivers as you’ll find in the standard Razer BlackShark V3, and they’re not quite as precise or authoritative in their sound production, which means there’s less leeway for affecting audio sources with virtual surround.

But if you can live with merely good audio and mic quality, the huge 70-hour battery, lightweight, comfortable feel, and clean look are a pretty considerable upside.

(Image credit: Future)Razer BlackShark V3 X review: Price and availability

• Costs $99.99 / £99.99 / around AU$141
• Comparable to Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless headset
• Considerably cheaper than the V3 and V3 Pro, so don’t expect a similar experience

This version of the Blackshark is really all about the price. A lot of the V3 and V3 Pro’s luxury trimmings have been jettisoned in order to meet a sub-$100 price point, but Razer’s decades of experience mean it knows which bits are essential: comfort, reliability, and usability. Those have stayed, of course.

The specs compare favorably to rivals at this price point, like the official Xbox Wireless headset and RIG R5 Spear Pro HS, a wired model that we’ve been digging lately in the sub-$100 pool.

Razer BlackShark V3 X: Specs

Razer BlackShark V3 X

Price

$99.99 / £99.99 / around AU$141

Weight

9.5oz / 270g

Battery life

70 hours

Compatibility

PC, Xbox Series X/S (Xbox version), Playstation 4/5, (PlayStation version), iOS/Android

Connectivity

2.4 GHz Wireless / Bluetooth / USB Wired

Microphone

Unidirectional detachable cardioid mic

Razer BlackShark V3 X: Design and features

• Similar design to the flagship BlackShark V3
• Hyperspeed and Bluetooth, but not simultaneously
• Simple control layout

The basic headband, earcup, and hinge design will be familiar to anyone who’s familiar with previous versions of the BlackShark, or indeed the pricier variations of this current V3 generation. The wireframe hinge allows for plenty of adjustability, and there’s a near-perfect balance between the weight carried by the wide, well-cushioned headband and the clamping force generated by the earcups against your temples.

Around those earcups, there’s a generous slice of memory foam to keep that horizontal force from digging in too much and becoming uncomfortable, and there’s a good amount of extension in the wireframe to allow for larger heads.

The control layout is simple and effective. On the left earcup, just above the USB-C cable input, there’s a textured power button, volume scroll wheel, and a mic mute button, while on the right-hand side, you’ll find the holy grail for gaming headsets, particularly more affordable models: a game/chat balance scroll wheel. Having grown accustomed to having this luxury through years of use with Arctis 7 headsets, I always miss it when it doesn’t feature, and I’m seriously grateful to find one on a cheaper headset like this one.

(Image credit: Future)

While one probably wouldn’t expect simultaneous 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity at this price, it should still be noted that, unlike the V3 and V3 Pro, it isn’t available on this model.

The Hyperspeed wireless connection is very stable in my experience, though, suffering no dropouts over the several years I’ve been connecting wirelessly with Razer devices. It does invite some very infrequent audio artefacting in my experience, but that only manifests as a glitchy half-second of audio here and there when connecting to a PC.

Overall, the combo of comfort and looks of this model makes for a powerful one-two punch. Material choices and finish quality are both fantastic at this price range, and really distinguish this headset from rivals priced similarly.

(Image credit: Future)Razer BlackShark V3 X review: Performance

• Decent sound but lacking that spark
• Capacious battery
• Mic does the job

The drivers within this V3 X’s earcups are a similar design to the V3 and V3 Pro’s drivers, with some important differences. All feature a 50mm size, but while the V3 Pro uses a bio-cellulose construction for its flagship version of the Tri-Force driver and the V3 uses titanium, this cheaper version uses… something else. It’s not stated in Razer’s materials.

That’s all academic until you get into road-testing the sound, and I’m bringing up the materials of various driver variations because those materials allow for faster and more supple articulation, which in turn gives you more sparkly high frequencies and more convincing, visceral lows. It’s in the raw sound quality category where I felt the V3 X’s pricing most obviously, and that certainly doesn’t mean they sound bad.

They’re clearly tuned for a balanced sound reproduction instead of wow factor, and that’s the right call. While at the extreme ends of the frequency response range, they sound a little dull, the overall quality is nice and neutral, and that speaks to the esports positioning of this headset. Pro players would probably use a more expensive model, of course, but if they did use this, they wouldn’t have to contend with vital audio cues being drowned out by over-emphasised bass.

Elsewhere, the battery deserves some serious acclaim. All the BlackShark V3s boast a 70-hour battery life, and while that’s boosted in part by the absence of RGB, it’s still an insane number. And it holds up in reality. I found I was even able to eke out a bit more than 70 hours from one charge, and charging is very quick via USB-C.

More muted praise – if you’ll excuse the excellent pun – for the microphone, which is simply serviceable. The audio reproduction lacks a little body, but it’s certainly crisp enough to cut through the mix and ensure your callouts are heard.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Razer BlackShark V3 X?Buy it if...

You love the BlackShark design
So much of what makes the pricier BlackShark models great carries over to the comfort and lightweight feel of this budget-friendly X option

You care a lot about latency
These are marketed as esports cans due to the low latency Hyperspeed wireless connection, so if you want assurance that you’re getting the comms in time, this is a good option.

You don’t need a broadcast-quality mic
Output quality is functional but not stellar on this model, so it’s a model for people who want clear chat but don’t need crystal-clear mic audio.

Don't buy it if...

You’re an audiophile
It takes a lot of balance and compromise to hit this price point in 2026, which means the drivers are tuned for clarity, not a sonic bath of creamy high fidelity luxuriousness.

You want one headset for multiple consoles
Like many modern headset models, this comes in either PlayStation or Xbox editions, which means you can’t use the same one for both devices.

You want a lot of passive noise cancellation
Despite comfortable pleather earpad cushions, this model’s prone to letting exterior sound bleed in while you’re wearing it.

Also consider...

Still not sold on the Razer BlackShark V3 X? Here's how it compares to two similar sets.

Razer BlackShark V3 X Hyperspeed

Xbox Wireless Headset

RIG R5 Spear Pro HS

Price

$99.99 / £99.99 / around AU$141

$99.99 / £89.99 / AU$149.95

$69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$99)

Weight

9.5oz / 270g

11.2oz / 320g

11.9oz / 340g

Battery life

70 hours

20 hours

N/A

Connection type

Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless (Hyperspeed dongle), USB wired

Bluetooth, USB wired

Wired 3.5mm

Compatibility

PC, Xbox Series X/S (Xbox version), Playstation 4/5, (PlayStation version), iOS/Android

PC, Xbox X/S

PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, Switch 2, PC

Xbox Wireless headset
A similarly barebones offering from Microsoft for its own gaming consoles. Capable, but lacking battery life and connection options in comparison with Razer’s model.

For more information, check out our full Xbox Wireless Headset review

RIG R5 Spear Pro HS
Okay, it’s a wired headset. But despite that detail – and the fact it clearly has too many component parts, this is a seriously good value offering, and even cheaper than the budget Razer option.

For more information, check out our full RIG R5 Spear Pro HS review

How I tested the Razer BlackShark V3 X

• Weeks of daily use on PC and Xbox Series S
• Both connection types tested
• Compared to the flagship Razer BlackShark V3 Pro

I swam the waters of low-budget gaming headsets for two weeks with the V3 X Hyperspeed, which meant the usual mix of gaming, Discord, and work calls to get a feel for the driver and mic performance alike.

The meditative, ambient soundscapes of Cairn comprised a lot of that time, along with some callout-heavy Counter-Strike 2 sessions, a few co-op Minecraft adventures, and some long drives in Assetto Corsa Evo.

Both compatible devices were tested, and I kept track of each charge’s duration to check Razer’s stated 70 hours checks out in reality.

First reviewed January 2026

Read more about how we test

Kanary remains one of the stronger data removal services going into 2026, particularly for US-based users who want ongoing monitoring and a mix of automated and guided removals rather than pure one‑off scans. It sits toward the upper end of the market in terms of price but compensates with broad broker coverage (300+ sites), clear progress tracking, and solid security practices, making it a credible choice alongside better-known names like DeleteMe and Incogni.

Data brokers, people‑search sites, and marketing databases continue to proliferate in 2026, quietly collecting and trading personal details such as names, home addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth. Services like Kanary aim to claw that information back by scanning hundreds of data brokers, sending opt‑out requests, and monitoring for reappearances over time. Kanary focuses primarily on US‑based exposure and has built its service around a straightforward promise: reach 95–100% removal success after the first few months of active monitoring and cleanup for typical users.

Kanary is best suited to individuals, families, and smaller organizations that want an automated “set‑and‑forget” removal service with periodic rescan and a clear dashboard, and who are willing to pay a bit more for stronger coverage and privacy assurances. It does not bundle identity theft insurance or global coverage, so users looking for those extras may prefer competitors that combine data removal with broader protection suites.

Kanary: Plans and pricing

(Image credit: Future)

Kanary continues to offer a free option plus paid tiers, with pricing that puts it on the high side compared to some basic removal‑only tools but still below premium suites that bundle insurance or extensive international coverage. The long‑running 14‑day free trial remains a key hook: new users can test the platform with a handful of removals, and if they don’t upgrade, the account effectively falls back to a limited free tier that still provides some monitoring and DIY guidance.

The Premium individual subscription is still structured around monthly and annual billing: the month‑to‑month plan runs about $16.99, while the annual plan is billed at $179.88 per year (equivalent to $14.99 per month), keeping Kanary in line with other higher‑end data removal tools. The ability to add family members remains an important differentiator: additional users can be attached to an existing subscription for a monthly surcharge, which is slightly cheaper if you commit annually. For organizations, Kanary’s Enterprise (or Teams) offering is priced at around $179.88 per user per year, with volume handled through sales and designed to protect executives and high‑risk staff.

Compared with competitors, Kanary’s annual pricing is more expensive than budget‑oriented tools and some mid‑range services, but cheaper than certain high‑tier offerings like Privacy Bee, which can run close to $197 per year. This means you are paying a premium over bare‑bones removal services in exchange for broader broker coverage, a usable free tier, and better security and transparency than many low‑cost alternatives.

Kanary: Features

(Image credit: Kanary)

Kanary’s core value lies in its broker coverage and continuous monitoring, rather than flashy extras or bundled insurance. The service currently covers roughly 300–325 data brokers and related sites in the United States, spanning people‑search providers, marketing databases, health‑related brokers, and recruitment‑focused platforms. For a majority of these, Kanary can send automated opt‑out requests on your behalf; for the rest, it supplies templates and step‑by‑step guides so you can complete manual removals if desired.

