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Updated: 1 hour 47 min ago

I've been gaming on my phone with the GameSir G8 Galileo, and it's the closest I've come to replacing my console

Sun, 05/03/2026 - 10:00

GameSir G8 Galileo: one-minute review

The GameSir G8 Galileo is an excellent mobile controller that packs plenty of value for both casual and more serious mobile gamers. With full-size grips, Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers, and a pair of programmable rear buttons, it comes close to replicating a true console controller experience.

From my time with the G8, its thumbsticks are a real highlight. In testing, I found them to be smooth and precise, though they are quite sensitive and may take a little getting used to if you’re not familiar with a pro-style controller. The triggers are equally refined with configurable deadzones and a useful hair-trigger mode for instant response. The buttons are membrane yet tactile and reliable, with two more hiding around the back. It’s just a nice bundle of inputs all round.

As a die-hard fan of the Xbox Wireless Controller, it feels incredibly familiar. The grips are pleasantly sculpted with the same chunkiness as a stock Xbox controller, and they stayed comfortable through long play sessions, thanks in part to some gentle texturing on the back. It's not without its shortcomings, though.

You’ll likely need to take your phone case off, and the screenshot button lives dangerously close to the firing line. That said, at $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99, the GameSir G8 Galileo is hard to look past.

GameSir G8 Galileo: price and availability

List price: $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99
Available via Amazon, GameSir, and major retailers
Watch out for similarly named versions to ensure device compatibility

The GameSir G8 Galileo launched at the backend of 2023, but make no mistake, it’s not showing its age and still holds its own against more recent rivals. At its $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99 price point, the G8 Galileo undercuts both the Backbone One 2nd Gen ($99.99 / £99.99) and the Razer Kishi Ultra ($149.99 / £149.99) by a comfortable margin, which is particularly impressive given that its feature set stacks up well against them both. No carrying case is included in the box, though GameSir does sell a bundle with a basic pouch for around $10 more.

GameSir hasn’t made things simple with naming and compatibility, so you’ll need to stay switched on when shopping. I’ve been testing the G8 Galileo Type-C, which only lists Android compatibility officially. That’s all that’s shown on the box, too, but I was able to use it natively with an iPhone 17 Pro, though it wasn’t recognized by the GameSir app. There’s also the GameSir G8+ (sometimes called the G8 Plus), which comes in both Type-C and Bluetooth forms.

GameSir G8 Galileo: Specs

GameSir G8 Galileo

Price

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99

Dimensions

8.54 x 4.21 x 2.13in / 217 x 107 x 54mm

Weight

8.88oz / 252g

Connection

Wired USB-C (pivoting connector)

Compatibility

Android 8.0+ (iPhone worked unofficially)

Software

GameSir App

GameSir G8 Galileo: Design and features

Full-size console grips make this feel like a proper controller
Pivoting USB-C connector for stress-free installation
Swappable thumbsticks with three additional shapes included

The first thing you notice about the GameSir G8 Galileo is its size. Where most mobile controllers try to stay as slimmed down and portable as possible, the G8 holds its form. It has chunky, pleasantly contoured grips with a textured finish on the back.

The marketing materials proudly boast this design is laser-engraved, though I wouldn’t have known to be perfectly honest, sorry, GameSir. It feels like any other grip texturing I’ve tested, but it’s nice enough and does its job. The whole thing feels closer to holding an Xbox controller than it does any other mobile pad I've used, or any handheld console for that matter.

For anyone who's found the Backbone One a little too compact, or who just doesn't get along with flatter, Joy-Con-style mobile controllers, this could be the answer. If it weren’t for being a bit wider, you’d have convinced a blindfolded me that this was an Xbox controller.

Build quality is solid throughout, helped, I’m sure, by the choice to go with a full-height phone deck rather than a smaller bracing bar. It gives the G8 a real heft that I personally think is to its credit, but I can’t argue doesn’t make it considerably more of a lump to store in a bag.

There's no creak or flex anywhere in the chassis, the spring-loaded extending mechanism moves confidently, and the rubberized grips inside the cradle hold everything securely in place. It’s a tidy system, and I never felt like my phone was exposed or at risk of going anywhere. I tested with both a Poco X5 Pro 5G and an iPhone 17 Pro, and the camera bump sat neatly in the extended section without any issues for both.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)

Shoutout to whoever at GameSir came up with the pivoting USB-C connector, because it’s excellent. It tilts up and down to make the process of seating and removing your phone feel far less nerve-wracking. It's a small quality-of-life detail, but one I really appreciated and frankly hope others copy.

Where things aren’t as flexible and friendly is case compatibility. GameSir says cases under 1mm should work, but that’ll only account for the absolute thinnest of featherlight cases. I was able to connect while keeping my slim iPhone case on, but having taken a closer look at the angle it forced the USB-C connector into, I swiftly lost my nerve and took it off. If you use a case of any substance, you're almost certainly taking it off every time you want to play. Not a dealbreaker, but certainly an annoyance if you’re out and about.

GameSir includes three replacement thumbstick caps (short, tall, and dome), which are easy to swap thanks to clever magnetic faceplates. However, you only get one of each alternate option, meaning you can't run a matching pair unless you stick with the defaults.

Those default sticks are nice enough, with textured edges that look suspiciously like those on an Xbox Series X controller, but it seems like an oversight or needless cost-saving measure to include singles and not sets. The face button caps aren't swappable on this model either; you'll need to upgrade to the G8+ MFi for that.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)GameSir G8 Galileo: Performance

Hall effect sticks and triggers with app customization and hair-trigger mode
Two programmable additional buttons on the back
Some games need a nudge before they'll recognize the controller

I’m a relative newcomer to the kind of mobile gaming that calls for an add-on controller, but the GameSir G8 Galileo quickly converted me. It only took a few minutes of Fortnite for me to begin to forget I was actually playing on my phone. It’s a natively supported title, and that’s evident while playing, though I did often have to launch the game through the GameSir app to ensure it was recognized.

Other games rely on hardware mapping, which I found equally finicky to launch at times, though intuitive enough when I got going.

The Hall effect joysticks are excellent, buttery smooth, but I found them highly sensitive, too. For more serious players than myself, this will be a plus with loads of intricate precision on offer. For more casual players (a category I’m firmly a part of), they took a little getting used to. My unit did need calibrating out of the box to centre the left stick, but the process was straightforward in the GameSir app, and the sticks have been faultless since.

The Hall effect triggers are equally impressive. They're analog with a full range of travel, and I felt like I had plenty of throttle control while playing Forza Horizon 5 via Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming. For faster response in shooters, there’s also a hair-trigger mode, which I found was snappy and reliable. What I particularly appreciated was that hair-trigger mode still respected the deadzone settings configured in the app.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)

The D-pad is clicky with a short travel distance when you commit to an input, though it has a slightly mushy initial feel and quite a bit of wobble overall. More of an issue is the screenshot button placement directly below it, which sits just a little too close to the D-pad down for my liking. I accidentally fired it off mid-game a couple of times, and I can’t help but feel like it would have been better placed further out of the firing line.

Around the back of the G8 are a pair of programmable buttons, something of a rarity for mobile controller grips. I have a love-hate relationship with back buttons, but I got on well with these. They’re well-sized and perfectly placed to be easily accessible without getting in the way, and they take just the right amount of actuation force to avoid accidental misclicks. Worth noting they’re unbound by default, so you’ll need to head to the GameSir app to configure them to your liking.

The 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom of the controller is a welcome inclusion for latency-free wired audio, particularly useful on phones that have dropped the port themselves. Passthrough charging worked reliably throughout my testing, with both phones still reporting fast charge speeds while connected through the controller and no problems with overheating.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)Shoudl you buy the GameSir G8 Galileo?Buy it if...

You want a mobile controller that feels like a real gamepad
The full-size grips and Hall effect inputs make the G8 Galileo less portable than alternatives, but the difference during longer gaming sessions is significant. If comfort is your priority, this is the one.

You feel like the face buttons are never quite enough
The addition of two bonus, programmable buttons on the back of the G8 makes a huge difference. They’re nicely aligned, so they’re within reach when you need them, but won’t get in the way when you don’t.

Don't buy it if...

You want something you can slip into a pocket
The GameSir G8 Galileo's full-size phone deck and grips make it significantly bulkier than alternatives like the Backbone One or Razer Kishi V2. It's a backpack controller really, not a pocket controller.

You're an iPhone user who wants full support
While I was able to get titles to play nicely with the G8 on mobile, it’s not officially supported and wasn’t recognized at all by the GameSir app. For full functionality, you’ll need to step up to the G8+ MFi instead.

GameSir G8 Galileo: Also consider...

Still not sold on the GameSir G8 Galileo? Here's how it compares to a couple of our other favorites.

GameSir G8 Galileo

Razer Kishi Ultra

Backbone One 2nd Gen

Price

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99

$149.99 / £149.99 / AU$269.95

$99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99

Dimensions

8.54 x 4.21 x 2.13in / 217 x 107 x 54mm

9.64 x 4.36 x 2.53in / 244.8 x 110.8 x 64.3mm

6.93 x 3.70 x 1.34in / 176 x 93.98 x 34.03mm

Weight

8.88oz / 252g

9.38oz / 266g

4.86oz / 138 g

Connection

Wired (USB-C)

Wired (USB-C / Lightning)

Compatibility

Android

Android, iOS

Software

GameSir App

Razer Nexus

Backbone App

Razer Kishi Ultra
The Razer Kishi Ultra is the premium option. With haptic feedback, RGB lighting (of course), and an excellent companion app. If you want the absolute best feature set and don't mind paying nearly double, Razer absolutely delivers.

For more information, check out our full Razer Kishi Ultra reviewView Deal

Backbone One 2nd Gen
The Backbone One 2nd Gen is a more portable alternative. It's lighter, slimmer, and should play nicer with phone cases thanks to its magnetic adapters. However, it lacks Hall effect sticks and costs a little more than the G8.

For more information, check out our full Backbone One 2nd Gen reviewView Deal

GameSir G8 Galileo: one-minute review

I spent a few days testing across Android games, cloud gaming, and exploring the GameSir companion app
I tested on a POCO X5 Pro 5G playing Fortnite, Call of Duty Mobile, Need for Speed No Limits, and Forza Horizon 5 via Xbox Cloud Gaming
While it’s not officially listed as compatible, I also explored functionality with an iPhone 17 Pro

My testing covered most of the workload a controller like this will handle: native mobile games with controller support, a competitive shooter, a racing game, and cloud gaming via Xbox Game Pass. I used the GameSir companion app to calibrate the sticks out of the box, tested hair-trigger mode in Call of Duty Mobile, and tried all three replacement thumbstick caps to check out the magnetic faceplates and swap system.

I also spent time troubleshooting some hardware mapping recognition issues in Call of Duty Mobile and Need for Speed No Limits, which turned out to be a game-side requirement to complete the tutorial using touch before any hardware input is accepted.

The Laifen P3 Pro is a fantastic travel shaver with great battery life, but not suitable for more beardy users

Sun, 05/03/2026 - 07:00

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: two-minute review

The Laifen P3 Pro is positioned as a compact electric shaver perfect for travel, and it's immediately reminiscent of the Panasonic Swipe Right we reviewed last year: a small, blocky design with a three-slot shaver head, waterproofing, and USB-C charging.

It's almost suspiciously similar to the Swipe Right, in fact, though it feels a bit more premium. The body is constructed of precision-machined aluminum and comes in either the default alloy or 'space gray' colorways, with a small window on the front that shows the motor at work. Both the transparent top cover and the shaver head attach magnetically with a satisfying snap, and the charging port is concealed seamlessly in the base with a small lid. It's almost as if Apple designed an electric shaver.

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike Panasonic's effort, though, the P3 Pro eschews any fancy touch technology for the ol' reliable: a simple button. Hold to turn it on and off, and click to activate the shaver once it's turned on. Easy as pie, and instantly fixes one of our biggest issues with the Swipe Right — nobody needs finicky touch controls for something as simple as a travel razor.

However, like many compact shavers, the P3 Pro is ill-suited for anyone with a large beard. The lack of a trimmer head or any other special attachments (which feels like a significant omission, considering how easy it is to remove the standard shaver head) means that while trimming a beard is technically possible, it's a slow and ineffective process. For stubble, though, it absolutely blasts through and provides an impressively smooth finish for a dry shave.

The only other downside here is the price. I'll dig into it further down in this review, but needless to say, Laifen has unfortunately followed Apple in pricing as well as design ethos. This is a damn expensive product, though I have to concede that the premium design and performance do justify the asking price.

In short, I fully expect to see our esteemed editors put the Laifen P3 Pro in the 'best travel' slot of TechRadar's best beard trimmer and electric shaver roundup, and will be having some stern words with the Home Tech team if it doesn't make an appearance somewhere in that list.

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: price & availability

List price: $179.99 / AU$249.95 (about £173)
Launched: September 2025
Availability: US, Canada, Australia, and Europe (UK import only)

The Laifen P3 Pro originally launched in late 2025, and is available directly from Laifen in the continental US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. UK shoppers do get free EU shipping, but you'll have to buy in Euros as Laifen only maintains a generic European site, not a UK-specific one.

Pricing varies somewhat between regions. In the US, it's a steep $179.99, and the EU price of €199.99 converts to an even more expensive £173.34 at the time of writing, while the Australian price of $249.95 is a little more affordable after conversion and US sales tax.

It's undeniably quite a lot of money for an electric travel shaver — even a very high-quality one like this. Nonetheless, I don't want to knock it down too much for this; it really does feel like a high-end product that's built to last, and if you've got the dough, it's a worthy purchase.

Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver specs

Waterproof

Yes, IPX7

Battery life

Up to 100 minutes

Charge time

45 minutes approx.