Once your account is live, Kanary performs an initial exposure scan to find where your information is published and then begins batch opt‑outs across its supported broker list. Progress is displayed on a central dashboard that tracks completed removals, pending requests, and sites that require manual action or additional verification, giving you a clear sense of how your digital footprint shrinks over time. Kanary continues to rescan monthly, resurfacing old exposures and new listings so it can either re‑initiate removals or guide you through tougher cases, which is particularly useful as brokers repopulate data or new aggregators come online.

In addition to broker opt‑outs, Kanary’s service extends to major tech platforms and search engines, offering removal requests for exposed personal information in Google Search results and providing guidance on data on sites such as Facebook and other social networks. Users on higher‑end plans also gain access to a custom domain and email support, enabling Kanary to more efficiently authenticate requests and speed up removals when specific domains or addresses are repeatedly scraped.

Kanary: Setup

(Image credit: Kanary)

Kanary is designed to get new users up and running quickly, with an onboarding flow that walks you through entering the personal details it needs to search for your data. For individuals, you typically supply your full name, date of birth, and key identifiers such as current and past addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses; this information is then used to match and verify broker listings. Most people can complete the initial setup in just a few minutes, after which the first scan starts automatically, and early results begin to appear within the first couple of weeks.

Enterprise and Teams customers benefit from a streamlined provisioning process: Kanary advertises that business accounts can be fully set up in roughly five minutes using pre‑provisioned accounts or branded access codes for staff. Within about 48 hours, the system begins removing exposed information tied to employees’ professional and personal contact details, which is valuable for organizations worried about doxxing or targeted harassment. As with personal plans, the business dashboards centralize progress across all covered personnel so security teams can see which brokers are responding and where stubborn listings remain.

Kanary’s published removal timeline continues to emphasize staged milestones: an initial two to 14 day scanning window, an estimated 60% removal success around 30 days, roughly 80% between days 31 and 45, and as much as 95–100% removal by the 90‑day mark for typical profiles. These are estimates rather than guarantees, but they provide a useful mental model of how quickly you might expect to see meaningful reductions in your exposed data.

Kanary: Ease of use

Kanary relies heavily on automation to keep the user experience simple after the initial setup. The main dashboard is designed to be readable even for non‑technical users, clearly separating out successful removals, active requests, and items that need your attention, such as brokers that insist on manual opt‑outs or identity verification. Most ongoing work happens in the background: scans and opt‑outs recur automatically monthly, so many users only need to log in occasionally to review progress or respond to a small number of manual tasks.

Because Kanary focuses on US brokers, the interface and guidance tend to be very direct and specific to US privacy norms, which is a plus for American users but a limitation for those living abroad or dealing with non‑US data brokers. Unlike some all‑in‑one security suites, Kanary doesn’t try to overload the interface with unrelated features like antivirus or VPN controls, so the workflow stays focused on tracking and reducing your online footprint. On the downside, if you expect a companion mobile app or extensive real‑time notifications across platforms, Kanary can feel more minimalist than some consumer‑oriented rivals that emphasize mobile‑first design.

Kanary: Security and privacy

Kanary’s appeal rests heavily on how it handles the sensitive information you provide, and in 2026, its security posture is competitive with other serious privacy services. Data is encrypted at rest with AES‑256 and protected in transit via SSL, and backend password handling follows Django standards, using PBKDF2 and SHA‑256 hashing aligned with NIST recommendations. All accounts can be protected with multi‑factor authentication, and enterprise customers get explicit assurances of 256‑bit encryption and MFA as part of the core service design.

Equally important, Kanary states that it does not sell your data to third parties and is explicit about minimizing data collection to what is required to perform searches and removal requests. Its privacy policy and security philosophy resources go into some depth about retention and deletion, giving privacy‑conscious users clearer visibility than many low‑cost competitors. The trade‑off is that Kanary’s focus is squarely on data removal and monitoring, not on financial remediation: it doesn’t bundle identity theft insurance or reimbursement coverage, leaving that gap for other providers or separate identity protection services to fill.

For businesses, Kanary emphasizes a “secure by design” approach, including SOC‑aligned practices, limited data access, and role‑based controls within team dashboards, all aimed at keeping sensitive executive and staff data from becoming another internal risk. Combined with MFA and strong encryption, this makes Kanary an appropriate fit for security‑minded organizations that want to extend privacy protections beyond their technical infrastructure into their employees’ personal online exposure.

Kanary: Support

Kanary offers a mix of self‑service resources and direct support that should be sufficient for most individuals, though it is not the most multi‑channel setup in the market. The website includes an FAQ that walks through how the service works, what types of data it targets, and what you should expect from removal timelines, plus a public list of supported brokers and sites that Kanary monitors and/or removes from. Its blog adds how‑to content for issues like removing your data from Google, tightening up social media privacy, and handling specific brokers, which is useful if you like to understand and occasionally supplement the automated process with manual work.

For direct help, Kanary primarily relies on email support, with enterprise customers also benefiting from more hands‑on, dedicated assistance as part of their managed service. Response quality is generally well‑regarded in third‑party reviews, though you don’t get phone or live chat support as standard, which some users may miss if they are accustomed to real‑time troubleshooting from larger consumer security brands. On balance, the documentation and asynchronous support model match Kanary’s relatively streamlined feature set and will be adequate for most privacy‑focused users who are comfortable managing their account through the web dashboard.

Kanary: The competition

Kanary operates in a crowded data‑removal market where services differ by price, coverage, and features. DeleteMe remains one of the longest‑running options, blending automated and human removals across fewer sites than Kanary’s 300–325 U.S. brokers, starting around $129 per year. Mozilla Monitor Plus is cheaper (about $8.99 per month) and backed by Mozilla’s trusted name, but it offers less automation and coverage, making it suited to casual users.

Optery competes closely with Kanary, offering 300+ brokers and detailed proof of removals at lower entry costs, though its upper tiers can be overkill for most users. Incogni delivers a broad international reach with 420+ brokers and 1,000+ manual sites at mid‑range pricing, but lacks Kanary’s U.S. focus and free tier. Privacy Bee and OneRep provide wider broker lists or family protection, often priced near or above Kanary’s $179.88 annual plan.

For budget users, Mozilla Monitor Plus or entry‑level Optery and OneRep plans may suffice. But privacy‑focused U.S. users seeking extensive broker coverage, a polished interface, and a free option will find Kanary the most balanced choice.

Kanary: Verdict

Kanary remains a solid choice among the best data removal services in 2026, especially for US‑based individuals and families who want a straightforward, set‑and‑forget way to shrink their online footprint. Its combination of 300+ broker coverage, continuous monitoring, and strong security practices (AES‑256 encryption, MFA, and a transparent privacy stance) justifies its higher‑than‑average pricing for many privacy‑conscious users. The ongoing free tier and 14‑day trial help lower the barrier to entry, making it easy to test how much exposed data Kanary can actually remove before committing to a paid plan.

That said, Kanary is not the perfect fit for everyone: it lacks identity theft insurance, focuses primarily on US brokers, and doesn’t always match the sheer global scale or bundled features of some rivals. If your priority is deep US coverage, strong privacy guarantees, and a clean experience that quietly keeps working in the background, Kanary deserves a place on your shortlist alongside DeleteMe, Optery, and Incogni when choosing a data removal service in 2026.

• Sign up to Kanary

Brevo, formerly known as Sendinblue, is among the most budget-friendly and best email marketing platforms available today. It's tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, combining email marketing, automation tools, and CRM features into one easy-to-use platform. With professional-grade templates and strong automation workflows, it's already established itself as a firm favorite among marketers.

Brevo provides a free plan for beginners and budget-conscious businesses, allowing unlimited contacts and up to 300 emails daily. It also includes SMS and WhatsApp marketing, which isn't usually found in basic tools.

However, Brevo has its downsides. Users might face minor data import issues and find the landing page features somewhat limited. This could be frustrating for those seeking a more comprehensive tool. Despite this, Brevo's affordability and user-friendliness make it a strong contender in the market.

Brevo: Core capabilities

Brevo's core toolset remains one of the more well-rounded you'll find at this price point. At the center of it all is a drag-and-drop email builder with 40-plus customizable templates, along with segmentation, personalization, and real-time campaign analytics (including open rates, click-through rates, and heat maps). These tools are available even on the free plan, giving you a genuine taste of what the platform can do before you commit.

You can build automated workflows triggered by sign-ups, purchases, website visits, and more. The Standard plan removes the 2,000-contact automation limit, making it practical for growing lists. Plus the built-in CRM lets you manage your entire contact database directly inside Brevo, with visibility into interaction history, deal stages, and audience segments without third-party integrations.

(Image credit: Brevo)

Beyond email, multi-channel marketing spans SMS, web push notifications, live chat, and even WhatsApp campaigns. It's worth noting that WhatsApp features are more restricted than the others, available only on Professional and Enterprise plans.

Landing page creation is available from the Standard plan, though it remains more limited than standalone tools like Unbounce. If landing pages are central to your workflow, that's worth weighing carefully.

Brevo: AI tools

Brevo made a significant push into AI-powered marketing in 2024 and 2025. The most visible result is Aura, Brevo's AI marketing agent, which launched in May 2025. Aura is accessible from any page in your dashboard, including directly inside the email editor, through a chat-style interface.

You can use Aura to generate subject lines, draft email body copy, create CTAs, and refine existing content with tone adjustments or multilingual translations. These content generation features are available even on the free plan.

Another useful AI addition is the predictive send-time optimization, available from the Standard plan. It uses your past campaign data to automatically send emails at the time each individual contact is most likely to engage. According to Brevo, this results in measurably higher open and click rates compared to manually scheduled sends.

The platform also offers AI-powered dynamic content, letting you tailor product recommendations, images, and copy based on each subscriber's behavior and purchase history. Brevo's Conversations platform also uses AI to help support teams summarize live chats and generate on-brand responses faster.

For enterprise users, AI segmentation (launched December 2024) takes personalization a step further. Rather than manually configuring filters, you simply describe the contacts you want to reach in plain language. For example, "customers who purchased X in the last 30 days" prompts the AI to build the segment automatically using machine learning. It's a genuinely useful feature, though it's currently limited to Enterprise plan subscribers only.

Brevo: Ease of use

Brevo is often praised for its easy-to-use interface. Signing up is quick and takes just a few minutes. The onboarding process includes helpful prompts and guidance, perfect for first-time users.

The email editor is intuitive, with drag-and-drop features that make building email marketing campaigns easy, even if you're not technical. Tasks like uploading a contact list or designing an email campaign are quick and efficient.

New users can also access resources such as tutorials, blogs, and webinars, offering step-by-step guidance to maximize the platform's benefits. However, some users occasionally experience lags and tricky data imports, which can disrupt an otherwise smooth experience.

Brevo: Customer support

Brevo offers solid customer support with live chat, email, and a detailed knowledge base. However, the tiered approach gets a mixed reception.

Free plan users get basic support, while paid subscribers enjoy faster response times through priority channels. Most users have positive experiences with the support team, but sometimes, responses can be slow during busy periods.

The absence of phone support might be another downside for those needing immediate help. The knowledge base is well-organized and full of tutorials, guides, and FAQs — but that may not be enough for every situation.

Brevo: Plans and pricing

(Image credit: Brevo)

Plan

Starting rate (paid annually)

Starting rate (paid monthly)

Free

$0/month

$0/month

Starter

$8.08/month

$9/month

Standard

$16.17/month

$18/month

Professional

$449.08/month

$499/month

Enterprise

Custom pricing

Custom pricing

Brevo restructured its plan lineup in October 2025, replacing the old "Business" tier with a renamed "Standard" plan and introducing a new "Professional" plan for high-volume senders. There are now five tiers in total, each priced by monthly email volume rather than contact count. All paid plans come with a 10% discount when billed annually.

The Free plan stays generous with 300 emails per day, up to 100,000 contacts, and access to core tools including the drag-and-drop editor, basic automation, and the Aura AI email builder. The Starter plan from $9/month removes the daily sending cap and raises your monthly limit, starting at 5,000 emails. Note that automation on this plan is still capped at 2,000 contacts and removing Brevo's logo requires a $9/month add-on.

Moving up to Standard ($18/month) unlocks landing pages, A/B testing, advanced analytics, and full marketing automation without contact limits. The Professional plan, starting at $499/month, is aimed at high-volume teams. It adds WhatsApp campaigns, AI segmentation, push notifications, a dedicated analytics studio, and up to 10 user seats. Enterprise offers custom pricing with unlimited contacts, subaccounts, an SLA, and a dedicated account manager.

Brevo: Final verdict

Brevo offers a great mix of affordability and functionality. With powerful automation tools, CRM integration, and an intuitive design, it's accessible for small and medium-sized businesses. Its multi-channel marketing features also give it an edge over competitors.

However, some downsides include limited landing page capabilities and occasional lags, which might annoy users looking for a more comprehensive solution. Brevo is ideal for businesses that prioritize email marketing over full campaign management.

Brevo: FAQsWhat makes Brevo different from other email marketing tools?

Brevo offers competitive pricing and charges based on email volume instead of contact count, making it more cost-effective for businesses with large databases. Its built-in CRM and support for SMS/WhatsApp marketing also distinguish it.

Is Brevo good for beginners?

Yes, Brevo is beginner-friendly thanks to its intuitive interface, robust tutorials, and generous free plan. Its drag-and-drop editor simplifies email creation, and the automation tools are easy to implement even for novices.

Does Brevo support advanced marketing automation?

Absolutely. Brevo's automation tools allow users to create workflows triggered by various customer actions, such as email opens or website visits. Advanced users can set up custom workflows for deeper personalization.

Is there a free trial?

Brevo offers a free plan instead of a time-limited trial. This free tier supports up to 300 emails per day, giving users a chance to explore core features before committing to a paid plan.

Can I create landing pages with Brevo?

Brevo allows for basic landing page creation, but it lacks the sophistication and customization options found in dedicated tools like Unbounce or Instapage. For businesses heavily reliant on lead pages, this could be a disadvantage.

VerticalResponse has been in the email marketing game since 2001 — long enough to earn a reputation as one of the more dependable names in the space. The platform has powered campaigns for over 1.4 million businesses and it's easy to see why. It strips away the complexity that puts so many people off email marketing and makes the whole process approachable, even if you've never run a campaign before.

That said, the platform has evolved considerably since its early days. Alongside its core email tools, VerticalResponse now offers landing page creation, survey functionality, automated follow-up emails, and an AI-powered content assistant to help you write faster and smarter. In this review, we take a close look at where VerticalResponse stands today, including its updated pricing, newer AI features, and whether it still holds its own against a crowded field of competitors.

Paid plans are feature-rich but go up in price quickly. (Image credit: VerticalResponse )Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting Rate

Basic

$13/month (up to 500 contacts)

Pro

$19/month (up to 500 contacts)

Surveys Free

$0/month

Surveys Basic

$19/month

Pay as You Go

From $30/1,000 credits

VerticalResponse currently offers two email marketing plans, Basic and Pro, along with a Pay as You Go option for occasional senders. Pricing is contact-based, meaning your monthly rate increases as your list grows. Both plans allow unlimited email sends, so you're never penalized for sending more.

The Basic plan starts at $13/month for up to 500 contacts, and includes core email tools, unlimited landing pages, live customer support, automated follow-up emails, and customizable pop-up forms. Test Kit credits (for email previewing) are available as an add-on purchase.

The Pro plan starts at $19/month for up to 500 contacts and adds advanced reporting, delivery rate review, A/B subject line testing, and 10 included Test Kit credits per month.

For those who send emails occasionally, Pay as You Go lets you purchase credits rather than commit to a monthly plan. The starting rate is $30 per 1,000 email credits (for purchases of 200–1,000 credits), with the cost per thousand decreasing significantly for larger volumes.

VerticalResponse also offers a Surveys add-on. The free tier supports unlimited surveys with up to 10 questions and 100 respondents each. The paid Surveys Basic plan costs $19/month and removes those limits entirely.

A 60-day free trial is available with no credit card required. Non-profit organizations can apply for a 50% discount on all Pro plans.

VerticalResponse is a comprehensive email marketing service. (Image credit: VerticalResponse )AI tools

VerticalResponse has added an AI Content Assistant to its platform, designed to help you write email copy faster. It can generate a subject line, draft body text, and come up with a call to action. You describe what you're looking for and the assistant produces ready-to-use content, which you can then refine within the email editor.

The assistant is integrated into the existing editor rather than sitting as a separate tool, which keeps the workflow smooth. You don't need to leave your draft to use it. This kind of embedded AI assistance is increasingly standard across email platforms, but the implementation here is straightforward enough to suit the platform's non-technical audience. You don't need to know anything about prompting or AI to get useful results from it.

That said, the AI features here are more foundational than what you'd find on platforms like Mailchimp or HubSpot, which have invested heavily in predictive send-time optimization, AI-driven segmentation, and personalization at scale. VerticalResponse's AI Content Assistant is focused squarely on content generation, making it best suited to users who want a writing shortcut rather than a sophisticated intelligence layer across their entire campaign strategy.

Features

VerticalResponse is firmly focused on doing a handful of things well rather than trying to be everything to everyone. You get a clean drag-and-drop email editor, contact list management, HTML editing, mobile-responsive templates, automated follow-up emails, A/B subject line testing, and a landing page builder. It's a well-rounded core set that covers the needs of most small to mid-sized businesses.

One area where VerticalResponse stands out is its Test Kit, which lets you preview how your email looks across 50+ apps, devices, and browsers before you hit send. It operates on a credit system, which makes it accessible without locking it behind expensive plan tiers. The landing page builder is another highlight, offering SEO tools, self-hosting options, and web forms. It may prove useful for businesses that want to create a campaign destination without a full website.

Where the platform shows its limitations is in automation. The workflow builder doesn't offer the kind of visual, branching logic you'd find in more advanced tools like ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo. Automated follow-up emails are included, but building complex conditional sequences isn't really what this platform is designed for. Similarly, the template library is relatively modest in size, and some users have noted the designs feel dated compared to competitors.

Integrations cover essentials like Salesforce, Ecwid, JotForm, and Magento along with a developer API for custom connections. For a platform pitched at non-technical users, though, the integration ecosystem is less robust than some rivals. At its current price point, VerticalResponse delivers genuine value for straightforward email campaigns, but growing businesses with more complex needs may find themselves outgrowing it sooner than expected.

VerticalResponse is straightforward to set up (Image credit: VerticalResponse )Setup

When we tried it, we found the setup process to be quick and simple. It started with entering our email address into the Start Free Trial box on VerticalResponse’s homepage, and then we were instantly redirected to a standalone sign-up page.

Next, we entered our login credentials and were given instant access to the Get Started page on the VerticalResponse web app. There’s options to follow the prompted setup instructions, or to explore the site independently. Follow the prompts, and in short order you’ll be asked to create your first email list. If you don’t want to do this, then just cancel the pop-up, and simply explore the site manually, as we did.

Performance

For the creation of emails and landing pages, the steps are particularly straightforward- with quite professional results. Those new to email marketing will feel comfortable using this interface with a minimal learning curve.

VerticalResponse has a very user-friendly interface (Image credit: VerticalResponse )

The VerticalResponse interface is quite clean, simple, making it very easy to navigate. Tabs get arranged over two tiers: the upper with Messages, Contacts, Forms, and Surveys, and below is Upload New List, Create Sign Up Form, Create Segmentation–or sub-groups, and Create Landing Page.

This thoughtful layout is organized, and ensures all key features are easily accessible. This makes the whole process, from creation of a bespoke email template, to sending it out, as easy and time-efficient as possible.

Adding contacts can be done individually, or imported in bulk. This process is quick and easy, and as the contact information gets added it is instantly displayed.

Security

It took plenty of digging to get some info on how VerticalResponse protects the data it handles. Frustratingly, we were unable to locate any references to security on its website.

To find out ultimately, we had to do a Google search. This query led us to an obscure, dateless post on VerticalResponse’s help site regarding the company’s intended migration from SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to TLS (Transport Layer Security) to mitigate SSL cyberattacks.

Also of note, this platform uses the privacy policy of its parent company Deluxe. It is explicit in its compliance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is a crucial piece of legislation for digital marketers.

Support

For information outside of office hours, support is available via email contact, but don’t expect an instant reply.

VerticalResponse also has a searchable knowledgebase for those looking to find help to common problems on their own (Image credit: VerticalResponse)

You can access help and support in-session by selecting the question box in the top left corner of the screen. There is the option to choose help for the page you are on, a useful feature, or consult the full index. In either case, you get redirected to the VerticalResponse help center.

This standalone website certainly contains a lot of information while being well organized, but we found some of the categories, like A/B testing, to be a little light on articles. Still, there is plenty of content, such as “Create a List of Non-responders,” and “How to add a Pop Up to a Landing Page.”