Charger type

USB-C

Accessories

USB-C to USB-C charging cable

Suitable for

Face and neck

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver review: design

Very compact and sturdy design
Waterproof and easy to clean
Parts attach magnetically

Aside from the (mildly pointless) visual flair of the motor window, the P3 Pro has a pretty straightforward design. It's very compact, small enough to easily fit in the palm of your hand, meaning it can be carried in a bag or even a pocket. The cap that protects the blades attaches magnetically and doesn't seem to be at any risk of falling off in transit.

The shape is perhaps not quite as ergonomic as some of the best electric shavers (which are commonly shaped to fit into your grip), but this is ultimately just a byproduct of how small the P3 Pro is. When using it, I found it fitted comfortably in my hand; granted, my hands are quite large, but I think you'd need extremely tiny palms to struggle here.

The aluminum casing makes it a little weightier than some competitors, but I didn't find that to be a problem, and the brushed metal finish offers sufficient grip even with damp hands. The entire unit feels very durable and well-constructed.

(Image credit: Future)

Underneath the glass motor window is a pair of LED icons that indicate whether the razor is turned on or set to 'flight mode' (meaning that it won't activate unless you hold down the button). The single control button is responsive and has a nice, satisfying click to it.

With an IPX7 waterproof rating, the P3 Pro is technically safe to be completely submerged in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. I can't see any rational scenario where that would be necessary, but the point is that you can safely use it in wet environments; no need to worry about moisture damaging it.

Once the USB-C port is sealed with the attached tab, you can simply remove the triple-blade head and wash both parts under running water (though it should be noted that you'll need razor oil to re-lubricate the blades if you wash them with soap or other cleaning products, and this isn't included). I found washing it to be remarkably easy after use, and simply rinsing it thoroughly without soap was perfectly sufficient after a regular shave.

(Image credit: Future)

It's genuinely really difficult to find a single design flaw here, really. As I mentioned earlier, the magnetic blade head lends itself to swappable units, and a proper beard trimmer attachment would've been a very welcome addition here, but overall, the P3 Pro is exceedingly well-designed for its intended purpose.

I would maybe note that it could benefit from having slightly more in the box. I won't mark Laifen down for the lack of attachments (after all, this is supposed to be a super-compact travel shaver), but it would've been nice to see a small brush or some blade oil included here. The charging cable is also only USB-C to USB-C, meaning you'll need an adapter if you want to charge it from a regular wall outlet. In truth, though, this is mostly nitpicking on my part; I honestly really love the design of the P3 Pro, and it really feels like a premium device in the hand.

Design score: 5 out of 5

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: performance

Gentle even on thicker stubble, but won't work on full beards
Wide-angled head provides a nice close shave
Where does the hair go??

OK, I'll be completely honest here: I have a full beard, and the Laifen P3 Pro is simply not designed to deal with that. I did find that it was ideal for eradicating stubble on my neck and cheeks, and it was at least somewhat capable of tidying up the edges of my beard, but the latter was a slow process and lacked the precision of a proper beard trimmer. Nonetheless, I was pretty cautious; I get the feeling this thing could've happily cleared off my whole beard if I actually went straight for the skin.

With that knowledge in hand, I enlisted the help of my father, who maintains a clean-shaven look but has been known to let it get a bit scratchy. His report was glowing; week-old stubble came off swiftly and with virtually no irritation, resulting in a shave as close as you'd expect to get from a larger electric shaver.

(Image credit: Future)

It's not particularly noisy (it was far quieter than the cheap old Philips B1216 trimmer I usually use for beard care), and the dual 12,000RPM motors do a great job of cleaving through thicker stubble. The head has a wide-angle foil design - similar to the Panasonic Swipe Right I mentioned earlier in this review - that helps cover more skin and provides a closer shave.

Although Laifen officially designates the P3 Pro for face and neck use, that flatter head design means you could feasibly also use it for other parts of the body, too - provided the hair you're dealing with isn't too thick. I didn't deign to shave my armpits or legs during my testing period (I don't need to be more aerodynamic, sorry), but I reckon a lot of users would be able to use it for this if so inclined.

(Image credit: Future)

The battery life is reported at an impressive 100 minutes, and I tested this by turning it on from a full charge and leaving it running with a stopwatch. Yes, this was a fairly annoying process — it's quieter than some electric razors, but it's certainly not silent — but I'm pleased to report that it ran dry at just shy of 93 minutes, which I'd say is close enough considering that a daily once-over takes barely a minute or two. It's certainly longer than some bulkier competitors can muster, which is stellar performance for such a small device.

It holds its charge remarkably well when not in use, too. I actually received this shaver more than two months ago and didn't have a chance to review it immediately, yet it was still at near-full charge when I finally unboxed it. The USB-C cable offers fast-charging, which can get you about eight minutes of shaving from just three minutes plugged in. If it's completely drained, you'll get a full charge in around 45 minutes.

Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Compact, travel-friendly design but with very robust construction, single control button, waterproofing, USB-C charging.

5 / 5

Performance

Highly effective foil shaving, fantastic battery life, lacks attachments for precision beard trimming.

4.5 / 5

Value

High asking price, but largely justified by its great quality and performance. Worth looking for discounts.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a travel razor
If you want to maintain a clean shave on the go and prefer to travel light, this is probably the single best option on the market.

You want an easy clean shave
If you're aiming to maintain a nice close shave with minimal fuss, the P3 Pro is ideal - it delivers a clean finish with easy cleaning.

You like to shave in the shower
With IPX7 waterproofing, you can use the P3 Pro in the shower without fear of it getting damaged or waterlogged.

Don't buy it if...

You're maintaining a beard
Without any extra attachments for precision trimming, the P3 Pro just isn't well-suited for anyone who wants to look after a full beard.

You're on a budget
Although it's an extremely premium-feeling product, there's no denying that the price tag will place this shaver out of reach for some potential customers.

Laifen P3 Pro: also consider

Panasonic Swipe Right
Probably to closest product on the market to the P3 Pro and notably a lot cheaper (but only in the US, for some reason), the Swipe Right from Panasonic is a similarly ultra-compact travel shaver that won't suit bearded users but delivers a nice close shave on the go if you prefer the clean-shaven look.

Read our full Panasonic Swipe Right review

Braun Series 9 Pro
We called the Braun Series 9 Pro "the Bugatti Veyron of beard trimmers", and like the Laifen P3 Pro, it has the triple threat of a beautiful build, clean design, and excellent shaving performance. It also has a solid battery life of one hour and can achieve a great shave either wet or dry, so if you’re looking to spend even more money, you can’t go wrong with this.

Read our full Braun Series 9 Pro review

How I tested the Laifen P3 Pro

Used it periodically over the course of a month
Used by both myself (bearded) and my dad (clean-shaven)
Tested in both wet and dry environments

I used the Laifen P3 Pro regularly throughout January, about twice a week on average, mostly to tidy up the stubble on my neck beneath my main beard. Once I realized that it would be poorly suited for beard trimming, though, I enlisted the aid of my visiting father, who used it daily for three days and agreed that it delivered a great shave.

During testing, I ran the battery down to empty to test its longevity, cleaned it multiple times, and used it both dry and in the shower. While I mostly used it with only water or no moisture whatsoever, both my father and I also tested it out with off-the-shelf shaving foam, and found that it performed well regardless.

Read more about how we test
First reviewed April 2026

Categories: Reviews

"Despite the name, they lack nuance" I've got a hearing impairment, so I tried the high-tech Nuance Audio smart glasses to see if they really can help me hear better without the hassle of a hearing aid

Sun, 05/03/2026 - 03:00

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Two minute review

Excusing the pun, but there’s been something of a quiet revolution in the last few years for those seeking help with mild to moderate hearing loss. This is largely thanks to the rise of over-the-counter (OTC) devices that can now be bought directly ,without a prescription or a visit to an audiologist. The market has expanded significantly after legislation was introduced in the US back in 2022 allowing OTC devices to enter the market.

A wave of products have since become available around the world, which has in turn increased competition, lowered prices, and improved accessibility for folk who may never have considered, or may previously have been unable to afford, a hearing device.

As a tech writer with a hearing impairment (I have significant high-frequency loss in my left ear as a result of a viral infection in my early 20s), I’m fascinated by the recent developments and improvements in hearing aids, and I’ll be taking a look at some of the OTC options that have recently hit the market, starting with the Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses – a modern take on a form factor which appeared to have been somewhat forgotten about: glasses which integrate “invisible” hearing aids.

(Image credit: Future / Kevin Lynch)

Largely targeting those who were self-conscious about wearing visible devices, hearing glasses had some high-profile users – US President Lyndon B. Johnson and British comedian Eric Sykes both famously wore spectacles with hearing aids built into them – but as in-ear options became smaller thanks to improvements in transistor technology, hearing glasses became somewhat consigned to the past.

Fast forward to the present, and the concept of a hearing aid hiding in plain sight is back thanks to Luxottica, the Italian firm that owns Ray-Ban and makes designer glasses for the likes of Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana.

Prompted by the change in perception of wearing spectacles as a style statement and fashion accessory, alongside the success of Ray-Ban Metas which already have speakers built into the arms, Luxottica explored how glasses and the latest hearing tech could be used in a stylish spectacle frame.

The result is the Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses range – spectacles that can have prescription lenses fitted and which also include an “open-ear” hearing aid system. Within the frame is an array of six internal directional microphones, with sound played through micro-speakers in the arms above your ears.

When it comes to performance, the preset approach to adjusting the sound profile obviously has an ease-of-use benefit – rather than having to wade through EQ curves and tweak them, you just select the preset that suits the environment you’re currently in, but for me it’s also to their detriment, as it limits their effectiveness for a large section of hearing-impaired users, including myself. Despite the brand name, the Hearing Glasses lack, well, nuance.

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Price and Availability

List price of $1,200 / £1,000 (about AU$1,350)
Released in April 2025

The Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses can be purchased over the counter from a wide selection of hearing centres around the world and opticians such as Vision Express stores in the UK and LensCrafters in the US. Prescription lenses can be fitted for an additional price at any regular opticians.

Value score: 3.5/5

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Specifications

Component

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses

Hearing tech:

Air conduction with tiny speakers placed just in front of the ears

Microphone

Six microphones for directionality, focusing on sounds in front of the wearer

Battery life

8–10 hours

Charger

Included charging pad

Water resistance

IPx4 rating

Frame style

Square and Panto

Size

Square available in 54mm and 56mm; Panto is 48mm

Colors

Shiny Black, Shiny Burgundy, Deep Blue

Lens options

Prescription lenses, non-prescription lenses, or Transitions light-responsive lenses

Accessories

Charging pad, cleaning cloth, and glasses case

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Design

(Image credit: Future / Kevin Lynch)

Available in two styles, square and round
Arms cannot be adjusted
Hardware control button on the frame

At present, the hearing glasses are available in two styles – a square-frame option not entirely dissimilar to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, and a rounded Panthos frame, the latter of which I was sent for this review. There are three different colour options for both frame styles, while the square model has two size options – 54mm and 56mm. The smaller Panthos, meanwhile, is offered in just a 48mm frame option.

Like the vast majority of OTC hearing aids, the Nuance glasses are set up and adjusted mainly through Nuance’s accompanying app for iPhone or Android. The initial out-of-the-box experience is impressively simple – a quick pairing via Bluetooth and an equally straightforward two-phase, in-app calibration process that you need to carry out in a quiet room.

The procedure includes some brief playback of white noise before you’re asked to count aloud to map your voice and head shape. From there, you select from one of four sound presets, ranging from flat (very mild hearing loss) up to sloping, moderate high-frequency hearing loss, allowing you to switch between settings for different environments if needed. Unlike most other OTC devices, there’s no hearing test to run through in the app – it’s really a case of selecting the setting that suits you best and off you go.

Alongside the frequency presets, you also get the option of choosing between “Frontal” (directional for conversation, allowing you to better focus on the person you are facing and talking to) and “360-degree” (all-around) sound modes. There are also volume controls and background noise level filtering (heightened, standard, lowered).

Underneath the right temple arm of the frame is a discreet multifunction hardware control button – a long press turns the glasses off, while quick presses cycle through volume levels. Tapping the outside of the right arm of the frame switches between the two sound directionality modes, making it easy and discreet to change the setting during conversation.

My test glasses came with pre-installed plano Transitions lenses – non-prescription lenses which automatically darken into sunglasses when exposed to UV light. While I do wear glasses to correct my short-sightedness, I was able to carry on with most day-to-day tasks during testing. I didn’t get to go through the process of having prescription lenses fitted; however, Nuance has stressed that it’s the same procedure as with any regular set of modern frames. With the glasses primarily being sold at opticians, it’s likely that most people will have prescription lenses installed – if needed – at the point of purchase.

It’s worth noting that the Nuance’s arms can’t be heated in order to alter their fit due to the components within the frame. They are what they are, and in my case I found them slightly loose and could have done with a tighter fit.

Design score: 4.5/5

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Performance

(Image credit: Future / Kevin Lynch)

Group conversations are incredibly clear
Omni-directional mics allow you to face a speaker and hear clearly
Quiet ambient listening is less impressive

One of the big benefits of the Nuance form factor immediately became apparent when putting on the glasses for the first time. With the built-in speakers situated above the ear, there’s none of the occlusion issues that I have with my regular hearing aid (an in-ear model from Oticon), with no blocking of the ear canal. This meant sound delivery was somewhat more natural, although not entirely – more on this later. I also didn’t have to worry about the annoying itchy feeling I often get within my ear when wearing my regular aid.

The convenience of having two impairment-aiding tools in one object was also immediately obvious — throw the glasses on in the morning and you’re good to go on both counts. The larger size of a pair of glasses also makes them much easier to locate than a small, modern hearing aid.

There are, of course, drawbacks that you’re always going to get with a combined form factor like this, especially if you’re forgetful. If you can’t find, or worse, end up losing your glasses, then you’ve also lost your hearing aid. There’s also the inconvenience of having to change your hearing aids when you replace your spectacles.

These pros and cons will, of course, likely have already been factored in by anyone willing to stump up the considerable asking price for the Nuance glasses, so the bigger question becomes how well they perform. For me, it was a fairly mixed bag.

The bigger surface area of a spectacle frame to place microphones, when compared to a regular in-ear device, is a definite game-changer that the Nuance glasses make full use of. In 360-degree mode, there’s a markedly better sense of directionality when it comes to where a sound is coming from than what my regular Oticon in-ears can convey.

(Image credit: Future / Kevin Lynch)

Ask a person with low-to-moderate hearing loss when they most notice their impairment, and most will likely say during a group conversation in a noisy environment like a bar or restaurant — and it’s here that the glasses really excel. Nuance is clearly catering for high-frequency hearing loss, the most common and arguably the most impactful, with the 2,000 Hz to 8,000 Hz range affecting consonants like ‘s’, ‘f’, and ‘th’, leading to difficulty understanding speech, particularly in louder situations.

The front-facing microphones combined with the “Frontal” mode really bring out a honed-in level of clarity and enhancement within this range that genuinely aided conversations I had when testing in my local pub on a somewhat rowdy quiz night.

In other scenarios, I was somewhat less impressed. Detailed listening, such as putting on a record in a quiet room, revealed a noticeable amount of latency from the sound being played through the glasses’ speakers. Likely caused by the digital processing of the sound, it at times became jarring, with a doubling of drum sounds. Once I became aware of the delay, it became something I couldn’t “unhear” throughout my testing and was never something I really felt I adapted to over several weeks of use.

They were also significantly prone to feedback when in use, meaning I’d regularly find myself riding the volume controls in louder environments. Any movement of the glasses, or exposure to slightly breezy conditions, would also regularly bring about distracting microphone “brushing” noises.

Like many disabilities, hearing loss is a wide spectrum that can impact different frequencies to varying degrees, and in some cases, mine included, it can vary widely between a person’s left and right ears. It was therefore somewhat frustrating to find that the sound attenuation comes through on both ears at all times, with no way of switching off the speakers on an unwanted side. In fairness, Nuance implicitly state that the glasses aren’t designed for unilateral hearing loss, but it seems like a somewhat easy fix in software and a major oversight.

Unlike the chunky hearing glasses of yesteryear, the Nuance’s are indistinguishable from a regular set of glasses with no perceptible extra weight, but that impressive achievement has perhaps come at a price, with the built-in battery lacking somewhat in stamina. Nuance’s advertised battery life of eight hours rang largely true in testing, meaning that they can’t be relied upon for a full day of use while out and about, which in turn means you find yourself needing to be tactical about when to power them on.

It's at this point I should mention the nifty-looking, bedside table-friendly wireless charging pad which come with the glasses. The pad connects to power via USB-C – you simply fold the glasses and place them on the surface to replenish the battery, with a full charge taking just under three hours during testing.

Much like the frames themselves, their accompanying app and indeed their packaging, the pad smacks of a high-end luxury product befitting of a brand like Luxottica. The downside is that with there being no charging port on the glasses, you’re entirely dependent on the pad to juice them up, meaning you may need to buy a second pad for work or for travel for a fairly pricey $160 / £150.

Despite their onboard Bluetooth for communicating with your phone, it’s something of a surprise and perhaps a missed opportunity to find no audio streaming option from your phone for the glasses – a feature that’s becoming par for the course with most new regular hearing devices, although perhaps no great surprise when factoring in the limited onboard battery. The frame’s disappointing IPx4 water resistance level meanwhile means it’s advisable to take them off in heavy rain.

Performance score: 3.5/5

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Scorecard

The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS proves that headsets can still be great value in 2026

Sat, 05/02/2026 - 09:00

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: one-minute review

Nacon’s making moves lately. In the past couple of years, it’s expanded its offering and, frankly, upped the quality of its products, giving the establishment a headache in every vertical from sim racing to – most pertinently – audio.

This new RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS is a wireless headset model with a base station unit, USB receiver, and dual wireless connectivity that builds on the R5’s design with additional functionality. Graphene-coated drivers deliver a really distinctive, tight sound with no discernible distortion at max volume, while snap-lock earcup plates and foam cushions offer some customisation potential and extended lifespan. To that end, an easily accessible and removable battery makes it easy to keep the charge life nice and high.

The chunky design is informed by very generous padding around the earcups and headband, which does provide a lot of comfort but doesn’t entirely offset a short headband design, which can create an awkward fit with the lower earcup portion fanning out, so it’s worth trying these on and ideally wearing them for a few minutes before committing to making them your new multi-device audio pick.

Speaking of multi-device, it’s simple to set the R8 up with either console (I’m testing the PS5-compatible version - the Xbox version is branded as HX) or PC via the base station or USB receiver, and then pair a phone via the Bluetooth connection. Battery life and wireless performance are both strong, and it’s nice to have the option of a wired USB connection in your back pocket if you find yourself without charge and don’t want to leave the headset on the base station to charge.

There’s a lot of value and performance here, then, making the R8 a great all-round package. But it does come with some fiddly bits: specifically, a multifunction button that’s been tasked with more functions than any single button should be given, and a single RGB button on the base station that offers only limited customisation.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Price and availability

List price: $179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99)
Priced competitively against Fractal Scape & Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
UK pricing yet to be confirmed

Any discussion of pricing and value in 2026 is inherently depressing, but Nacon’s found a really aggressive price point for this R8 package, considering all the features it brings to the table.

$180 for a base station and dual wireless feels about right, particularly considering the build and sound quality. Nacon hasn’t revealed the UK MSRP yet, however, so quite how bargainous this will be to UK consumers remains to be seen.

The pricing does put it up against two particularly strong rival options from Fractal and Razer, though. The Fractal Scape is a similar base station wireless model, which has the edge in overall aesthetics – or does it? Looks are subjective, after all.

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro doesn’t come with a base station, but its headband design and adjustability make it more comfortable, so there are no easy answers here when you compare the prices.

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Specs

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS

Price

$179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99)

Weight

12.8oz / 364g

Compatibility

PC, Xbox Series X|S (Xbox version only), PS5 (PlayStation version only), MacOS, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2

Connectivity

Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless, wired 3.5mm/USB-C

Battery life

60 hours

Software

RIG Navigator app

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Design and features

Magnetic swappable earcup plates & cushions
A replaceable, rechargeable battery
All the cushioning

Like a certain infamously broken noughties racing game, this is a big RIG. Unlike Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing, however, it’s also an extremely competent one, which displays thoughtful design at every turn.

The chunky design serves a purpose beyond aesthetics, delivering plenty of cushioning around each earcup and below the headband. And since this model is on the heavier side, it needs that padding to keep you comfortable.

I love the swappable cushions, affixed by magnetic contact pads with a rubber ring around them to keep the connection snug and eliminate any rattle. It’s a great feature that means if and when your earcup cushions lose their plumpness or become tarnished, you can buy a replacement pair rather than shopping for a new headset.

That swappable magnetic snap-lock principle’s also been deployed on the outer earcup plates. Nacon sent a set of ‘AAA edition’ mod plates ($19.99) out with the review sample headset, and they’re very easy to install.

Once the existing plates are pulled away from their snap-lock magnets, you line up the new plates and let the magnets snap them into place. That’s it. There’s no functional benefit to this, of course, but just like the keyboard makers offering barebones kits, it’s bang on trend to provide some customisation options.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)

The physical controls layout is a bit unusual for being placed entirely on the right-hand earcup, likewise the microphone. It makes absolutely no difference to usage, but at some point in the last ten years, we all silently agreed that mics go on the left, and it is an affront to gaming convention to find this one on the right. It has a flip-to-mute function, though, so all’s forgiven.

Elsewhere, you’ll find a power button, a notched volume scroll wheel, a multifunction button, and a Bluetooth sync button. It’s possible to use this headset in a multitude of setups, using 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, or dual wireless, with the base station connected in several different ways, so the way Nacon has programmed the multifunction button to handle everything from chat mix to switching to wired mode to taking phone calls is… optimistic.

Then again, it’s impressive that all that functionality exists in the first place, and some of those actions can be handled by the RIG Navigator app instead.

It’s feature-rich and versatile, with an attractive, chunky look, and it’s comfortable enough. But I do feel that the headband length and adjustability are slightly lacking. My head is on the smaller size (not to brag), and I have the headband fully extended in order to find a comfortable position. Even then, the earcups fan out slightly at the bottom rather than tucking in as I’d like them to. It’s a really small detail. The sort of thing you only really notice if you’ve been reviewing headsets for 15 years. But I noticed it, so I’m telling you about it.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Performance

Tight, distinct audio character
Easy to pair with multiple devices
Dual wireless is always a perk

I’m pleased, but not surprised, to report that the audio performance of these R8 drivers is really strong. Nacon’s very proud of its graphene-coated materials used in the drivers, the idea being that graphene allows for quicker, more responsive driver movement and thus a more precise sound bellowing its way into your ear.

And that principle really holds up here. This is a remarkably tight-sounding headset, able to voice basslines and low ominous rumbles with sufficient oomph while not losing any detail higher up the frequency response into snare hits, gunfire, or dialogue. The stated frequency response range is 20Hz-40KHz, and while I won’t pretend I headed to the lab to verify that scientifically, I can tell you it sounds about right. Meaty low end, plenty of space higher up.

It’s also really resistant to distortion. At max volume, using Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless, my veteran ears didn’t pick up any discernible unwanted vibration or fizz, which is very impressive and can be genuinely useful in sound cue-heavy games like PUBG: Battlegrounds or Arc Raiders.

Unusually for modern gaming headsets, the EQ response is actually quite distinctive and characterful. It’s noticeably tight, in the same way that SteelSeries’ Arctis headsets were noticeably flat when they arrived to such acclaim a decade ago. The best way I can think to describe that character – and don’t let this put you off, honestly – is that snare hits sound like Travis Barker or Lars Ulrich have been with their drum keys in and tightened the snare skin before recording.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)

That doesn’t mean it’s so specialist that it can’t perform in a musical or cinematic setting. But its disciplined low-end response and fast articulation mean it’s particularly tuned for gaming, which is as it should be.

Setting the R8 up to use with multiple devices via the base station is simple enough, particularly if you’ve used an Astro or Fractal headset with a similar system before: set the receiver to either PS5 or USB/PC mode (I’m using the PS5-compatible version) and plug either the USB-C receiver into the device, or connect the base station to the device via USB C to A cable. The base station charges the headset, and the rechargeable battery is accessible by removing the snap-lock plate, which can be swapped out and replaced whenever you like.

Stated battery life is 60 hours. After a week of usage, that stat holds up in the real world, though obviously it’s too early in testing to talk about battery degradation. Both the base station and USB receiver have RGB zones, which you can control via a button on the base station itself. That means you can’t dial in a precise RGB code or lighting pattern, but there are numerous color, lighting strength, and behaviour presets accessible via the button.

It’s always great to have dual wireless as an option, and it works well here, with the minor caveat that it took me a while to learn that in order to take incoming calls, I need to hold the multifunction button down for three seconds. Not especially intuitive, but functional.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Should you buy the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS?Buy it if...

You like device-hopping
The base station and super-desirable dual wireless connectivity make this a great option if you want to take calls while you play.

Customisation is your thing
Swappable earcup plates and cushions are a defining feature of this model, so you’ve got a chance to express yourself.

You prefer to tweak via an app than physical controls
The RIG Navigator app is much easier to use than the multifunction button on the headset itself, so this is one for those who don’t mind another download.

Don't buy it if...

You haven’t tried the Fractal Scape yet
Both models offer very similar feature sets and both perform very well at a similar price point, so your individual comfort wearing each one will be the decider.

You’re a lefty
Well, ok, you can still buy it if you like. But having the mic and physical controls all on the right feels a bit odd.

You’re probably only going to use it with one device
It’ll perform very well on that device, but your money could be better deployed on audiophile-grade drivers or more luxurious comfort than the multi-device functionality this offers.

RIG R8 PRO HS headset: Also consider

Don’t feel alright with the R8? Consider these rival wireless offerings.

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS

Fractal Scape

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro

Price

$179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99)

$199.99 / £169.99 / around AU$285

$199 / £199/ AU$349

Weight

12.8oz / 364g

11.9oz / 338g

11.2oz / 320g

Compatibility

PC, Xbox (Xbox version only), PS5 (PlayStation version only), Switch, MacOS, iOS, Android

PC, Mac, Playstation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, iOS/Android

PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch

Connection type

2.4GHz wireless, digital wired (USB-C), analog wired (3.5mm audio jack), Bluetooth

2,4 GHz Wireless via USB-A dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, Wired via USB-C to USB-A cable

Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless (Hyperspeed dongle)

Battery life

60 hours

40 hours RGB off, 24 hours RGB on

70 hours

Software

RIG Navigator app

Adjust Pro

Razer Synapse (PC)

Fractal Scape
It’s like you wandered into an Apple store and asked one of the geniuses to design your perfect wireless gaming headset. Minimalist, gorgeous, sounds great, and offers the same multi-device compatibility.

For more information, check out our full Fractal Scape reviewView Deal

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Look one notch below Razer’s bells-and-whistles, ANC-enabled flagship model, and you’ll find a price-performance sweet spot in wireless gaming headsets that’s still yet to be beaten outright. No base station, though.