VerticalResponse has a live chat for a paid plan, but they only operate Monday-Friday 8 am-4:30 pm CST. When we submitted our question, Kimberly C, a live support person came in about a minute, and gave us our answer efficiently, and also wished us a good afternoon. We did not find phone support.

The competition

VerticalResponse does arguably offer good value for money at the low end of its price plans. However, as the contact scales up, the price quickly ramps up. Therefore, GetResponse might be better suited to a growing business, with its Basic plan starting at $15.58 per month for 1,000 contacts.

Yet another industry veteran is AWeber. This service is similarly priced, and also aims to simplify email marketing, but we prefer VerticalResponse as it offers a far greater range of features.

Final verdict

VerticalResponse is feature rich and well suited to first-time users not familiar with digital marketing strategies. The newly added AI features bring more value to a platform that's already carved out a market segment simply for being consistent and user-friendly throughout its existence.

That said, established businesses that need to run multiple complex email campaigns with deeper personalization and analytics built-in might be at a loss here. If you fall into that category, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or Brevo are newer alternatives worth looking into that still don't compromise on trust.

• Reach even more potential customers with the best email marketing software

When it comes to email marketing, Mailchimp is still the name most people reach for first. But since Intuit acquired Mailchimp in 2021 for roughly $12 billion, the platform has undergone many changes.

Intuit has poured investment into AI capabilities, rebranding and reshaping features under its "Intuit Assist" umbrella. The result is a more powerful and automation-heavy platform than the Mailchimp many users first signed up for.

That evolution has come with tradeoffs. The free plan has been pared back repeatedly over the years, with the most recent cuts in January 2026 reducing it to just 250 contacts and 500 emails per month. Automation workflows, once a free plan staple, are now exclusively for paying customers. For businesses that rely on Mailchimp's entry-level tier, the math has changed considerably.

Still, for teams ready to invest in a paid plan, the platform now offers a compelling mix of email marketing, automation, AI-powered content creation, and analytics. In this review, we break down what's new, what's changed, and whether Mailchimp is still worth your money in 2026.

(Image credit: MailChimp)MailChimp: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting Rate (Paid Annually)

Starting Rate (Paid Monthly)

Free

$0

$0

Essentials

~$11/month*

$13/month

Standard

~$17/month*

$20/month

Premium

~$297/month*

$350/month

Mailchimp offers four plans: Free, Essentials, Standard, and Premium. The free tier now supports just 250 contacts and 500 email sends per month, a significant reduction from earlier limits, following the most recent cutback in January 2026.

The Essentials plan starts at $13/month (billed monthly) for up to 500 contacts and 5,000 monthly email sends. Standard, which unlocks generative AI tools and advanced automation, starts at $20/month for 500 contacts. Premium (designed for larger teams and advanced marketers) starts at $350/month and requires a minimum of 10,000 contacts, with unlimited users and priority phone support included.

Mailchimp also offers a pay-as-you-go email credits option, useful for occasional senders. Annual billing is available on paid plans and can bring meaningful savings. Verified nonprofits and charities are eligible for a 15% discount.

(Image credit: MailChimp)MailChimp: AI tools

Since Intuit's 2021 acquisition, AI has become central to Mailchimp's roadmap. The flagship feature is Intuit Assist, an AI-powered layer that touches everything from content creation to campaign automation. Rather than a standalone AI add-on, it's built directly into the Mailchimp interface, which makes the experience feel cohesive rather than bolted on.

The most practical tool for day-to-day use is Write with AI, which lets you generate email body copy based on your campaign goals, audience type, and brand voice. You give the AI a brief prompt and it produces multiple draft options you can refine in the editor. A related feature, the AI subject line generator, analyzes your email content and past performance data to suggest up to five subject line variations per campaign. Both tools are available on Standard and Premium plans only.

On the automation side, Marketing Automation Flows (formerly the Customer Journey Builder, rebranded in June 2025) uses AI to generate multi-step campaign workflows based on your brand profile and previous campaign performance. You can launch flows like "Welcome New Contacts" or "Abandoned Cart" with a single click, and the AI pre-populates email content for each touchpoint. This replaces Mailchimp's Classic Automation Builder, which was discontinued in June 2025.

Rounding things out are more established AI features that have matured considerably: Send-Time Optimization predicts the best delivery window for each individual contact, Predictive Segmentation identifies your highest-value subscribers using engagement and purchase behavior, and Content Optimizer scores your campaigns against industry benchmarks across readability, tone, imagery, and calls-to-action. Together, these tools give Mailchimp a meaningful AI edge over similarly priced competitors.

MailChimp: Features

Mailchimp's paid plans are genuinely feature-rich, covering the full lifecycle of email marketing from list-building and campaign design through to analytics and testing. For small and mid-sized businesses, the breadth of tools on offer is hard to match at this price point.

Audience-building tools are a clear strength. You get custom sign-up forms, landing pages, digital advertising integrations, and a lookalike audience finder to help grow your contact list. Dynamic content blocks let you personalize emails per segment and the subject line helper offers AI-powered suggestions to improve open rates, though this is limited to Standard and Premium subscribers.

When it comes to campaign creation, Mailchimp's drag-and-drop email builder remains one of the most accessible in the market. The Creative Assistant generates on-brand templates using your logo and color palette, while multivariate testing tools let you run controlled experiments to optimize your campaigns. These testing features are reserved for Premium users, but A/B testing is available on Standard as well.

Mailchimp has also expanded its platform scope beyond email marketing. A built-in website builder with marketing tools and a transactional email add-on (Mailchimp Transactional, formerly Mandrill) position it as more than just an email tool. That said, some competitors, particularly ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo, offer deeper CRM functionality and more granular segmentation without requiring a jump to higher pricing tiers. For teams that need those capabilities, Mailchimp's value proposition weakens as contact lists scale up.

(Image credit: MailChimp)MailChimp: Interface and In Use

Just like most other email marketing services, Mailchimp is a web-based platform or SaaS. With your account created, the next step is to log in on any device for immediate access to all of your Mailchimp campaigns, analytics, and other tools.

Configuration for role-based access is reserved for the highest pricing plan. For those not familiar, this means that different members of your team will log in using their own Mailchimp credentials, but then will only be able to access features and data relevant to their position. Think about role-based access as a powerful feature, making Mailchimp ideal for a medium or large-sized business, or for a business with a strong need for customer privacy.

MailChimp: Support

Mailchimp offers direct customer support through email, live chat, and telephone, but the ones available to you depend on the plan you pay for. Users on the free plan have access to email support for the first 30 days of their use. Users on the Essentials and Standard plans have access to 24/7 email and live chat support, while only users on the Premium plan can access phone support. 

Apart from direct support, Mailchimp offers many other support resources that every customer can access. There's the official Help Center where you can find articles and tutorials concerning all the platform's features. If you're having an issue with any feature, you’ll likely find an article or a step-by-step video tutorial that’ll help you solve it.

Mailchimp offers a separate Marketing Library, which contains articles, podcasts, and videos that teach users how to market effectively. If you need help with your marketing efforts, you can also hire a vetted expert from the company’s directory. 

MailChimp: The competition

Sendinblue and MailerLite are two popular alternatives to Mailchimp. Sendinblue is a much more affordable email marketing platform and offers more automation and list management features, but Mailchimp is way easier to use. 

MailerLite is also a more affordable tool than Mailchimp. However, Mailchimp offers more sophisticated analytical and reporting features and a broader selection of email templates.

MailChimp: Final verdict

In our analysis, we think that Mailchimp is simply one of the best email marketing services available.

The choice of four tiered plans means that there is a digital marketing solution for businesses of all shapes and sizes. With Mailchimp’s large range of features, it almost guarantees your business will thrive when empowered by Mailchimp’s email marketing tools.

Also factoring in the comprehensive support options, and the robust data security framework makes us even more confident in our recommendation of Mailchimp for businesses of all sizes. 

We list the best online marketing services.

SE Ranking has come a long way since Valery Kurilov founded it in 2013. What started as a focused SEO rank tracker has grown into a full-stack platform for agencies, online businesses, and independent SEO professionals. There are tools covering everything from keyword research and backlink analysis to AI-powered search visibility tracking.

First you get access to a massive dataset, including over 5 billion keywords, 2.9 trillion backlinks, and support across 188 countries. That's a lot of data to work with, whether you're analyzing a single site or managing dozens of client projects. For new users, the platform offers a free trial that requires no credit card, giving you a real hands-on feel before you commit.

Want to know more? This review breaks down everything SE Ranking offers in 2026. What works well, where it falls short, and whether it's worth your money compared to the competition.

• Try SE Ranking here

SE Ranking: Plans and pricing

(Image credit: SE Ranking)

Plan

Starting rate (paid annually)

Starting rate (paid monthly)

Core

$103.20/mo

$129/mo

Growth

$223.20/mo

$279/mo

Enterprise

Custom

Custom

SE Ranking has restructured its pricing in 2026, moving from the old Essential/Pro/Business tiers to three new plans: Core, Growth, and Enterprise. You save 20% across the board by paying annually, and free assisted migration is included with any annual subscription.

The Core plan starts at $103.20/month (paid annually). It's built for marketing teams that need a solid SEO and GEO foundation without managing a large client roster. You get 10 projects, one manager seat, 2,000 keywords tracked daily, 100 daily AI prompts for GEO research, and up to 250,000 pages audited per month. Integrations with Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Looker Studio, and Matomo are all included from the start.

The Growth plan at $223.20/month (paid annually) is where most agencies will land. It scales up to 30 projects, three manager seats, 5,000 keywords tracked daily, and 250 daily GEO prompts. You also get full historical data going back across your account's lifetime, page changes monitoring, guest links for client collaboration, and API access with 100,000 credits included. Dedicated customer support is available at this tier too.

For larger teams with custom requirements, the Enterprise plan offers flexible limits and pricing but you'll need to talk to SE Ranking's sales to scope out the right setup. They also offer three optional add-ons that work across plans: the Agency Pack (from +$69/mo, annual only) adds white-label reporting and client-facing tools; the AI Search add-on (from +$71.20/mo) layers in AI visibility tracking across Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, and Perplexity; and the API add-on (from +$149/mo, annual only) gives you bulk data access starting at 12 million credits per month.