For more information, check out our full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro reviewView Deal

How I tested the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS

One week of testing on PC and PS5, with the companion app
All connection types tested
Confirmed: doesn’t make The Hobbit movies better

The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS arrived as I was recovering post-surgery and thus had very few available options besides: lying very still and watching things, and sitting very still and playing things. It’s proven a fine companion during both these activities.

It’s the PS5 version, which arrived here to test, so I’ve been using my review sample on PC, PS5, and my iPhone, where the RIG Navigator app also resides. On PS5, it’s been pumping out the sounds of NBA 2K26, on PC, it’s been capturing the hammy moans of Dead Rising (the original, not the remaster, obviously), and on my phone, it’s been subjected to more YouTube slop than I’d care to detail.

I can confirm that while it does capture the audio landscapes of Peter Jackson’s punishingly dull Hobbit trilogy perfectly well, it does nothing to improve the overall experience of watching those films.

First reviewed April 2026.

Categories: Reviews

PrivadoVPN Free review: the best of the no-cost bunch

Fri, 05/01/2026 - 10:05

How we tested PrivadoVPN Free

This PrivadoVPN Free review was written by VPN Editor, Rob Dunne. I've been researching and writing about VPNs, like PrivadoVPN Free, for two years.

I have PrivadoVPN Free installed on my iPhone and Android mobile devices, my Lenovo laptop, and my Chrome browser. I used it during my commute to keep my data secure (from snoopers and man-in-the-middle attacks) while connected to the free Wi-Fi hotspot, and to access US-based streaming services (think Peacock and HBO Max).

PrivadoVPN Free review scores

Below, you'll find our breakdown of how PrivadoVPN Free scored in our testing, across all of the categories. Click on the links in the Comments column to jump to specific sections for a more in-depth read.

Cezanne HR review

Thu, 04/30/2026 - 14:38

Customization is a crucial part of any good HR suite – if you can make your solution work for your business, everyone involved will find it easier and more effective to use. It’s no surprise, then, that the software teams at Cezanne have built an HR product that places customization at its core.

You can tailor this system to your workflows, automate key tasks, and simplify and improve efficiency across the entire employee lifecycle.

When it launched in 2013, Cezanne was the first fully cloud-native HR system designed for UK businesses, and now the organization serves companies around the world thanks to a renewed focus on global success and international collaboration.

If you’re an SMB or enterprise that needs to connect HR systems in multiple countries, then Cezanne could be the best HR software for the job, although the UK focus may put off some users.

Cezanne HR: Plans and pricing

As with many HR solutions, Cezanne doesn’t publish pricing details publicly. Instead, pricing is devised on a case-by-case basis. Companies pay for Cezanne on a monthly basis, with the fee adjusted based on the average number of employees in the business during the previous month.

Bespoke pricing means that Cezanne’s customers can choose the modules they need and scale the solution to fit their organization, although a lack of pricing information available publicly can make initial budgeting and research more difficult.

Happily, Cezanne doesn’t charge additional setup or support fees, unlike some other providers. Sadly, no free trial is available.

(Image credit: Future)Cezanne HR: Features

Cezanne’s Core HR functionality begins with an employee database that’s packed with every kind of information you’ll need about your staff – it’s a single source of truth that informs functionality across the rest of your modules.

By combining customizable workflows at every stage with a robust system of alerts and notifications, Cezanne enables HR teams to effectively manage large teams and create systems that work for their organizations.

Employee self-service enables staff to update their own details. Details can be updated in the Cezanne mobile app, too, and employees can submit PTO requests, complete HR forms, and access payslips. Managers can use the app to respond to all of those requests.

Cezanne supports electronic signatures and document-tracking, it offers an HR form builder with plenty of customization options, and integrated SMS messaging provides another avenue of communication.

The app automatically generates and distributes timesheets, and you can configure them with your own working patterns and methods – and employees can clock in and out using the Cezanne system, the mobile app, or tablets installed at your workplaces. Sadly, there’s no mention of the biometric systems you’ll find supported by other HR solutions.

Cezanne’s performance management module is built for continuous and periodic employee reviews, with features to quickly conduct and analyze 1-1 meetings. Managers can build their own goals for employees and those staff members can update progress and upload evidence, and you can use SMART objectives, rate competencies, and generate development recommendations. And for compensation reviews, Cezanne makes it easier with benchmarking, an integrated planning module, and automated notifications.

Cezanne supports 360-degree feedback, too, and includes employee recognition options like peer-to-peer systems, badges, and categories. This recognition can be seen on your company news feed, which mimics social media functionality by providing updates, images, videos, and more. You can also send pulse surveys to gauge your employees' mood.

When it comes to PTO and absence, Cezanne handles calculations once you’ve defined your organizational rules, and employees can book absence from within Microsoft Teams. There’s support for TOIL and Bradford Factor reporting, too.

Cezanne provides a content library to support employee learning and development. You can integrate your company’s custom training programs, and you can automate learning communications to save your HR team time.

When you’re ready to promote, interactive performance and employee potential charts help you identify candidates and plan succession, and you can evaluate employee readiness and key attributes alongside business needs.

Data visualization makes succession planning simpler, and that’s a theme within Cezanne – because every module includes dashboards and reporting options that present data in graphs and charts that are easier to understand. Reporting across the app is also bolstered by good exporting options, including Power BI support.

It’s a crucial tool for effective decision-making by HR teams, and the graphical dashboards offer complete customization, too, so your HR teams can choose which data is included, pick the best display methods, and generate reports and presentations that can help make a difference.

As with many HR solutions providers, Cezanne has recently begun integrating AI features into its software. Cezanne’s AI integrations can help you build documents and emails, refine your writing, and accelerate workflow creation. In the near future, Cezanne plans to add a knowledge search feature that will pull answers directly from your documents and policies.

Cezanne’s recruitment module, powered by Occupop, delivers end-to-end hiring functionality and can integrate with Cezanne’s HR system or function as a standalone product.

You can build a branded career site, publish vacancies on global job boards, and use a job requisition management system to keep control of your hiring. You can build a talent database, use employee referral incentives, and provide hiring managers with clear overviews of candidates so you can pick the best prospects.

Smart shortlisting tools, candidate evaluation metrics, and workflows keep the hiring process moving at pace, interview scheduling is straightforward, and interview scorecards help you consider candidates.

When you’re hired, you can built customized onboarding portals with embedded videos, data, and welcome messages, create task lists for new hires and managers, and personalize the entire experience for specific candidates and positions.

Cezanne offers two payroll options. If you want to handle it in-house, Cezanne’s system delivers configurable dashboards, payslip generation, deduction reviews, and fast payroll processing – alongside seamless, real-time data management, payment calculations, pension reports, and pension auto-enrollment assessment.

This system is fully compliant with UK regulations, including HMRC and GDPR, and the software is ISO 27001-compliant. It’s a great slate of features but, sadly, the downside is that Cezanne’s payroll module only functions in the UK, even though the company’s HR system functions globally.

If you’re an international business, then your payroll options are simple: use a third-party tool or use Cezanne’s managed payroll services, which come at an additional cost. Once you’ve signed up, just make sure the pay-related details in your system are correct, and Cezanne’s team will handle the rest.

Cezanne offers an open API, which makes it relatively easy for your tech teams to connect this tool with third-party systems, and the company also offers plenty of pre-built third-party integrations.

This HR solution integrates with the full suite of Google and Microsoft products, as well as tools from Greenhouse, Workable, and Slack. That’s helpful, but at the time of writing the Cezanne website only included a couple of dozen integrations – other HR solutions offer hundreds.

As with most HR suites, the features you get with Cezanne depend on which modules you buy – and, in turn, that can increase costs to your organization. Also bear in mind that native payroll is a UK-only offering, so international businesses will need to look elsewhere or pay more for Cezanne’s managed payroll services.

(Image credit: Future)Cezanne HR: Ease of use

Cezanne HR is an easy system to start using, with a gentle learning curve and loads of configuration – you can build the solution to work with your organization’s existing processes and tools, and it can be as complex or as straightforward as you like.

Navigation follows a conventional blueprint with modules opened from a menu on the left-hand side of the page and content displayed in the main window. It’s a modern, good-looking system that effectively balances complexity and usability.

Straightforward visuals and modern fonts make the system’s information easy to understand, color-coded calendars make planning and tracking simpler, and windows pop up with additional data in smart, helpful locations. You can drag-and-drop candidates based on visual data when recruiting, customize graphs in the insights module, and choose different permissions for various user groups throughout your business.

There’s plenty of customization available on Cezanne’s dashboard, too – it’s one of the most editable options we’ve seen anywhere. You can drag and drop widgets, adjust their size, alter colors and backgrounds, and build a home screen that works for you.

Indeed, customization is baked into Cezanne at every opportunity, which is great news for managers and administrators – and the reporting is versatile and robust, too, with plenty of chances to build outputs around your needs.

(Image credit: Future)Cezanne HR: Support

Cezanne’s customer support starts with a knowledge base that’s packed with guides, resources, news, and videos on using the product. There’s also an AI chatbot that can help answer common questions and triage customer issues.

If you do need to get in touch, Cezanne offers an online ticket-based support system and phone support, with lines open from 9am to 5.30pm UK time on weekdays. There are no higher tiers of support and no additional charges.

It’s a reasonable support offering, but the UK-based office hours put Cezanne slightly behind rivals.

(Image credit: Future)Cezanne HR: Competition

It’s a reasonable support offering, but the UK-based office hours put Cezanne slightly behind rivals.

Cezanne HR: Final verdict

Cezanne is a good option for any organization that needs flexibility throughout its HR processes – customization is a highlight throughout Cezanne’s various modules, the workflows are excellent, and the product offers a broad set of modules and features that cover the entire employee lifecycle.

Reporting is good, too, and Cezanne offers a reasonably accommodating learning curve, even for beginners.

Negatively, you can only use native payroll here if you’re based in the UK, and Cezanne’s library of integrations isn’t as deep as you’ll find elsewhere. Pricing transparency is lacking, and other products will have more accommodating support options – even if you have to pay for them.

Cezanne is an HR solution that you can build around a growing business, but we’d consider the payroll and integrations situations carefully before investing.

Categories: Reviews

Employment Hero review

Thu, 04/30/2026 - 14:30

The specialists behind Employment Hero founded the company after seeing poor HR processes at work – and now their platform promises to tackle every HR challenge while making employment easier, more effective, and more valuable for everyone involved.

The business has grown quickly since it was founded in 2014 – it’s reached unicorn status, with 300,000 businesses supported and over two million active users.

The company’s HR software is collected under a platform called EmploymentOS and aims to tackle hiring, payroll, management, learning, engagement, compliance, and more. It’s designed for SMBs facing a wall of employment complexity as they begin to grow, and there’s a strong emphasis within the business on adding AI functionality to enhance operations and improve efficiency for every customer.

The software was originally designed for Australian businesses. It now works globally, and the company especially focuses on Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, and Malaysia.

For more picks, see our guide to the best HR software

Employment Hero: Plans and pricing

Employment Hero is transparent about pricing - a refreshing attitude in a market where many companies won’t give you a price until you talk to sales. A free trial is also available, which is not the case with all HR solutions.

Employment Hero’s Standard package costs £4 (about $5.35) per employee per month and includes basic HR functionality like timesheets, employee record management, entry-level recruitment tools, and options to manage staff performance and leave. There’s also a basic, free payroll plan.

HR Premium costs £7 (about $9.37) and adds functionality including rostering and scheduling, budgeting, advanced recruitment tools, and performance reviews.

The HR Platinum product is only available directly from sales, although it will likely cost around £10 (about $13.38) per employee per month. At this tier, you get every feature from the previous two levels alongside learning and growth modules.

And if you want the maximum functionality from the solution, the Employment Unlimited tier unlocks additional learning tools, enhanced support, managed payroll, HR advisors, a recruitment agent, and a candidate-finding system called SmartMatch. This tier also adds Earned Wage Access and EAP Standard.

If you’d like more functionality and customization, all of those Employment Hero tiers are available with add-ons. Managed Payroll costs £12 ($16) per employee per month, and you can get HR and Employment Law Advisory for £6 ($8) monthly. A Learning Plus module provides development content to staff for £7 ($9.37) per employee per month.

Employment Hero’s full payroll functionality is sold as a separate product, too, that you can add to your HR package while you’re creating your overall solution.

(Image credit: Future)Employment Hero: Features

While functionality depends on the Employment Hero package you choose, the platform is packed with features and focused on providing end-to-end management for SMBs, along with a “single source of truth” for vital data.

You’ll also find a solid amount of customization in Employment Hero’s higher-tier products, including the ability to create your own workflows and automations - a key part of any HR solution, especially one that aims to make life easier and maintain data integrity.

A central employee database, bolstered by ISO 27001:2013 certification, ensures accessibility and security, and an employee management module handles compliance, reporting, and certification to avoid bottlenecks and delays.

The time and attendance module can use optional photo-capture and geolocation features to support attendance tracking. Managers can create and manage schedules, track headcount, and analyze costs. There’s also a full leave management section.

Employees can log their own hours using a dedicated app or use a PIN-protected on-site system, and you can even let employees claim open shifts and create your own approval flows to avoid staffing shortages. On top of this, you’ll find budgeting, compensation, extensive reporting, and real-time alerting to ensure your staffing and spend stay on track.

The learning management system serves up tailored development journeys, industry-specific bundles of learning content, and options for tracking progress and tackling employee 1:1 meetings and reviews. If you’re interested in recruiting, depending on the tier you buy, you’ll get job posting, candidate screening, talent pipelines, recruitment analytics, and DEI tools. Employment Hero also functions as an Employer of Record in over 180 countries.

Sitting above this functionality is AI Hero - the software’s new artificial assistant. It’s designed to answer repetitive employee questions and save HR teams time by writing messages, job descriptions, and more. It can help personalize 1:1 meetings and summarize interviews, too.

Elsewhere, Employment Hero provides an employee management app for Android and iOS to simplify administration. There’s an API for easier integration with other systems, and Employment Hero integrates with third-party payroll tools like Xero and MYOB.

Employment Hero’s feature set is impressively broad, positioning the tool as an SMB-focused all-rounder. This solution combines core HR functionality with time and attendance tracking, recruitment, learning, automation, and now AI assistance – and it’s even better when you consider the features that are included once you go up the pricing tiers.

That said, be careful when checking which features you’ll actually get if you decide to invest in one of the more affordable tiers, because key features like workflows, learning tools, and additional HR and payroll support may not be included. This pricing structure is not unique to Employment Hero, but it’s worth remembering.

(Image credit: Future)Employment Hero: Ease of use

Employment Hero’s developers concentrate on streamlined processes, modern interfaces, and user-friendly design, so it’s no wonder that this is one of the better-looking and more straightforward user interfaces on the market.

It’s an attractive system with clean typography and purple highlights. The dashboard includes a company feed, to-do list, key metrics, and a “launchpad” with quick links to common functions. You can add and remove widgets from the home page, create your own quick links, and click a button along the top of the app to launch Hero AI and see your notifications.

This tool makes a strong first impression, and the design is consistently impressive in other modules.

The People section makes it easy to access your employee database, files, vacancies, and offers, and you can also easily see vacancies, contractors, and an organization chart. Head into your employee database and you’ll find straightforward, sensible filtering options.

Other sections of the app are organized just as well. The design is consistent, which makes it easier for your HR teams to use the tool effectively, even if they’re not very experienced with HR software.

Reports are smart, attractive, and easy to parse, too – a common theme among any graphical elements in the Employment Hero interface.

(Image credit: Future)Employment Hero: Support

The Employment Hero Service Center includes easy access to a knowledge base full of articles, an in-depth FAQ section and a system status page alongside a helpful community forum where you can discuss the software with other Employment Hero users.

If you need to contact support, the Hero AI bot is used as a triage step. If that mechanism hasn’t directed you to an answer, you can file a ticket and talk to a support agent using the chat system, and Unlimited customers get the option of phone support, too.

The primary support team is based in the UK and operates from Monday to Friday in UK business hours, which traditionally means from 9am until 5pm. Additional support teams are on hand to pick up tickets around the world if you file a support query outside of those UK hours.

(Image credit: Future)Employment Hero: Competition

Anyone looking for an SMB-focused HR solution has plenty of options to choose from, even if you’re considering UK-based products.

Sage HR is another frontrunner if you need an all-in-one HR solution designed for SMBs, and IRIS is another comprehensive tool.

If you’d like to evaluate options that excel in specific areas, then you’ve got no shortage of choice, either. BambooHR and HiBob are superb when it comes to employee experience and engagement, and both have more engaging user interfaces than Cintra – although they’re a little weaker when it comes to payroll.

For a product that’s stronger with the financials, RUN Powered by ADP is an SMB-specific alternative, and Workable is excellent for recruitment.

Employment Hero: Final verdict

Employment Hero is a strong choice for SMBs that want a broad, well-balanced HR system that ticks most of the major functionality boxes, especially if you’ve got the budget to invest in one of the higher tiers and pack the product with add-ons.

The clean UI and automation tools make the system easier to use than many other options, and Employment Hero’s pricing transparency is refreshingly welcome in a marketplace that wants to drive potential buyers into conversations with sales teams.

There are drawbacks, though. The entry-level product misses out on expenses functionality, performance reviews, allowances and more features, while even in the HR Premium solution you don’t get workflows, learning tools, and some extra support – they’re only available at Platinum.

If you want to save money while getting some of those features, it pays to shop around – and, similarly, if you need enterprise-level complexity and functionality, you’ll want to look elsewhere too. Overall, Employment Hero is polished, easy to use, and a good all-rounder, but make sure you definitely get the features you need.

Categories: Reviews

Mailjet review 2026

Thu, 04/30/2026 - 10:21

Mailjet launched in France in 2010 with a focus on making email collaboration easier for teams. Today it serves over 100,000 customers across 150 countries. Now part of the Sinch group (following the Pathwire acquisition in 2021), it covers both marketing campaigns and transactional email through a single account.

In this Mailjet review, a few things stand out: volume-based pricing that doesn't penalize you for list size, real-time co-editing built into the campaign builder, and deliverability tools that most platforms either charge extra for or don't include at all.

TechRadar Pro has been reviewing email marketing software since 2012. Our contributors have tested leading email marketing tools like Mailchimp and Brevo year after year. That track record gives us a solid benchmark for where Mailjet fits in the market today.

My experience with Mailjet

(Image credit: Mailjet)

Getting started takes slightly longer than you'd expect. Before you can launch your first campaign, Mailjet's support team runs a verification check on your business details and intended sending volume. It's a minor but noticeable friction point compared to platforms that let you start sending immediately after signup.

Once your account is active, the experience is organized and straightforward. The dashboard separates campaign tools, API settings, and contacts into clearly labeled sections, and the onboarding guide forks into different paths depending on whether you're setting up as a marketer or a developer.

Value for money is strong, especially on the Essential plan, where unlimited contacts and access to deliverability tools make the $17/month price point hard to argue with.

Mailjet review: Features

(Image credit: Mailjet)

Mailjet's standout feature is its real-time collaborative editor. Multiple users can work on the same campaign at once, leave inline comments, and lock individual sections to prevent unintended edits. For teams that typically bounce email drafts around over Slack or shared folders, this alone is a meaningful upgrade. It's an unusual capability at this price range.

Beyond collaboration, the platform covers both marketing and transactional email through a shared API infrastructure. The MJML-based editor generates responsive layouts automatically, and A/B testing supports up to 10 campaign variations, which is one of the more flexible implementations we've come across. The Brand Kit, which can generate your visual identity from a website URL, speeds up template setup and keeps designs consistent across sends.

Where Mailjet trails the field is automation. The workflow builder handles standard drip sequences and basic triggers, but it doesn't support the behavioral conditions or multi-path journeys that tools like ActiveCampaign or Brevo offer. The template library (around 65 designs) is functional but limited in variety. There's also no built-in landing page builder, which some competitors include as standard.

Mailjet review: User experience

The interface is clean and logically laid out.

Campaign creation follows a clear progression: pick a template, edit in the drag-and-drop builder, select your recipients, and schedule. Non-technical users should find the flow intuitive from day one, and the editor works well for standard newsletter and promotional campaigns without needing any code knowledge.

A few details worth knowing: Mailjet automatically applies dark mode CSS and meta tags to your emails, which prevents the broken-layout issues that affect many campaigns in dark-mode inboxes. The Brand Kit also makes it faster to stay on-brand across multiple campaigns without manually re-entering colors and fonts each time. The overall UI is functional, though it feels less modern than newer platforms, and some sections look like they haven't been refreshed in a while.

Mailjet review: Customer support

Support access is tiered by plan, and the lower tiers are restrictive. Free and Starter subscribers get online support for the first month only; after that, you rely on Mailjet's documentation center and its self-serve Email Academy. Essential and Premium customers retain ongoing access to online support, which is a step up but still falls short of live chat options offered by some rivals.

Custom enterprise customers receive a dedicated Technical Account Manager plus an API expert, which is a meaningful upgrade for high-volume senders. For a platform that serves developers and teams running critical email infrastructure, the gap in support between entry-level and enterprise plans is wide enough to matter. If deliverability issues arise on a lower-tier plan, your path to resolution is mostly self-service.

Mailjet pricing and plans

Plan

Price (monthly)

Emails

Contacts

Free

6000 a month, 200 a day

1000

Starter

8000 a month

No limit

Essential

From $17

From 15,000 to 500,000

No limit

Premium

From $27

From 15,000 to 500,000

No limit

Custom

500,000+

No limit

Mailjet's pricing model is one of its clearest advantages over contact-capped competitors. Because Essential and Premium charge by email volume rather than contacts stored, businesses with large but infrequently mailed lists get considerably better value than they would on Mailchimp or Klaviyo.

The free plan covers 6,000 monthly sends with a 1,000-contact cap and a 200-per-day limit. Starter at $9/month removes that daily cap but tops out at 8,000 emails per month with no way to scale it further, making it a transitional tier rather than a long-term home. Essential at $17/month is where the platform opens up: unlimited contacts, 500 email validations, 500 email previews per month, and volume scaling from 15,000 to 500,000 sends.

Premium at $27/month adds expanded preview credits, team and account management tools, and a dedicated IP on plans with 100,000+ sends, with the same volume range. Annual billing reduces Essential to $15.30/month and Premium to $24.30/month. For senders above 500,000 emails, a Custom enterprise tier is available with dedicated support and tailored terms. All prices listed are in USD and exclude VAT where applicable.

Mailjet review: Specs

Spec

Details

Free plan sends

6,000 emails/month (200/day cap)

Contacts

Unlimited from Essential ($17/month)

Collaboration

Real-time multi-user co-editing with comments

Email API

REST API and SMTP relay on all plans

Deliverability tools

Validation, previews, dedicated IP (100k+ plans)

Should I buy Mailjet?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Strong API and collaboration; automation trails rivals

4/5

Performance

Reliable deliverability; shared IPs can vary on lower tiers

4/5

Design

Clean layout; editor is solid but UI looks dated in places

3.5/5

Value

Volume-based model rewards senders with growing or large lists

4.5/5

Buy it if…

You manage email with a team. The real-time co-editing and granular permission controls speed up campaign production in a way most platforms don't match at this price. If your team currently passes drafts around over email or Slack, this feature alone justifies the switch.
Your contact list is large but you don't email often. Because you pay for sends rather than contacts stored, Mailjet is significantly cheaper for businesses that maintain big lists but only campaign occasionally.
You need marketing and transactional email in one place. A shared API infrastructure means your developers and marketers aren't managing separate tools or reconciling sender reputations across two platforms.

Don't buy it if…

Advanced automation is central to your strategy. The workflow builder covers basic scenarios, but behavioral triggers, complex segmentation, and multi-path journeys require a platform like ActiveCampaign or Brevo.
You want a wide template selection. Around 65 designs is enough for straightforward campaigns, but it's a thin library compared to what Mailchimp offers, and design variety leans minimal.

Also consider

Brevo: This platform has volume-based pricing like Mailjet's but with more capable automation, SMS support, and a more polished interface. A natural comparison for teams weighing their options.
MailerLite: Worth a look if landing pages, digital product sales, or a more contemporary design experience matter to you, alongside solid email tools.
ActiveCampaign: Stronger choice if sophisticated marketing automation and integrated CRM are non-negotiable.

How I tested Mailjet

Signed up for a Mailjet account and completed the onboarding flow for both marketer and developer setup paths.
Built and sent test campaigns using the drag-and-drop editor, A/B testing tool, and automation builder across free and paid tiers.
Reviewed official pricing documentation alongside user feedback from major review platforms.

For this Mailjet review, testing focused on the features a typical small business or marketing team uses day to day: campaign creation, contact management, collaboration tools, and the analytics available on standard plans. I also assessed the setup experience, support quality at each tier, and how the platform compares against competitors at a similar price point.

Categories: Reviews

I tested LG's new all-in-one Dolby Atmos soundbar, and it impressed me with its expansive sound and FlexConnect upgrade potential — but I wish it had these two features

Thu, 04/30/2026 - 05:24

LG Sound Suite H7 review

The LG Sound Suite H7 is the first soundbar in the market to feature Dolby Atmos FlexConnect capabilities — instantly providing a unique option in what is a highly competitive category.

FlexConnect enables the LG Sound Suite H7 to act as something of a hub — you can pair a compatible sub and various surround speakers to the soundbar, and no matter where you place them in the room, you can expect well-optimized sound and Atmos effects.

As I discovered when reviewing the LG Sound Suite Immersive Suite 7 Pro and testing out the LG Immersive Quad Suite 7 — two systems that place the H7 soundbar front and center — FlexConnect works brilliantly. When using a wide variety of configurations, these systems provided impactful and clear sound. It’s a very handy feature, and one that could be useful for those with awkwardly shaped or laid-out living spaces.

Here, though, I wanted to look at the LG Sound Suite H7 soundbar on its own, and assess its quality without the assistance of any W7 subs or M7 surround speakers. Sure, this is a model that’s at its best when paired with other components — as is the case with rivals like the Sonos Arc Ultra. But can it hold its own as a standalone device? Can it compete with the very best Dolby Atmos soundbars?

Let’s begin by taking a look at features on the H7 soundbar. Of course, FlexConnect is great, but there’s a lot more to discover — especially if you download the LG ThinQ app.

One interesting addition is Sound Follow. This optimizes sound not only for your living space, but for your position within it. It works surprisingly well, and although it's not essential, it’s certainly a unique option in LG’s arsenal. On top of this, you can alter the EQ, adjust channel levels, and even cycle between different sound modes.

There’s a decent array of these sound modes, with a bass-boosted option, a vocal-oriented alternative, and an AI Sound configuration. Personally, I found the AI-enabled mode to sound worse than the standard tuning — movie soundtracks lacked balance, and often sounded too bass-heavy. Other than this, you’ll also find an AI upmixing setting, which enables you to convert a stereo signal into a more expansive 9.1.4-channel format.

As well as its various sound modes, the H7 offers a decent amount of connectivity options. Of course, you’ve got the standard HDMI eARC, but you can also make use of a USB connection, or play music and podcasts via a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection.

On the topic of connectivity, though, I do have one key complaint: the LG H7 doesn’t have HDMI passthrough. In 2026, this feels like a huge miss. A lot of even high-end TVs owned by people today are restricted to just two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which will be the HDMI eARC port. Given that the H7 will take one of those up, you may well be left with just one. That could prove to be a point of contention for owners of multiple modern video game consoles, for instance.