SE Ranking: Features

SE Ranking gives you a wide toolkit built around the core pillars of SEO — rank tracking, site auditing, competitor research, backlink analysis, content optimization, and now AI search visibility. It's geared primarily toward agencies and freelance SEO professionals, but solo site owners and in-house marketers will find plenty here too. Most tools are well-executed, with clean data presentation and minimal clutter, though the interface does have a learning curve once you move beyond the basics.

SE Ranking really pulls ahead on value in how much it packs into lower-tier plans. You get 120+ metrics in the website audit tool, daily keyword updates, and a 2.9 trillion link backlink index. It still lags slightly behind tools like Ahrefs or Majestic on backlink filtering granularity, though, which matters if deep link analysis is central to your workflow.

At the prices SE Ranking charges in 2026, we think the feature set more than justifies the cost. The addition of AI search tracking, expanded API capabilities, and the new SE Visible product signals that the platform is keeping pace with how search itself is changing. For a Core plan at $103.20/month, you'd be hard-pressed to find a comparable all-in-one tool.

Keyword Rank Tracker

(Image credit: SE Ranking)

SE Ranking keeps your keyword rankings updated daily across desktop and mobile, so you always have a current picture of where your pages stand in the SERPs. The ability to check cached SERP results gives you a useful historical perspective, letting you spot ranking trends over time rather than reacting to single-day shifts.

Managing large keyword lists becomes a lot more manageable with SE Ranking's grouping and tagging system. You can organise keywords by topic, campaign, or client, and the interface makes it easy to move between projects without losing your place. Pro and Business users also benefit from unlimited client projects, which is a meaningful advantage for agencies handling multiple accounts at once.

On-Page SEO checker

SE Ranking's on-page checker evaluates your pages against 94 different SEO parameters, comparing your content against competitor data to identify exactly where you're falling short. Issues are categorised as errors, warnings, or notices, with practical suggestions attached to each one so you know what to fix and why.

Website Audit

SE Ranking analysis dashboard (Image credit: SE Ranking)

The Website Audit tool gives you a clear picture of your site's technical health through an easy-to-navigate dashboard. It can analyse up to 1,000 pages quickly and surfaces critical errors with in-depth explanations, so you're not left guessing about what needs attention.

A 2025 update improved how the Health Score is calculated, making it easier to understand how individual issues actually affect your overall score. Over 120 metrics are tracked in total, and you can customize audits to focus on the areas most relevant to your project.

Competitive Research Tool

SE Ranking has all essential SEO tools in one place (Image credit: SE Ranking)

SE Ranking's competitive research tool gives you a thorough view of what your competitors are doing across both organic and paid search. You can assess their traffic sources, targeted keywords, backlink profiles, and active Google Ads campaigns.

This is one of the stronger features in the platform, especially for agencies that need to present competitive data to clients. Monthly ad history tracking and keyword-level PPC data make it useful beyond just organic SEO, giving you a fuller picture of how a competitor is investing across search channels.

Backlink Checker

(Image credit: SE Ranking)

SE Ranking's Backlink Checker draws on a 2.9 trillion-link index, with 58% of backlinks refreshed every 90 days. You enter a domain and get a full breakdown of backlinks, referring domains, and key metrics including follow/nofollow status and a Toxicity Score to flag potentially harmful links.

You can also use the tool to identify which of your content pieces attract the strongest links, and analyse competitor backlink strategies to find new link-building opportunities. If your main use case is deep-dive link analysis, Ahrefs and Majestic still offer more granular filtering options. But for most users, SE Ranking covers the essentials well.

Local Marketing Tool

(Image credit: SE Ranking)

SE Ranking's Local Marketing Tool is designed for businesses that need to win visibility in location-based searches. It shows you how customers find and interact with your listings in search results, surfaces the most effective local keywords, and tracks engagement patterns to help you understand when users are most active.

The Reputation Management feature pulls review data directly into SE Ranking, letting you respond to customer feedback without switching between platforms. You can also mine review language for new keyword opportunities, which is a practical way to connect customer voice with your strategy.

SE Ranking: Support

SE Ranking offers a wide range of educational and supportive resources. Their blog is a valuable source of SEO knowledge, offering detailed guides and real-life client case studies. Plus, to enhance interactive learning, SE Ranking offers webinars where you can even get in touch with industry experts. These webinars can be accessed on-demand or scheduled live. The SE Ranking Academy also offers practical online courses specifically designed for SEO professionals and agency owners to improve their skills.

On the support side, you can use the Agency Catalog, which features a curated list of top SEO agencies from around the world. This helps users find the right expertise for their projects. For those who are unsure about choosing an agency, SE Ranking provides straightforward advice on selecting a partner that best suits their specific needs. Additionally, SE Ranking's 'What's new?' section updates you about the latest features and updates.

SE Ranking: The competition

Semrush is a comprehensive SEO and digital marketing tool that provides a wide array of features, including keyword research, competitive analysis, backlink analysis, site auditing, and more. It offers a user-friendly interface and robust reporting capabilities. Ahrefs is another powerful SEO tool that focuses on backlink analysis and competitive research. It provides extensive data on backlinks, organic search traffic, keyword rankings, and content analysis. Ahrefs also offers features for keyword research, site auditing, and rank tracking.

Moz Pro is a popular SEO suite that offers a range of features for keyword research, rank tracking, site auditing, and link analysis. It provides valuable insights and recommendations to help improve your website's visibility and performance in search engine results.

Serpstat is an all-in-one SEO platform that offers features such as keyword research, rank tracking, site audit, backlink analysis, and competitor research. It provides a user-friendly interface and comprehensive data to optimize your website's SEO. Majestic is primarily known for its backlink analysis capabilities. It offers an extensive database of backlinks, allowing you to analyze your website's link profile and track competitors' backlinks. Majestic also provides features for keyword research, site audits, and rank tracking.

SpyFu is a competitive intelligence tool that focuses on competitor analysis and keyword research. It provides insights into your competitors' SEO strategies, including their top-performing keywords, ad campaigns, and organic search rankings.

SE Ranking: Final verdict

Overall, we found SE Ranking to be a great helping hand at running various SEO tests and analyses. It excels in tracking specific keywords, conducting thorough on-page SEO audits, and even delving into detailed backlinks and keyword analysis.

Plus, it provides regular updates and practical insights which helps you stay updated throughout the time. However, it's also important to keep in mind that you might have to pay extra for certain additional services. And if you’re someone, it all boils down to your strategic needs and finding a tool that might be the best fit for it.  

• Here's a list of the best free SEO keyword research tools on the market

Google dominates search, so it makes sense that its own set of search and analytics tools would be among the most powerful available, even if they're all free to use. Whether you run a small personal blog or a large e-commerce site, Google offers a suite of tools that lets you understand how people find you online, what they're searching for, and how your pages are performing in real time.

In this review, we take a close look at the main tools Google offers for website owners and SEO professionals: Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner, and Google Business Profile. We'll walk you through what each tool does, where they shine, and what they're still missing compared to paid alternatives.

Google SEO tools: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting Rate

Google Analytics (Standard)

Free

Google Analytics 360

Custom

Google Search Console

Free

Google Trends

Free

Google Keyword Planner

Free (Requires a Google Ads account)

Google Business Profile

Free

Google Ads

Variable (Pay-per-click)

All of Google's core SEO tools are completely free to use. You just need a Google account to get started. However, Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click model and Google Analytics 360 is an enterprise-grade upgrade available for large organizations.

Google SEO tools: Features

Google's free SEO toolkit remains one of the most comprehensive available at any price point. Across Analytics, Search Console, Trends, Keyword Planner, and Business Profile, you get a full-stack view of your site's visibility. It's broad enough to serve solo bloggers, yet deep enough for professional teams managing large properties.

The tools are best suited to users who are already operating within the Google ecosystem. Because everything ties back to Google Search, the data you receive is first-party and highly accurate. That said, the lack of a unified dashboard still means you're jumping between separate interfaces to get the full picture.

Yet what Google does particularly well is continuous iteration. In 2025 and 2026, Search Console received a string of meaningful upgrades that close the gap with paid SEO tools. Below, we've broken these down under dedicated sections.

Google Analytics 4

(Image credit: Google)

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the current standard for web and app analytics, having fully replaced Universal Analytics, which was shut down on July 1, 2023. GA4 uses an event-based data model—rather than the session-based model of its predecessor—which gives you a more granular view of how users interact with your content across devices and platforms.

You can track everything from page views and scroll depth to custom events like video plays or form submissions, all without writing code. Cross-platform tracking is built in, so you can follow the same user across mobile and desktop visits. GA4 also integrates tightly with Google Ads, making it easier to trace conversions back to specific campaigns.

Google Search Console

(Image credit: Google)

Search Console is your direct line to how Google sees your website. It shows you which queries bring people to your pages, how your content is indexed, and whether any technical issues are affecting your visibility. Unlike third-party SEO tools, this data comes straight from Google, so it's as authoritative as it gets.

In December 2025, Google also introduced an experimental AI-powered configuration feature inside Search Console's Performance report. Instead of manually clicking through filters and dropdowns, you can now describe what you want to analyze in plain language. For example, saying "show me mobile queries containing the word 'reviews' over the last 90 days" gets Search Console to configure the report automatically.

The feature handles filter application, metric selection, and date comparisons on your behalf. It's still in an experimental rollout to a limited number of users and properties, so you may not see it in your account yet. When it does land, it's a genuine time-saver for anyone who regularly digs into performance data.

Google PageSpeed Insights

(Image credit: PageSpeed Insights)

PageSpeed Insights evaluates the performance of individual pages on both mobile and desktop, scoring them from 0 to 100. It draws on both Lab Data (simulated test conditions) and Field Data from the Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX), which reflects how real users experience your pages across different devices and connections.

The tool is free to use at pagespeed.web.dev and requires no account. Just paste a URL and you'll get a breakdown of Core Web Vitals, along with specific recommendations for improving load speed, layout stability, and interactivity.

Google Trends

(Image credit: Google)

Google Trends lets you explore how interest in specific search queries changes over time, across regions, and in relation to competing terms. It's particularly useful for content planning, spotting seasonal patterns, and validating whether a topic is growing or declining in popularity.

The tool is entirely free and requires no login. You can compare up to five terms at once, filter by region, time period, and search category, and access real-time trending data. If you want to embed Trends data directly into a site, Google also provides an API for that purpose.

Google Keyword Planner

(Image credit: Google)

Keyword Planner is part of Google Ads and is primarily designed for advertisers who want to research keywords before building campaigns. That said, it's widely used by SEO professionals too—it provides search volume estimates, competition levels, and cost-per-click data that can inform both paid and organic strategies.