Another feature that some may miss is DTS support. DTS has been missing from a lot of LG’s tech as of late, with the company opting to drop the format from its TVs in 2025. If your TV or video player decodes DTS, it's not really a problem — but it's annoying if you buy all LG. Still the best 4K Blu-ray players, where DTS is most important, can generally decode it.

(Image credit: Future)

But you may be wondering by now, just how good does the LG Sound Suite H7 sound? Well, in my view, it’s a very strong performer indeed.

Unsurprisingly, the real highlight here is Dolby Atmos performance. In Top Gun: Maverick, when Tom Cruise flies up and over the head of Ed Harris, the verticality of this move was replicated brilliantly. This is something that a lot of rivals struggle with — especially without overhead speakers for ‘true’ Atmos, but the height channels consistently conjured up excellent effects in my testing.

The H7 also outputs expansive sound with tremendous width, something I found when watching a 4K Blu-ray of The Mask. As the titular character spun around an outdoor area, his movement was tracked well, and it sounded as if he was tornadoing into the corners of our TV testing space. Sure, a full setup with the M7 speakers added more depth and pin-point precision, but the soundbar certainly offered a broad sense of sound on its own.

It was a similar story with music — with Hans Zimmer’s Dream of Arrakis, vocals oozed into the sides of the room, while ambient sound effects felt as if they were crawling along the walls. The bottom line, then, is if you’re looking for excellent Atmos performance, the H7 is a top choice.

Outside of Atmos performance, the H7 is pretty strong too. It gets a lot of the fundamentals right — clear dialogue, impactful bass, and expressive treble all feature. When watching The Boy and the Heron, I was impressed with the snappy and sharp sound of a wooden sword snapping, and even when harsh wind noises entered the fray, the Heron’s monologue was articulated clearly in the mix.

In one scene, a horde of frogs exclaim “JOIN US,” and powerful deep bass seeps in. The room-swallowing low-end was replicated quite well, even at higher volumes, but it wasn’t quite as full-sounding and thunderous as I’ve experienced — largely due to the lack of a sub. Adding the W7 subwoofer will fix this, of course, but that comes at quite the price.

Movies do generally sound great, however. Whether it was The Mask smashing through a glass door with giga impact or dialogue coming through with a true-to-life echo in Maverick, I was satisfied with the H7’s quality.

Is the H7 the most musically adept soundbar I’ve heard? Not quite. With stereo music, you do get distinct channel separation, and commendable attention to detail. However, I sometimes felt as if low-end sounds were a little overstated, leaving vocals or instruments in the mid-range sounding less prominent than I’d like.

With Atmos music, it was similar. Sure, the spatial effects are translated fantastically, and the dynamism of sudden drum hits or pounding bass was striking. But I sometimes felt that vocals in the center could be a touch understated. Some EQ tweaking can help with this, but I prefer models like the Marshall Heston 120 for music.

(Image credit: Future)

So, overall, the LG Sound Suite H7 is a very admirable performer, but I want to take a moment to talk about design.

Look, I don’t think this is the prettiest soundbar ever. It’s built to a high standard, but the H7 doesn’t have the flashy modern look of the Sonos Arc Ultra or the striking retro style of the Marshall Heston 60.

It ends up looking a bit generic, which isn’t a major problem — however, the more style-focused might wish for something with more flair. On the positive side, I did really like the soundbar’s display, which is handy for checking volume, source, sound mode, and more.

Another design positive relates to button and port placement. Everything is simple and well-sized, making for a relatively straightforward setup. Speaking of setting up, you can simply plug the HDMI cable and power source in, and you’re ready to go.

I did experience a few difficulties pairing the soundbar using the app, which was a little frustrating, but I had things working after a couple of resets. From there on out, the simple app made my user experience fairly trouble-free.

Let’s finish up by talking about value for money. The LG Sound Suite H7 has a list price of $999 / £899 (about AU$1,400), which, let’s face it, is pretty pricey. You can easily grab a great option that comes with a sub for less than this — the Samsung HW-Q800F, for instance, is regularly cheaper than the H7, and boasts DTS support alongside HDMI passthrough. However, the Sonos Arc Ultra — arguably the H7’s main competition — is in the same ballpark, retailing for $999 / £999 / AU$1,799.

Is the H7 worth it, though? Well, if you want Dolby Atmos FlexConnect and you’re planning to build out a full system, then it could be. Individual components, like the M7 speakers and W7 sub are expensive, and there’s no discount on a full system as of yet. But if you’re looking for a massively expansive overall package, then it remains a great option.

All in all, though, the LG Sound Suite H7 is an astute soundbar that packs in highly convenient FlexConnect technology, awesome Dolby Atmos effects, and impressive overall audio. It’s disappointing to see HDMI passthrough and DTS support off the menu, alongside a more enticing look.

And yes, it’s pricey, although it's competitively priced against Sonos, and can act as a highly capable hub if you’re looking to build out a full FlexConnect system.

(Image credit: Future)LG Sound Suite H7 review: price & release date

List price of $999 / £899 (about AU$1,400)
Released in early 2026

The LG Sound Suite H7 soundbar released early into 2026, with the W7 subwoofer and M7 wireless speakers joining it. At $999 / £899 (about AU$1,400), the H7 is by no means cheap, though it is priced pretty competitively against options like the Sonos Arc Ultra and Klipsch Flexus Core 300.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: specs

Dimensions

47.2 x 2.5 x 5.6 inches / 1200 x 63 x 143mm

Speaker channels

9.1.6

Connections

1x HDMI eARC, USB, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi

Dolby Atmos / DTS:X

Yes / No

Sub included

Rear speakers included

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the LG Sound Suite H7?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect works great, Sound Follow is unique, but no HDMI passthrough, underwhelming AI mode, and no DTS.

4/5

Performance

Excellent Atmos, clean dialogue, relatively impactful bass, but musicality could be better.

4.5/5

Design

It isn’t the prettiest, but built to a high standard, has a useful display, and has neat physical controls.

4/5

Setup & usability

Some in-app pairing issues, but straightforward plug and play setup otherwise.

4/5

Value

Pricey, but in a similar ballpark to rivals like Sonos Arc Ultra, and brings unique FlexConnect functionality.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

You want to build a Dolby Atmos FlexConnect system
The biggest selling point of this soundbar is its Dolby Atmos FlexConnect support, which enables you to connect up multiple speakers and place them just about anywhere, while still enjoying well-optimized, expansive sound. If you add the W7 sub and M7 or M5 speakers, then, the H7 is a great centerpiece for this surround sound system.

You’re looking for a powerful one-box solution
Sure, this soundbar is great to build a system around, but it’s also a very admirable performer on its own. With powerful bass, clear dialogue, and impressive Atmos effects, the H7 can take your viewing experiences to new heights.

Don’t buy it if…

You need HDMI passthrough
If you want a soundbar with HDMI passthrough for a device like the PS5 or Xbox Series X, then the LG Sound Suite H7 isn’t your best option. It leaves out an HDMI in port, meaning you’ll be better off with rivals like the Klipsch Flexus Core 300.

You’re looking for something flashy
The H7 may be built to a high standard, but it’s hardly the prettiest soundbar I’ve seen. If you want a sleek, modern alternative, I’d go with the Sonos Arc Ultra, which I’ve covered down below. If you’re someone with more retro tastes, then I’d instead point you towards the Marshall Heston 120, or Heston 60 if you’re short on space.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: Also consider

LG Sound Suite H7

Sonos Arc Ultra

Samsung HW-Q800F

Price

$999 / £899 (about AU$1,400)

$999 / £999 / AU$1,799

$1,099 / £799 / AU$1,099

Dimensions

47.2 x 2.5 x 5.6 inches / 1200 x 63 x 143mm

3 x 46.4 x 4.4 inches / 75 x 1178 x 110.6mm

Main soundbar: 43.7 x 2.4 x 4.7 inches / 1110.7 x 60.4 x 120mm; subwoofer: 9.8 x 9.9 x 9.8 inches / 249 x 251.8 x 249mm

Speaker channels

9.1.6

9.1.4

5.1.2

Connections

1x HDMI eARC, USB, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi

1x HDMI eARC, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

1x HDMI input, 1x HDMI eARC, digital optical, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3

Dolby Atmos / DTS:X

Yes / No

Yes /Yes

Sub included

Yes

Rear speakers included

Sonos Arc Ultra
The H7’s most obvious rival is the Sonos Arc Ultra — and it makes for a very tough opponent indeed. With spacious, regimented, and articulate sound, a beautiful design, and impressive Atmos effects, this model is a titan of the soundbar game. It’s priced very similarly to the H7 and has similar flaws — i.e. no HDMI passthrough or DTS. Read our full Sonos Arc Ultra review.

Samsung HW-Q800F
This one's the top overall pick in our guide to the best soundbars, and it’s easy to see why. This soundbar and sub combo provides palpable bass, amazing Atmos, defined dialogue, and spectacular value for money. It’s regularly available for less than $750 / £600 / AU$800. This bar has 4K passthrough, although only at 60Hz. However, its DTS support, user-friendly companion app, and easy setup make it a phenomenal choice. Read my full Samsung HW-Q800F review.

How I tested the LG Sound Suite H7

(Image credit: Future)

Tested across multiple weeks
Used at our TV testing space at Future Labs
Played 4K Blu-Ray, streamed movies and streamed music over Wi-Fi

I tested the LG Sound Suite H7 across the course of multiple weeks. For this review, I used the soundbar on its own, although I made use of its Dolby Atmos FlexConnect capabilities in my review of the LG Sound Suite Immersive Suite 7 Pro and the LG Immersive Quad Suite 7.

During my time with the LG Sound Suite H7, I watched a variety of movies — using the Panasonic DP-UB820 with 4K Blu-rays, and Netflix with Dolby Atmos content. I also connected my phone up to the soundbar for listening to music, and played a wide variety of tracks using Tidal Connect.

More generally, I’ve tested a whole lot of soundbars here at TechRadar, including everything from budget-friendly options — like the Sony HT-SF150 — through to premium alternatives such as the JBL Bar 1300MK2.

Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
First reviewed: April 2026

Categories: Reviews

AWeber Review: Pros & Cons, Features, Ratings, Pricing and more

Thu, 04/30/2026 - 00:31

AWeber is one of the original email marketing platforms, having launched in 1998. Founded by Tom Kulzer in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, the company has grown to serve over one million small businesses and individual creators worldwide. Its focus hasn't shifted much in 25 years: AWeber is built for people who want to send newsletters and automated email sequences without managing complex technical infrastructure.

Since TechRadar last reviewed the platform in 2023, AWeber has made several notable updates. The AI toolset has expanded considerably, with an AI Subject Line Assistant now included on all paid plans and a standalone AI Writing Assistant for drafting full email copy. The company also renamed its automation builder from Campaigns to Workflows in mid-2025 and added a direct Facebook Lead Ads integration that pulls new leads into your AWeber list automatically.

Another significant structural change is the Done For You plan, which replaces the previously listed Unlimited tier. Rather than offering higher subscriber limits, Done For You brings in AWeber's team to configure your account within seven days. That covers your email template, landing pages, signup form, and an initial automation sequence, with 30 days of edits included after delivery.

You can sign up to AWeber here.

(Image credit: AWeber)My experience with AWeber

AWeber has one of the smoothest onboarding experiences in the industry. The platform walks you through your business goals before you build anything, and importing subscribers follows a structured five-step process that handles data mapping and tagging before sending an opt-in confirmation. It's particularly well-suited to creators and small business owners who want to get a first campaign out without reading through documentation.

The email builder is where things get slightly muddier. AWeber's drag-and-drop editor works fine once you're in it, but selecting a template can trip you up: the preview thumbnails are small, and there's a checkbox labeled "Keep My Message Content" that's easy to overlook. If you leave it ticked, only part of the template applies. I found this confusing during testing and it's a friction point that has been around since at least 2023.

That said, AWeber's new AI Subject Line Assistant is one of the more practical recent additions. It generates suggestions based on your actual email content rather than a generic prompt, so the output tends to be relevant.

The value of the new Done For You plan depends heavily on what you're starting from. It's a reasonable option if you're migrating from another tool or launching email for the first time, but once the initial 30-day edit window closes, you're responsible for maintaining everything yourself.

AWeber: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Subscriber count

Lite

$15.00/month

$12.49/month

Up to 500

Plus

$30.00/month

$19.99/month

Up to 500

Done For You

$30.00/month + $79 setup fee

$20.00/month + $79 setup fee

Up to 500

The Lite plan gives you one email list, three landing pages, three automations, and up to three team members. It covers the basics for most new senders but carries a 1.0% transaction fee on ecommerce sales and excludes behavioral automation and advanced reporting.

Plus removes most of those limits: you get unlimited lists, automations, landing pages, and users, along with priority support and a reduced 0.6% transaction fee. Paying annually on Plus saves you roughly $120 per year at the base subscriber tier.

Done For You is AWeber's managed setup tier. It includes everything in Plus and adds a professional team that configures your account within seven days: an email template, two landing pages, a signup form, a welcome sequence, and a 1:1 setup call.

The $79 setup fee shown is a promotional rate, reduced from the standard $599 at the time of writing. Businesses with more than 100,000 subscribers need to contact AWeber directly through its large-account pricing page for a custom quote.

(Image credit: AWeber)AWeber: Features

Aweber provides a collection of 600+ email templates designed by professionals that you can edit to fit your brand. These templates make it easier to design appealing marketing emails instead of doing that from scratch. The platform also gives you access to thousands of free high-quality stock images or you can create your own images with Canva (without leaving your Aweber account).

Aweber's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to edit emails after selecting a template. You can also use it to design your own email template from scratch if you have the required skills.