Note that Keyword Planner requires a Google Ads account to access. You can create one for free without spending money on ads, but the account is a prerequisite. Volume data shown to accounts that aren't running active campaigns tends to be displayed in broad ranges rather than precise figures.

Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business, which was rebranded in November 2021) is the tool businesses use to manage how they appear in Google Search and Google Maps. You can add your address, hours, phone number, photos, and service details, and respond to customer reviews directly from the dashboard.

For local SEO, Business Profile is essential. An optimized listing significantly increases your chances of appearing in the local "map pack" results that appear at the top of many location-based searches. The tool also provides insights into how customers find and interact with your listing.

• We've also listed best SEO tools of 2026

Google SEO tools: Interface and in-use

Google is famous for its friendly user experiences, and Analytics, Search Console, and Ads exemplify why. All three SEO tools use an easily navigable left-hand menu bar with drop-down menus that help to organize your data displays. On top of that, within Analytics, you can create custom dashboards and reports to put the most useful performance information in front of you.

Perhaps the biggest issue with Google’s SEO interface is that Analytics, Search Console, and Ads are three different platforms. You can link Search Console and Ads, but you still need to navigate back and forth between the two interfaces for most tasks.

Separating the three platforms helps keep their respective missions—monitoring performance, optimizing performance, and creating ad campaigns—clearly delineated. But, it would be a more streamlined experience if they were rolled into a single user interface.

• We've also listed the best on-page SEO tool of 2026.

Google SEO tools: Support

Google offers support for Analytics and Search Console by web only. Both platforms have extensive documentation centers, and you simply need to describe your issue to find the appropriate help file. If you get stuck, though, support is limited to posting in a help forum and hoping that another user answers your question.

Support for Ads is more concrete. There’s an online documentation library similar to what you’ll find for Analytics and Search Console. But, you can also get help over the phone, by live chat, or by email.

• We've also listed the best SEO keyword research tool of 2026.

(Image credit: Google)Google SEO tools: The competition

Google's tools are in a category of their own when it comes to price. Everything is free, plus the underlying data comes directly from the world's most-used search engine. No third-party tool can replicate that. Where it falls short, however, is in competitive intelligence: you can see how your own site performs, but not how you stack up against competitors on specific keywords.

That's where paid platforms like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz Pro come in. These tools build on top of Google's data using Search Console API connections, while adding features like backlink analysis, competitor keyword gap tools, rank tracking for arbitrary keywords, and site audit crawling.

If you're managing SEO seriously across a competitive niche, you'll likely find yourself using Google's tools alongside one of these platforms rather than choosing between them. For website analytics specifically, Matomo and Plausible Analytics are popular privacy-focused alternatives to GA4, particularly for users in regions with strict data protection regulations.

• We've also listed the best free SEO tools in 2026.

Google SEO tool: Final verdict

The trifecta of Google Analytics, Search Console, and Ads is an extremely powerful combination for website owners. The three tools together allow you not only to monitor your website traffic, but also to build more traffic through organic and paid search results.

The only major thing that Google’s SEO tools are lacking is information about how your website is ranking in search results against competitors. Also, there's no visibility when it comes to other search engines like Bing or AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Still, given that Google doesn’t charge anything for its SEO suite, it’s pretty hard to complain. Paid options like Semrush and Ahrefs exist for those who want to take their SEO game to the next level.

iFi GO Blu Air: Two-minute review

The iFi GO Blu Air is a solution to tech firms taking away headphone jacks: it enables you to connect your wired headphones to Bluetooth streaming sources, and it features a 4.4mm balanced and a 3.5mm standard headphone output. It's impressively powerful and runs for up to 10 hours between charges, delivering excellent bass and a spacious sound stage that's particularly enjoyable on well produced music.

The GO Blu Air is exceptionally small and light and that means features have been kept to a minimum: there's no USB DAC functionality and you don't get on-board EQ, although there are switches for iFi's subtle but effective XBass and XSpace audio enhancers.

As we've come to expect from iFi, the GO Blu Air is well made, does exactly what it sets out to do and won't break the bank. It sounds great and is surprisingly powerful for such a small device, but its small size and low price means it lacks some features of rivals such as a display, on-board EQ and USB DAC functionality. It's emphatically one of the best portable DACs provided you don't need that wired connectivity.

iFi GO Blu Air review: Price and release date

That big oval is the magnet for the optional and surprisingly strong garment/bag clip. (Image credit: Future)

• Released August 2025
• Priced $129 / £129 / AU$229

The iFi GO Blu Air Bluetooth DAC was launched in August 2025 and is available now. In the UK its recommended retail price is £129; in the US it's $129; and in Australia it's AU$229.

The GO Blu Air is cheaper than its predecessor, the iFi GO Blu: that model was $199 / £199 / AU$399. A lower-priced model is a smart move in a sector that's becoming increasingly competitive.

iFi GO Blu Air review: Features

Despite the small size, iFi has managed to pack a 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced output into the top of the GO Blu Air. The USB port on the bottom is for charging only. (Image credit: iFi)

• Up to 24-bit/96kHz over Bluetooth
• Cirrus Logic Master Hi-Fi DAC
• "S-balanced" 3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm outputs

The iFi GO Blu Air is based around a Cirrus Logic Master Hi-Fi DAC and features iFi's own XBass bass expansion and XSpace audio expander. There are also standard and minimum phase digital filter options to shape the sound further.

The headphone outputs deliver up to 165mW into 32 ohms on the 3.5mm out and up to 262mW into 32 ohms on the balanced output. iFi calls the 3.5mm output "S-balanced", with dual-mono headphone amplification all the way to the output socket. You can read iFi's tech note about it, but essentially the company says it's particularly useful for ultra-sensitive IEMs. SNR (or signal-to-noise ratio) on both outputs is a highly respectable ≥110dBA and battery life is up to 10 hours via the internal 450mAh battery, dropping to about 7.5 hours if you're using the LDAC codec. Recharging takes less than an hour.

The iFi GO Blu Air has Bluetooth 5.2 (up from the 5.1 of the GO Blu) with LDAC, LDHC and aptX Classic, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive as well as the obligatory AAC and SBC codecs. It supports resolutions of up to 24-bit/96kHz. Unlike the previous GO Blu the USB-C port is purely for charging; this model doesn't double as a wired DAC.

Features score: 4 / 5

iFi GO Blu Air review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Tons of fun on IEMs and over-ear headphones
• No on-board EQ to tame high-end harshness
• Audio enhancers are subtle but effective

The iFi GO Blu Air is a lot of fun with both headphones and IEMs, delivering an inviting soundstage and excellent clarity from a range of audio sources. It's particularly good on well-produced, spacious tracks such as Bob Marley's Could You Be Loved, Peter Gabriel's Shaking The Tree, Christine and the Queens' Tilted or The Blue Nile's Tinseltown in the Rain, delivering a consistently enjoyable, revealing and dynamic listen.

The GO Blu Air doesn't have its own equaliser, and I did find myself reaching for software EQ when I listened to fairly trebly recordings such as Junior Varsity's Cross The Street, Sugar's Changes and Kygo & Selena Gomez's It Ain't Me: getting the bass to smile-inducing levels in my IEMs made their high frequencies a little too prominent for my taste, although that was less of an issue in my less excitable over-ear headphones.

I'm wary of bass and space enhancement options as they often color the sound in too-noticeable ways, but I was pleasantly surprised by both XBass and XSpace here. Their effects are subtle, with the former adding a little more low end that gave my open-back headphones more of a closed-back punch without introducing distortion at sensible listening levels, overpowering the other frequencies or overly changing the sound. XSpace impressed me too, making the likes of Talk Talk and acoustic music more subtly spacious.

Sound quality: 5 / 5

iFi GO Blu Air review: Design

The magnetically attached garment/bag clip is very strong, and you can pretend that it's a crocodile (Image credit: Future)

• Similar to GO Blu but more plasticky
• 3.5 x 33.7 x 19.5mm (WxHxD) and just 30g
• Magnetically attached clip is surprisingly strong

I'd suggest that the Air looks a little less premium than the GO Blu, but I'm not a fan of that model's rather 1970s-cigarette-lighter appearance – and if a slightly more plastic appearance is part of the reason why the new model is cheaper, I'm all in favor.

The GO Blu Air is very compact at 3.5 x 33.7 x 19.5mm (2.11 x 1.33 x 0.77”) and it weighs 30g. There is a single rotary volume/transport controller, which iFi calls the ChronoDial, on the right. The dial is multi-mode: turn it to adjust the volume, press to play, pause or skip, and long-press to activate your phone's voice assistant. Below the dial is a button for enabling or disabling Xbass and Xspace, for setting the digital filter and for Bluetooth pairing; on the other side there's a single button for power on/off and Bluetooth format announcement. Up top you'll find a 4.4mm balanced headphone output and a 3.5mm output plus the status light for Xbass, Xspace and Bluetooth.

One of the design features I like is the detachable magnetic clip, which saves you having to buy a clip-on case: you can use the clip to attach the GO Blu Air to your clothing, bag or belt. I'd like it even more if I could use the magnet to clip the GO Blu Air to the back of my phone; I did try, but while it does attach it's not strong enough to clamp through my phone's case.

Design score: 4 / 5

iFi GO Blu Air Review: Usability and setup

• Effortless Bluetooth pairing
• No display: color status lights instead
• Remembering what buttons do is hard at first

It's very easy to set up the GO Blu Air: simply switch it on and it enters pairing mode the first time you use it. You can then connect it in your device's Bluetooth settings and you're good to go.

The lack of a display is understandable in such a small device, but it does mean trying to remember what the status light colors mean and which button does what can be tricky. It doesn't take long to learn but the inclusion of a pocket-sized quick start guide comes in very handy.

Whether you're working from the guide or from memory it's all straightforward: single button presses take you from no enhancement to XBass only, to XSpace only, and to both XBass and XSpace; a spin of the ChronoDial adjusts the volume while a short click takes care of play/pause and a longer click skips to the next track.

Usability and setup score: 4 / 5

iFi GO Blu Air review: Value

• Competitively priced but some rivals have higher spec
• Previous model is now discounted so price gap is smaller
• A good buy if you don't need a USB DAC

If the lack of a USB DAC isn't a deal-breaker this is a very good Bluetooth dongle for a very good price. But it's a very competitive market, and I'd suggest looking at some alternatives too – including the GO Blu Air's predecessor.

The GO Blu Air is effectively a GO Blu without the USB DAC and as a result it has a significantly lower price tag, but at the time of writing I found the original GO Blu discounted to just under £169 so there's less of a price gap than the two devices' MSRPs suggest.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the iFi GO Blu Air?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Bluetooth-only with all the key aptX options plus LDAC too. 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced outputs.

4/5

Design

A little plasticky-looking and too small to have a screen, but it's exceptionally small and light with a great magnetic clip

4/5

Sound quality

Tons of fun with a spacious soundstage and useful enhancers

5/5

Value

Competitively priced but up against very strong rivals

4/5

Buy it if...

You like to keep it light
The GO Blu Air is exceptionally small and exceptionally lightweight, making it ideal for commuting and travel.

You've got quality IEMs or headphones
Don't let the small size fool you: this is capable of driving quite demanding headphones, delivering 262mW into 32 ohms via the balanced output.

You don't need wired listening
Unlike the GO Blu, the GO Blu Air is Bluetooth-only. The USB is just for charging.

Don't buy it if...

You want maximum flexibility
Bluetooth-only keeps everything simple and straightforward, but it does mean you can't get the same hi-res resolutions that a wired DAC can deliver.

You've got very big hands
I'm not advising those with larger mitts steer clear entirely, I just want you to know that this is a very little 30g piece of kit and its various dials and buttons are therefore bijou by design. View Deal

iFi GO Blu Air review: Also consider

The iFi GO Link USB DAC is an excellent and affordable wired headphone DAC, and if you want USB and Bluetooth capabilities the GO Blu is still available and often discounted.

The key rivals here include FiiO’s KA13 and BTR15. The former is a screen-free wired USB DAC and the latter is both USB and Bluetooth. It's marginally cheaper than the iFi: at the time of writing the BTR15 is £114 in the UK, $119 in the US and $219 in Australia.

How I tested the iFi GO Link Max

• TIDAL, hi-res music files, vinyl and Logic Pro projects
• Beyerdynamic and Philips over-ears and SoundMagic IEMs

I tested the GO Blu Air over two weeks with a variety of headphones and IEMs including Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro and Philips Fidelio X2HR open-back headphones, Beyerdynamic DT770 closed-back headphones, and SoundMagic E11C IEMs.

I connected the GO Blu Air to a Samsung Galaxy S25 for hi-res streaming services over LDAC and listened to locally stored lossless audio and my own multitrack Logic Pro X projects via AAC from my MacBook Pro. I also connected my Audio-Technica turntable, which transmits aptX.

• First reviewed: February 2026
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Suunto Vertical 2: One minute review

We’ve already waxed lyrical about the improvements Suunto has made to its one of premium, fitness-orientated smartwatches, with the latest Race 2 receiving a solid 4.5 stars out of a possible 5 late last year.

Without wanting to take the very easy route here, the Vertical 2 is essentially the same watch with a few additional rugged touches. The bezel is available in either a chunky Stainless Steel or Titanium finish, while the model itself adds a built-in flashlight and a number of new battery life modes. These help improve battery efficiency for those that like to venture off-grid for days.

Suunto has done away with the rotating digital crown of the Race 2, instead opting for three physical buttons. We assume this is because they are a little easier to operate with gloved hands (spoiler alert: they are), much like the best Garmin watches.

The Suunto Vertical 2 offers a plethora of built-in workout profiles, the ability to download and navigate via offline mapping, a digital compass and the ability to receive some smartphone notifications via a tethered device.

This, plus the enormous claimed 250-hours of battery life in its most efficient GPS-logging mode means this is one smart smartwatch that can handle the toughest trails.

(Image credit: Future/Leon Poultney)Suunto Vertical 2: Specifications

Component

Suunto Vertical 2

Price

£529 / $599 / AU$999 (Stainless Steel) or £629 / $699 / AU$1,099 (Titanium)

Dimensions

48.6 x 48.6 x 13.6 mm / 1.91 x 1.91 x 0.54"

Weight

86g (Stainless Steel) / 74g (Titanium)

Case/bezel

Glass fibre reinforced polyamide case, stainless steel or titanium bezel, sapphire crystal glass

Display

1.5-inch AMOLED touchscreen, 466 x 466 resolution

GPS

Dual-band GNSS: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BEIDOU

Battery life

Up to 20 days in Smartwatch mode, up to 20 days in Time mode, up to 65 hours in dual-band GNSS mode (extended modes up to 500 hours)

Connection

Bluetooth

Water resistance

100m (10 ATM)

Suunto Vertical 2: Price and availability

• Two versions on sale: Stainless Steel and Titanium
• Stainless Steel costs £529 / $599 / AU$999
• Titanium costs £629 / $699 / AU$1,099

The Stainless Steel Suunto Vertical 2 actually comes in at the same price as the Titanium version of the Suunto Race 2, but adds the previously mentioned flashlight and clever battery modes. It’s also a chunkier watch in general.

Alas, opting for the range-topping (and better looking) Titanium version sees the price rapidly escalate to a figure that tips into Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED territory, which is arguably the watch the Vertical 2 is chasing here.

Value score 4/5

(Image credit: Future/Leon Poultney)Suunto Vertical 2: Design

• Vertical 2 is slightly thicker than Race 2
• Rotating digital crown is gone
• Build quality looks and feels solid

Full disclosure, I really like the look and feel of the Suunto Vertical 2. It gives off the impression that it has been hewn from a solid piece of metal — in this case, a big old chunk of stainless steel.

Suunto provides a rubber strap that attaches to the watch itself via a pair of fairly standard pins. These are slightly fiddlier than bespoke systems found on the likes of the Apple Watch Ultra and most Garmin models, but it is a tried-and-tested fixture that works.

The rubber band itself is full of holes (many more than the Race 2), designed to increase airflow when worn on the wrist. But this is also a boon if you plan to take the watch into water, as it drains nicely and there’s no need to worry about drying it out afterwards.

Sitting 13.6mm proud of the wrist, this isn’t a discreet timepiece that can easily be worn under shirtsleeves, and at 86g for this steel version, it certainly feels very heavy.

(Image credit: Future/Leon Poultney)

For someone with skinny wrists, like me, it looks a little ridiculous. But I suppose that’s the point, it’s a rugged adventure watch that’s designed to look like something the Special Forces might wear. Unfortunately, there’s only one size to choose from.

Interaction is taken care of via three buttons mounted along the righthand flank of the toughened bezel, while the AMOLED display itself is touchscreen-enabled, allowing for swipes and prods to navigate the various widgets and menus.

Where the Suunto Race 2 uses a rotating digital crown to scroll through said widgets, it is a case of manually depressing the top and bottom buttons here. This is a much better system for operating with gloved hands, or for when precipitation makes interacting with a touchscreen impossible.

Design Score: 5/5

Suunto Vertical 2: Features

• Upgraded optical heart rate sensor
• Faster processing speeds than original watch
• Massive battery life

When compared to the Suunto Vertical 1, which used a rather naff MIP-based display and solar ring to boost battery life, the difference really is night and day. That AMOLED display is bright and crisp, making it really easy to see all of the numerous data streams it is capable of processing.

We would need several pages and a great deal of your time to go through absolutely all of the features but suffice to say, the Vertical 2 can track pretty much every activity you can think of (115 sport modes in total), while keeping an eye on heart rate, location, elevation and much more.

There’s a built-in compass, the ability to download and navigate via offline mapping and a built-in flashlight for those treks that roll right through the night. The main widget panel on the watch can be customized to suit your specific needs by moving your most-used widgets to the top of the menu, but it is the dedicated battery modes that lend the Vertical 2 a more extreme, wilder personality.

With a 250-hour power-saving GNSS Mode, the watch can intermittently mark GPS locations on those longer hikes or trail runs, meaning you can get back to base camp without worrying about consulting a paper map.

(Image credit: Future/Leon Poultney)

During testing, I forgot to download offline maps during the first hike (it’s a fiddly process requiring Wi-Fi and requiring the watch to be placed on the charger), but there was still enough breadcrumb data to allow me to navigate back to the start with ease.

Of course, once you have successfully downloaded maps, the watch gives a crystal clear view of the surrounding terrain, with details on elevation and other obstacles that may require traversing.

There’s around 28GB of storage on the watch, with mapping for Great Britain taking up around 3.3GB, so you should be good to download a fair amount of offline data that covers vast expanses.

If simply used as a smartwatch, Suunto says the Vertical 2 will last up to 20 days before it needs recharging. On that subject, the USB-C charger is now a magnetic clip, which is far more robust and easier to use compared to its predecessor.

However, the smartwatch functionality isn’t quite up there with Apple, Samsung or even Garmin’s devices, as there’s no tap-to-pay wallet functionality, nor can you store Spotify and YouTube Music playlists offline. It will only control whatever is currently playing on a tethered smartphone. For that reason, the Suunto Vertical 2 is docked a point.

Features Score: 4/5

Suunto Vertical 2: Performance

• Massive battery life
• Bezel can take a beating
• Superb display

Without wanting to create a carbon copy of our Suunto Race 2 review, we primarily subjected the Vertical 2 to plenty of outdoors exercise — strapping it to the wrist for a couple of gnarly gravel bike sessions and trail-running up a few monster hills to test its mettle.

Compared to its MIP predecessor, the AMOLED display is a million times clearer and easier to read in low-light conditions and bad weather. The touchscreen does still get a bit confused when it gets wet, but there are three pleasingly analogue buttons to navigate the simple UI.

When using the watch for the first time, an on-screen guide walks you through most of the key features and offers handy tips on how to get the most out of the numerous profiles.

GPS pin-pointing is fast, particularly when out in the wilderness, while it is possible to download a bunch of offline maps for free using the Suunto smartphone app. The app is also great for planning routes, as it’s as simple as prodding points on a map to create loops or out-and-backs. You can then send these to the watch for use later.

You do have to toggle turn-by-turn directions on, which seems weird to me, but if you pair bluetooth headphones, you can get audible prompts about upcoming directions piped into your skull, which is great for directional doofuses like me.

Suunto’s watch face also makes it very clear when you’ve strayed off the chosen route, navigating back to those trails quickly and easily. I found this particularly useful when on the bike, where I would actually strap the watch to my handlebars and use it as a sat-nav system.

(Image credit: Future/Leon Poultney)

There are lots of websites that go into granular detail about GPS performance, but I found it to be very accurate.

The same can be said for the wrist-based heart rate sensors. These can be a little hit-and-miss, in my experience, but Suunto’s latest effort is commendable. It only really comes undone if performing an exercise that requires grip strength or lots of wrist movement.