This platform lets you send personalized emails using different data collected from your customers. You can also send automated emails based on specific triggers, e.g., a welcome email to anyone who signs up for your subscriber list.

The reports section of your Aweber account lets you monitor critical metrics about your marketing campaigns like deliverability, open rate, click-through rate, unsubscribe rate, etc.

Some more new features worth highlighting include the AI Subject Line Assistant (available on all paid plans), the AI Writing Assistant, the Newsletter Assistant, AWeber's Smart Designer tool, and a new Facebook Lead Ads integration.

(Image credit: AWeber)AWeber: Interface and use

Once you’ve completed the setup phase, AWeber makes it easy for you to find the key functions of the service: adding subscribers and creating emails.

Adding subscribers is an easy-to-follow, five-step process that begins by importing a file or copying and pasting your data, mapping that data to AWeber fields, confirming the opt-in message, adding tags, and then providing information about how the people came to be on your list.

Creating an email was a bit less intuitive, though. There are three options for creating emails: the drag-and-drop email builder, plain text message, and HTML editor. When choosing the drag-and-drop builder, we were presented with a blank canvas with a list of elements that could be added on the left and templates on the right.

The thumbnails for the templates are quite small, so to get a proper look at them, you have to apply them to your email. To start with, things didn’t seem to be working properly. Only part of the template seemed to be applied. It wasn’t until we unchecked a small box at the top that says “Keep My Message Content” that the whole template, including content and images, were applied. This is confusing and makes for a less than ideal user experience.

When you actually begin working on your own content, though, you’ll want to keep that box ticked.

AWeber: Support

AWeber has an impressive track record in support, having won several customer service awards in recent years. You can receive direct support either by live chat, which is available 24/7, by phone, which is available 8 AM to 8 PM ET, or by email.

For those wanting to learn themselves, there is a knowledge base with articles, a video tutorial library, live and on-demand webinars, and a certified experts program that connects you with experienced marketing and design professionals who can help you with copywriting, graphic design, or marketing strategy.

AWeber: Specs

Spec

Details

Email automations

3 on Lite; unlimited on Plus

AI tools

Subject Line Assistant on all paid plans

Ecommerce transaction fee

0.6% on Plus/Done For You; 1.0% on Lite

Support channels

24/7 chat, email, and phone on all plans

Template library

600+ pre-built email templates

Should I buy AWeber?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Core email tools are solid; automation depth remains limited on Lite

3.5/5

Performance

Stable infrastructure with decent deliverability, though below some rivals in independent testing

3.5/5

Design

600+ templates available, but the editor UX feels dated compared to newer platforms

3/5

Value

Reasonable entry price; costs compound quickly as subscriber counts grow

3/5

Buy it if

You need 24/7 phone support. AWeber includes phone support on all plans, not just premium tiers. For solo operators and small teams without in-house technical help, that accessibility makes a genuine difference compared to competitors that restrict phone access to enterprise customers.
You want a managed launch. The Done For You service sets up your email infrastructure, automations, and landing pages within a week, which is a rare offer in this space. It's particularly useful for businesses migrating from a different tool that don't want to rebuild everything from scratch.
You're new to email marketing. AWeber's onboarding is beginner-friendly, and the platform backs it up with tutorials, live webinars, and a certified expert network for users who want guided support at every stage.

Don't buy it if

Your automations need to branch. The Workflow builder handles basic trigger-based sequences well but doesn't support the complex conditional logic you'd get from tools like ActiveCampaign or Brevo. On the Lite plan, you're also capped at three workflows total.
You're watching costs as your list grows. At 10,000 subscribers, you're looking at $100/month on Lite or $135/month on Plus (monthly billing). That's considerably more than some comparable alternatives at the same subscriber volume.

Also consider

MailerLite: A cheaper alternative for creators and small businesses, with competitive pricing and a free plan supporting up to 1,000 subscribers. Its automation builder is more accessible for beginners, and the template designs feel more current than AWeber's.
Mailchimp: Worth considering if you need a wider template library and strong third-party integrations. Note that Mailchimp's free plan now caps at 500 contacts, down from the 2,000 cited in the previous version of this review.
Brevo: Formerly Sendinblue, Brevo is a stronger option if automation depth matters to you. It prices by email sends rather than subscriber count, which can work out cheaper for larger lists that you don't mail frequently.

AWeber: Final verdict

If having 24/7 support available is important to you, AWeber is worth considering as it does provide a high level of customer support. But it’s certainly not the cheapest option available, the user interface of its email builder isn’t as intuitive as it could be, and the design of its templates didn’t impress us much.

Having to manually keep on top of your unsubscribes to avoid being bumped up to more expensive plans is also not something busy business owners should be expected to do.

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Categories: Reviews

ActiveCampaign Review: Pros & Cons, Features, Ratings, Pricing and more

Thu, 04/30/2026 - 00:18

ActiveCampaign was founded in 2003 by Jason VandeBoom as a consulting firm before pivoting to software. Today it serves over 180,000 businesses across more than 170 countries, and positions itself as a full-stack autonomous marketing platform rather than just an email marketing tool. Its 2022 acquisition of Postmark, a transactional email service, expanded its reach into triggered notifications, receipts, and system emails.

The platform went through significant restructuring in 2024, replacing its legacy Lite/Plus/Professional/Enterprise plan structure with Starter, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise. CRM features that used to ship with core plans were moved into paid add-ons, which came as a surprise to many existing users at renewal. The bigger story of the past year has been Active Intelligence, launched in May 2025 — a system of AI agents that can write campaign emails, build multi-step automations, and interpret performance data from plain-language prompts.

There is one important billing change worth knowing about before you sign up. Since November 2025, ActiveCampaign accounts are now charged for every contact in their database, including unsubscribed and bounced contacts. Most email service providers only bill for active, marketable contacts, so this policy makes cost estimates less straightforward than the headline pricing suggests.

(Image credit: ActiveCampaign)My experience with ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign's onboarding has improved much recently. The platform asks you to define your goals early and recommends templates based on your business type, which reduces the initial overwhelm that used to affect new accounts.

Active Intelligence is the real headline addition, though. You can prompt it with something like "Build a three-email welcome series for new subscribers" and get a full automation draft with copy, timing, and branching logic within seconds. The output isn't always ready to publish, but it gives you a strong structural starting point.

However, the interface has a learning curve, particularly in the automation builder. The depth of available triggers, conditions, and actions is a genuine asset for experienced marketers but can feel excessive when you're starting out. I'd also note that the Starter plan's limits become obvious quickly: no landing pages, no generative AI, and no CRM functionality unless you upgrade or add on.

ActiveCampaign: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Contacts

Starter

$19/mo

$15/mo

1,000

Plus

$59/mo

$49/mo

1,000

Pro

$99/mo

$79/mo

1,000

Enterprise

$179/mo

$145/mo

1,000

There is no permanent free plan, but a 14-day trial is available on all tiers and is based on the Pro plan. New customers are also covered by a 30-day results guarantee: if you don't see results in your first month, you can request a full refund. Annual billing saves around 20% compared to paying month-to-month.

Beyond the base plan, costs can stack quickly.

CRM features like pipelines, deal management, and lead scoring are sold as separate add-ons (Pipelines or Sales Engagement) and aren't included in any core plan. SMS marketing is also an add-on, starting at around $16.83/month for 1,000 sends. Custom reporting and transactional email through Postmark are priced separately too.

Since November 2025, new accounts are billed for all contacts in their database, including unsubscribed and bounced contacts, which is a less common practice and can push costs higher than the starting rates imply.

(Image credit: ActiveCampaign)ActiveCampaign: Features

ActiveCampaign makes it easy to design emails by providing templates that users can choose from and edit to fit their tastes. The templates are designed by professionals, plus you can customize them using the platform's drag-and-drop editor. If you have good design skills, you can also use the drag-and-drop editor to design your own template from scratch.

You can use ActiveCampaign to send automated emails to your subscribers. For example, you can send welcome emails to every person who subscribes to your newsletter or schedule celebratory newsletters for events, holidays, and birthdays. You can even send targeted emails based on your contacts’ interaction with your website.

Moreover, you can create landing pages for your products with ActiveCampaign. The platform offers many templates to pick and choose from. Likewise, you can create signup forms and embed them on your website to gather more email addresses for your subscriber list.

But the biggest update is the addition of Active Intelligence, which includes 34+ specialized AI agents for campaign creation, automation building, segmentation, and performance analysis. It's available across all plan tiers as of 2026.

(Image credit: ActiveCampaign)ActiveCampaign: Interface and use

For the many tools that ActiveCampaign includes, we find the software well-organized and easy to navigate.

When you create a campaign, then next you can filter and segment lists for inclusion of only contacts. Additionally, this platform incorporates one of the most versatile drag-and-drop email designers that we’ve encountered. With a significant amount of control over how every content element displays, you can then decide whether a block should be only for contacts that meet certain conditions.

For setting up a marketing automation, you can then have hundreds of templates from which to choose. We appreciate that the visual designer is intuitive while offering highly flexible triggers and responses. By way of example, it tooks me a few minutes to connect ActiveCampaign to Slack, then triggering a message when a contact tag is updated.

ActiveCampaign: Support

Help is available for ActiveCampaign by sending them a message through the portal or live chat. The hours of operation in the US are Monday to Thursday from 6 am - 11 pm, CST and Friday from 6 am - 5:30 pm, CST, which means no help on the weekend and holidays.

All accounts come with free migration if you’re switching over from another CRM or email marketing service. In addition, Professional users get access to one-on-one training sessions and Enterprise users receive free phone support that is lacking in the lower tiers. We would have liked to see some additional methods of support, however, like direct email and live chat for entry-level users.

The company also has a very robust online knowledgebase, complete with video tutorials and a community forum. We found the help articles to be detailed, along with plenty of webinars like “Accelerated Onboarding,” and “The Digital Study Hall.”

ActiveCampaign: Specs

Spec

Details

Active Intelligence agents

34+ AI agents; all plan tiers

Email send limit

10x contacts on Starter; 15x on Enterprise

App integrations

1,000+ including Salesforce, Shopify

Should I buy ActiveCampaign?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Deep automation and AI agents; CRM costs extra

4/5

Performance

Reliable delivery; contact-based scaling

4/5

Design

Organized interface; steeper learning curve than rivals

3.5/5

Value

Competitive at low contact counts; expensive as lists grow

3/5

Buy it if

You need serious marketing automation. The visual automation builder and AI-assisted workflows are among the strongest available for small and midsized businesses, particularly if your customer journeys are multi-step or behavior-based.
Your contact list is under 5,000. The Starter and Plus plans offer fair value at lower contact counts. Above 10,000 contacts, you're looking at $149/month and up for Starter alone, and costs rise steeply from there.
You want AI to speed up campaign work. Active Intelligence can generate automations, draft campaign emails, and analyze performance data from conversational prompts. It's available on all plans, though the full set of capabilities sits behind Pro or Enterprise.

Don't buy it if

You need a CRM without paying extra. Pipelines, deal management, and sales automation are not included in any base plan. If your workflow depends on a built-in CRM, budget for the add-on on top of your subscription.
You're starting with a large or messy contact list. New accounts are now charged for all contacts, including inactive ones. A database with significant bounces or unsubscribes will cost more than the headline pricing suggests.
You want a free plan to start. ActiveCampaign has no permanent free tier. Brevo and Mailchimp both offer functional free plans for basic email marketing if cost is the primary constraint.

Also consider

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): Offers a free plan with up to 300 emails per day and no contact limit, making it a stronger fit if you're on a tight budget or prefer simpler pricing.
Mailchimp: More beginner-friendly, with a free tier for up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly sends. It lacks ActiveCampaign's automation depth but requires far less setup time.
Klaviyo: Worth considering for ecommerce stores. Its Shopify and WooCommerce integrations and revenue attribution tracking outperform ActiveCampaign's, and it offers a free plan for up to 250 contacts.

ActiveCampaign: Final verdict

ActiveCampaign is a platform with plenty of grunt as it combines the best aspects of email marketing along with a CRM. We like the unique features including automated email scheduling, agentic AI, and SMS marketing, and also does a nice job with standard tools like marketing automation and email design.

We think that the biggest downside to this platform is the higher price. A Plus or Professional plan can cost hundreds of dollars per month for a comparatively small number of contacts.

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Categories: Reviews

iContact Email Marketing Review: Pros & Cons, Features, Ratings, Pricing and more

Thu, 04/30/2026 - 00:01

iContact has been in the email marketing software business since 2003, co-founded by Ryan Allis and Aaron Houghton while both were students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The platform was built with a focus on making email marketing accessible to small businesses, a mission it has preserved even through multiple ownership changes.

Vocus acquired it in February 2012 for $169 million; following a 2014 merger with Cision, the combined company sold iContact to j2 Global for $49 million in January 2019. It now operates under the J2 Martech Corp umbrella and serves thousands of customers worldwide, including Habitat for Humanity and NASA.

The platform has come a long way from its earlier days. iContact now offers Standard and Premium paid plans, with Premium adding AI writing tools, unlimited automations, and social posting. A 30-day free trial replaced the old permanent free tier, giving you full access to the platform before any billing begins.

For small businesses with lists under 50,000 contacts, iContact covers the basics well. The drag-and-drop editor is clean and deliverability is reliable. The catch is that Standard limits you to one user, one automation, and one landing page, so the full value only becomes clear once you move to Premium.

(Image credit: iContact)My experience with iContact

Setting up iContact was very simple. I found the onboarding short and straightforward. The drag-and-drop editor is definitely among the cleaner ones at this price point, with blocks that snap into place automatically and a live mobile preview built into the UI. Its built-in stock image library is a nice practical touch for small teams without dedicated design resources.