Strength training and even racquet sports can see it take confused readings, but it proved accurate (a Garmin chest strap was used to compare) when running, hiking and cycling.

As with lots of other modern smartwatches and fitness trackers, you can also use the Suunto Vertical 2 to track sleep and recovery cycles. Again, the accuracy was great (it largely aligned with an Ultrahuman smart ring) but it proved a very heavy and cumbersome watch to wear into bed. I whacked myself in the face a number of times with it while sleeping.

Finally, battery life is hugely impressive. While I didn’t subject it to a 250-hour hike through the Andes, I did wear it for a number of months. On average, I could easily run or cycle a couple of times a week with GPS tracking and mapping activated, hit the gym three times a week and generally use it as a smartwatch the rest of the time, and only have to charge it every 10 days or so.

Performance score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future/Leon Poultney)Suunto Vertical 2: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

It’s pricer than the Suunto Race 2 and you only get a few additional features

4/5

Design

It’s a handsome watch and the bezel can take a battering

5/5

Features

An excellent outdoors fitness watch but it lacks some smartwatch features

4/5

Performance

Solid battery life, a crisp display and accurate tracking

5/5

(Image credit: Future/Leon Poultney)Suunto Vertical 2: Should I buy?Buy it if...

You want a reliable outdoors smartwatch that undercuts Garmin

The Suunto Vertical 2 costs less than the excellent Garmin Fenix 8 and offers many of the same features.

Build quality and usability are key

The Suunto Vertical 2 feels like it can withstand a hell of a beating, particularly in the Titanium guise.

Don't buy it if...

You want smartwatch features

There’s no tap-to-pay, the smartphone notifications are limited and there’s no offline music. All things some rivals offer.

You are integrated into the Garmin ecosystem

While Suunto’s smartphone app is perfectly acceptable, I’d argue it isn’t as good nor as all-encompassing as Garmin’s. The coaching programmes and long-term fitness-tracking are simply better.

Also consider

Garmin Fenix 8

A rugged outdoor watch that boasts the best bits of Garmin's smartwatch capabilities. It is expensive but it's only really the core smartwatch functionality that sets it apart from Suunto's offering.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 8 reviewView Deal

Apple Watch Ultra 3

Yep, the Californian tech company can also do rugged outdoors smart watches. The third iteration is a Garmin-rivaling powerhouse for adventurers, and a lovely daily driver.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 3 review hereView Deal

How I tested

As with all smart watches and fitness trackers, I like to slot these gizmos into my busy daily life, which means dragging them to the gym, taking them on runs, wearing them in the sea during frigid winter surfs and much more.

Seeing as the Suunto Vertical 2 is aimed at particularly outdoors-y types, I laced up the trail running shoes, slipped on hiking boots and dusted off the gravel bike to get it out into some properly horrible British winter weather.

This proved a good exercise in assessing the quality of the GPS tracking, the brightness and usability of the display in inclement conditions, as well as testing the claimed battery life

First reviewed: February 2026

Clearscope is an AI-powered content optimization platform for marketing teams, offering real-time grading, keyword insights, and Google Docs integration.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools like Clearscope analyze search engine result pages (SERPs) to offer clear guidance on what kind of content is currently ranking well for a particular keyword and why. They give you actionable tips to overtake your competitors in search results by optimizing content length, adding relevant terms, answering common queries from searchers, etc.

In 2025, Clearscope has evolved well beyond a simple keyword-grading tool — now positioning itself as a full "discoverability platform" with AI drafting, topic exploration, and LLM visibility tracking. That said, the platform still isn't suited for budget-conscious individuals or teams needing technical search engine marketing features beyond content optimization.

• Interested in Clearscope? Check out the Clearscope website.

Features

(Image credit: Clearscope)

Clearscope is a powerful tool that caters to writers, marketers, and SEO strategists optimizing content for Google and AI search. With some of the biggest names in the industry like Intuit, Adobe, Shopify, and YouTube, among its clients, Clearscope seems to be steadily maintaining its popularity in 2026.

Clearscope's features should sound familiar for anyone already familiar with SEO optimization techniques. It employs latent semantic indexing (LSI) keywords, which are terms and phrases closely related to your target keyword, to grade the relevance and comprehensiveness of your online content. Additionally, it provides Search Engine Results Page (SERP) analysis, giving you invaluable insights into user queries and the strategies you can use to optimize your content for better search rankings.

But that's not all. Clearscope is also an excellent planning tool. It suggests headings and terms that can be used to structure your content outlines, making your articles or blog posts more readable and SEO-friendly.

Clearscope recommends conducting a content inventory before getting started. This tool enables you to keep track of existing online content’s performance. The Content Inventory section also empowers you to take preventative measures to maintain or improve crucial metrics such as Content Grade, clicks, average position, and SEO value for your current content.

How does Clearscope use AI?

Clearscope's AI capabilities have expanded considerably since the platform's earlier iterations. At its core, the tool uses natural language processing (NLP) to analyze the top-ranking pages for any given search query, then surfaces a prioritized list of terms, topics, and structural recommendations.

As you write in the built-in content editor, an AI-driven content grade updates in real time, reflecting how well your draft covers the topic based on entity usage, competitive benchmarks, and readability — giving writers an objective target to work toward rather than relying on guesswork.

The most significant AI addition in recent years is Draft with AI, available on all plans. Rather than generating boilerplate text, Clearscope's draft builder lets you define the search intent, select a content type, and upload a writing sample so the output can match your brand's tone and voice. It still requires human editing before it's publish-ready, but offers a solid starting point for content teams.

Clearscope also introduced Topic Exploration, which maps a seed keyword out into a network of related queries, questions, and sub-topics. This helps content strategists identify the full "query fan-out" around a subject, covering not just a single keyword but any relevant associated subtopics.

As generative AI increasingly intercepts the traditional search funnel, knowing whether your content is being cited or surfaced in these environments is becoming just as important as tracking search rankings. For this, Clearscope offers AI Tracked Topics (also called "Expand"), which monitors how and where your brand or content appears across AI-driven answer engines like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity.

Installation, setup, and compatibility

Using Clearscope is a breeze and straightforward. All you need is a web browser; no fancy software is required. To kick things off, head over to the Clearscope website. Sign up by clicking either the "Get Started" or "Request a demo" button on the homepage. Fill in your company details, email, and team size on the form. Once you've entered your info, hit “Submit” or “Schedule a Demo,” depending on your preference.

Once you've selected a plan and made the payment, it's time for the real fun to begin. Log into your Clearscope account. Navigate to the dashboard. Take some time to explore the interface where you can create reports, connect with Google Docs, and more.

Linking Clearscope with your content creation platform is a crucial step. This integration is key to optimizing your content within these platforms, making your work more efficient. The process is seamless if you're using Google Docs or WordPress.

To access Clearscope, go to the “Integrations” section on the Clearscope website in Google Docs. Choose Google Docs. Follow the steps to install the Clearscope add-on. Once it’s installed, Google Docs. Locate the Clearscope add-on under "Add ons" in the top menu. You're now set to optimize your documents from Google Docs using the add-on.

Download the Clearscope plugin from your dashboard or the WordPress repository if you use WordPress. Install and activate the plugin, then connect it to Clearscope using your API key from the dashboard. With Clearscope integrated, you can start crafting content.

When creating content, generate a report on your dashboard by entering your target keyword. The report will provide insights into keyword usage, content grade, and readability score. Utilize these insights to shape your content creation process and ensure it aligns with SEO practices.

As you write and enhance your content, Clearscope provides invaluable real-time feedback. Keep an eye on your content grade to ensure it meets SEO requirements. Implement suggested changes, such as adding keywords and enhancing readability, to optimize your content.

Plans and pricing

(Image credit: Clearscope)

Plan

Starting rate (paid monthly)

Essentials

$129/month

Business

$399/month

Enterprise

Custom

Clearscope is a powerful tool suitable for anyone who wants to take their content to the next level regarding SEO optimization. Yet, its target audience isn’t necessarily freelancers or small companies. Instead, its pricing clearly shows it’s targeting corporations, or at least larger companies, for better or worse.

Three plans are available for would-be Clearscope users: Essentials, Business, and Enterprise. The Essentials plan starts at $129/month and includes 20 AI Tracked Topics, 20 monthly Topic Explorations, 20 monthly AI Drafts, and 50 Content Inventory Pages. You can add 100 additional inventory pages for $25/month under this tier.

The Business plan at $399/month bumps the limits to 50 AI Tracked Topics, 50 monthly Topic Explorations, 20 monthly AI Drafts, and 300 Content Inventory Pages. It also includes a dedicated account manager and reduces the cost of additional pages to $15 per 100. Enterprise pricing is custom and adds crawler whitelisting, single sign-on (SSO), custom credit bundles, and tailored agreements.

While it's higher than average for tools in this category, Clearscope's pricing model reflects its positioning as a business SEO tool rather than something that individuals or freelancers would use. However, Clearscope also has no free trial available. Instead, you must first request a demo, which is somewhat time-taking and inconvenient.

Final verdict

Like other tools used for SEO optimization, Clearscope has pros and cons. However, the pros outweigh the cons.

The algorithm of Clearscope is finely tuned to provide suggestions for using keywords, which can significantly enhance the likelihood of a piece of content ranking well on search engines. Additionally, the platform offers a user interface that suits experienced SEO professionals perfectly. It's also commendable that Clearscope integrates seamlessly with two used software products: Google Docs and WordPress. Notably, Clearscope is appreciated for its reports and how real-time feedback can assist in crafting search engine-friendly and relevant content.

One major deterrent for some individuals might be the cost of using Clearscope. Providing a trial could attract a more extensive user base regardless of Clearscope's pricing structure. Moreover, beginners in SEO optimization might find it challenging to navigate Clearscope despite its user design. There is still a learning curve involved in using Clearscope.

Another downside is that AI content outline generation is exclusively available to customers on the business plan with Clearscope. This limitation may seem unreasonable, especially considering the pricing tiers, particularly for the essentials package.

Clearscope, it would benefit all your customers to access your AI tools.

Although Clearscope provides a variety of content optimization tools, it lacks some features that other comprehensive tools offer, such as backlink analysis and technical SEO audits.

Overall, Clearscope is a tool for individuals and organizations looking to enhance their content SEO potential with data-driven insights and optimization suggestions. While the pricing and learning curve may deter some users, the platform's accurate recommendations, user-friendly interface, and immediate feedback make it a valuable resource for content creators and marketers striving to create content that performs well in search engine results.

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