The Standard plan feels more limited in practice than it looks on paper. Working with a single automation and one landing page is manageable for a solo operator, but it constrains any business with campaign ambitions beyond a basic welcome sequence.

Deliverability held up well in my testing, with very few messages landing in spam folders. For email marketing specifically, inbox placement matters more than most interface features when it comes to actual campaign results.

The Premium plan's AI Content Assistant is modest at 20 transcriptions per month, but it's a practical addition for small teams drafting occasional campaigns rather than running high-volume content operations. The social posting feature is a convenient bonus, though it won't replace a dedicated social tool for businesses that post frequently.

iContact: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Subscriber count

Standard

$9/month

$7.67/month

Up to 500

Premium

$16/month

$13.58/month

Up to 500

Custom

Contact sales

50,000+

iContact offers a 30-day free trial before any billing begins. Standard scales from $9/month at 500 contacts to $350/month at 50,000 contacts billed monthly, or the equivalent of $7.67 to $297.50 per month billed annually. Premium runs from $16/month to $399/month billed monthly, or $13.58 to $339.17 per month billed yearly.

Standard is a single-user plan limited to 1 automation, 1 landing page, 2 contact lists, 1 segment, and 250 MB of storage. Premium removes most of those restrictions, adding unlimited users, automations, landing pages, lists, and segments, along with social posting, Subject Line AI, an AI Content Assistant (20 transcriptions/month), an email verification add-on, phone support, and 500 MB of storage.

For lists above 50,000 contacts, iContact's Custom plan offers enterprise-level sending capacity and dedicated support. But pricing requires a conversation with iContact's sales team.

(Image credit: iContact)iContact: Features

iContact's drag-and-drop editor makes designing very easy. The platform offers a collection of email templates that you can pick and customize to fit your brand using the drag-and-drop editor. Emails that you build using the editor are optimized for both desktop and mobile displays without any extra effort from you.

If you have some programming chops, you can even edit the underlying HTML to make your emails look better. Subscribers on the Advanced plan also have access to a drag-and-drop editor for creating landing pages.

iContact lets you use automation triggers to send emails to customers based on specific conditions. For example, you can send an automatic welcome email to every person that signs up for your subscriber list. You can personalize these automated emails by including the recipient's name to make them more likely to respond.

Of course, you also need to be able to measure the performance of your campaigns. Fortunately, iContact provides analytical and reporting tools that monitor open rates, click-throughs, and bounce rates, among other things.

(Image credit: iContact)iContact: Interface and use

I found iContact’s email deliverability rate an improvement over most email marketing tools I’ve tried. Very few emails sent from this platform end up being sent to the abyss of the spam inbox.

Hundreds of licensed stock images are available to create a unique email for maximum impact, plus designing an email is straightforward with the drag-and-drop interface. However, the task is more challenging if you want to create an email from scratch instead of using a template.

iContact also has strong list management tools. It’s simple to create subsets of contact lists based on zip codes or signup dates. This platform also easily integrates with in excess of over 100 apps, including PayPal, Shopify, and Survey Monkey.

iContact: Support

iContact features a wealth of content to assist you become a better email marketer. There are over 100 professionally created webinars, videos, and guides to optimizing your PR, email designs, and campaigns that can help both novices and experts alike.

The professional content available via a blog, podcast, and email lookbook are excellent quality too, for example the webinar on “Head & Heart of Marketing: Why Your Emails MUST Have These 10 Things.” We also found excellent video walkthroughs of the software and training videos on every aspect of the portal.

For technical support, FAQs explain every part of the software for those looking for self help. Free plan users only have email support and a support portal to initiate contact. But, paid plan users can access live chat and phone support for direct contact, and are available Monday to Friday 9am –7pm EST.

iContact: Specs

Email editor

Drag-and-drop, mobile-optimized

Automations

1 (Standard); unlimited (Premium)

AI writing tools

Subject line + content; Premium only

App integrations

100+; includes Shopify and PayPal

Sending limits

10x–12x contacts per month

Should I buy iContact?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Core tools are solid; AI and social restricted to Premium

3.5/5

Performance

Reliable deliverability and consistent inbox placement

4/5

Design

Clean, intuitive editor with built-in mobile preview

4/5

Value

Competitive entry price; Standard plan is quite limited

3.5/5

Buy it if

You're a small business with a modest list. Standard starts at $9/month for 500 contacts, backed by a 30-day free trial that requires no credit card. For businesses just getting started with email marketing, it's a low-risk entry point with enough tools to run functional campaigns.
You want a clean setup without a steep learning curve. The drag-and-drop editor is approachable even without prior experience, and iContact's help resources cover most early questions before you ever need to contact support.
You need AI writing tools without adding a separate product. Premium includes Subject Line AI and an AI Content Assistant to draft copy faster, which saves time for small teams handling campaigns alongside other responsibilities.

Don't buy it if

You need more than one person managing campaigns. Standard is strictly single-user. The moment you need shared account access, you're on Premium, which more than doubles the starting cost.
You send frequently relative to your list size. Monthly sending limits of 10x contacts on Standard and 12x on Premium can be reached quickly by high-frequency senders, leading to overage charges on top of your subscription.
You need advanced segmentation from the start. Standard restricts you to one segment and two contact lists. Businesses that want to target subscribers based on behavior or purchase history will hit those limits quickly.

Also consider

Mailchimp: Worth considering for more sophisticated multi-step automation and deeper segmentation. Its free plan was cut significantly in January 2026 to just 250 contacts and 500 emails per month, making it impractical for most businesses. Paid plans start at $13/month (Essentials), with multi-step automation only unlocking on Standard at $20/month.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): Prices by email volume rather than contact count, which makes it more cost-effective for businesses with larger lists that send infrequently. The free tier supports 300 emails per day with up to 100,000 contacts stored, with no time limit. Paid plans start at $9/month for 5,000 monthly sends and include SMS alongside email on most tiers.
Constant Contact: Suits small businesses running event-driven campaigns or working in the nonprofit sector. The platform removed its permanent free plan in June 2025 and now offers a 14-day free trial plus a 30-day money-back guarantee. Paid plans start at $12/month for 500 contacts.

iContact: Final verdict

In summary, iContact offers a solid product, and is priced competitively. The excellent onboarding and comprehensive tutorials make it a solid choice for a small business starting out in email marketing, with tons of support articles, webinars, and blogs to support your ongoing growth. While some professional marketers might find the automation, segmentation, and metrics lack the detail required for large-scale, complex marketing plans, those with more modest goals are sure to be pleased with what iContact does better than most.

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Categories: Reviews

MailerLite email marketing software review

Wed, 04/29/2026 - 21:22

MailerLite is an email marketing platform built for small businesses, creators, and freelancers who want professional results without a steep learning curve. It covers the essentials — newsletter campaigns, automation workflows, landing pages, sign-up forms, and pop-ups.

Since the last couple of years, the platform has added a ton of meaningful updates: an AI writing assistant, a Smart Sending feature that optimizes delivery times for individual subscribers, and an MCP server that lets you control MailerLite through AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT.

There's also been a push toward improving monetization. MailerLite now lets you sell digital products, run paid newsletter subscriptions, and offer bookings directly through the platform. These aren't the deepest implementations you'll find, but for small operators who want everything in one place, they reduce the need to stitch together separate tools. The free plan still gives you a workable starting point, though the subscriber limit has dropped from 1,000 to 500 in 2026.

You can sign up for Mailerlite here.

My experience with MailerLite

MailerLite makes a solid first impression. Setup takes minutes, while the interface holds up well even as you start working with automations and segmentation. The drag-and-drop editor is one of the better ones we've tested at this price point. The AI writing assistant added in late 2023 is a useful drafting aid when you're stuck — it won't write campaigns for you, but it takes the edge off a blank page.

It mostly earns its reputation from making mid-tier features feel accessible. Automation workflows, A/B testing, and subscriber segmentation are all present without being buried. For a small business or solo creator, that combination is hard to argue with at these prices. The one structural caveat: Growing Business users max out at 50,000 subscribers, so larger lists move to Advanced or Enterprise territory.

There are more limitations worth flagging before you sign up. There's no built-in spam testing, so you'll need a third-party tool like Litmus if deliverability is critical to your workflow. The free plan's 500-subscriber cap is also more restrictive than several competitors, which may push new users toward a paid plan earlier than they'd expect. At least the 14-day trial of premium features gives you a fair window to evaluate before committing.

MailerLite: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Subscriber count

Free

$0/month

Up to 500

Growing Business

$10/month

$9/month

500-50,000

Advanced

$20/month

$18/month

500-500,000

Enterprise

Custom

100,000+

MailerLite has a free tier but with limited features. This tier supports a maximum of 12,000 monthly emails to 1,000 subscribers. It gives you access to basic features like a drag & drop email editor and email automation builder. You can also create sign-up forms and landing pages on this tier.

If you want more advanced features, you'll need a premium tier, and MailerLite offers three such tiers; Growing Business, Advanced, and Enterprise. The Growing Business plan costs $10 / £10 / AUD$15 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers and increases according to the number of subscribers. For example, 10,000 subscribers on this plan will cost $54 / £50 / AUD$79 per month and 50,000 subscribers will cost $239 / £210 / AUD$350 per month. This plan gives you access to sophisticated features like dynamic emails and auto-resend campaigns.

The Advanced plan costs $21 / £21 / AUD$30 per month for 1,000 subscribers and increases according to the number of subscribers. For example, 10,000 subscribers on this plan will run you $87 / £85 / AUD$125 per month and 50,000 subscribers will cost $289 / £270 / AUD$450 per month. This plan gives you a dedicated account manager, a dedicated IP address, and 24/7 live chat & email support among other features.

While the Advanced plan can be scaled up to 500,000 subscribers, businesses with over 100,000 subscribers can also opt for the Enterprise plan, which might offer better terms. You’ll have to contact MailerLite’s sales team for a custom quote.

MailerLite offers a 30-day free trial for each of its premium plans. You’ll also get a significant discount if you pay annually instead of monthly.

The MailerLite pricing tool shows how much the service will cost for your circumstances. (Image credit: MailerLite )MailerLite: Features

You can create email marketing campaigns with MailerLite using a drag-and-drop editor, rich text editor, or custom HTML editor. With a paid plan, you have access to 63 templates. They’re OK designs, but most of MailerLite’s competition offers more variety.

However, MailerLite goes beyond email newsletters with a robust set of tools for creating landing pages, forms, pop-ups, and even entire websites using a drag-and-drop editor. There are also strong campaign reports that can show you how many people have opened your emails based on their location.

You can optimize campaigns with A/B split testing, time zone delivery, personalization, and segmentation. We particularly like how easy it is to tweak and resend a campaign to people who didn’t open the email the first time.

MailerLite has an intuitive drag-and-drop email editor. (Image credit: MailerLite )MailerLite: Interface and use

We found MailerLite particularly intuitive to use. Its simple interface and well-designed editors meant we spent less time learning the product and more time actually marketing. MailerLite is organized so that features like automation workflows, the landing page editor, and segmentation aren’t a distraction when you don’t need them.

However, in our testing, MailerLite performed rather poorly in deliverability, achieving around 80% deliverability with a 20% chance of being flagged as spam. In comparison, Sendinblue achieved a 95% deliverability rate.

MailerLite has a relatively powerful email marketing automation system. (Image credit: MailerLite )MailerLite: Support

MailerLite provides direct support through email and live chat. Free-tier users have access to email support from Monday to Friday. Users on the Growing Business plan have access to 24/7 email support, while users on the Advanced and Enterprise plan have access to 24/7 live chat and email support.

Apart from direct support, every user can access MailerLite’s official Knowledge Base, which contains a plethora of articles concerning all the platform's features. For example, you can find manuals on how to integrate MailerLite with third-party apps or how to create and send email campaigns. There's also something called the MailerLite Academy, which provides free online courses for users to learn about email marketing.

If you need help with your email marketing efforts, MailerLite has a directory of vetted experts that you can hire for a fee.

MailerLite has context-sensitive help available on every page that can help with your current task. (Image credit: MailerLite )MailerLite: Specs

Spec

Details

AI writing assistant

Drafts copy in 30+ languages

MCP server

Connects to Claude, ChatGPT, others

Smart Sending

AI-optimized per-subscriber send times

Automation workflows

Multi-trigger, visual builder included

Monetization tools

Products, subscriptions, bookings built in

Should I buy MailerLite?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Solid core set with useful AI additions; automation depth lags behind ActiveCampaign

4/5

Performance

Deliverability has improved since 2023; but no native spam testing

3.5/5

Design

One of the cleanest editors in its price range; easy to pick up

4.5/5

Value

Competitive pricing and a usable free tier despite the tighter subscriber cap

4/5

Buy it if

You're building a list on a budget. MailerLite's free plan and low starting prices make it one of the more cost-effective entry points for email marketing. Growing Business at $9/month (billed annually) gives you a workable toolkit without a large upfront commitment.
You want to sell products without a separate platform. Digital product sales, paid newsletter subscriptions, and bookings are all built in. For creators who want a single tool rather than a cobbled-together stack, that's genuinely useful.
You're new to email marketing. The interface is approachable, and the automation builder doesn't require much ramp-up time. MailerLite Academy also offers free courses if you want structured guidance from the start.

Don't buy it if

You need a built-in CRM or deep sales automation. MailerLite is focused on email; it won't replace a proper CRM. ActiveCampaign or HubSpot are better options if sales pipeline management is part of the equation.
Your list is approaching 50,000 and you're price-sensitive. Growing Business caps at 50K subscribers. Beyond that, you move to Advanced pricing, which is meaningfully higher. Use the pricing calculator on MailerLite's website before committing.
Deliverability testing matters to your workflow. There's no built-in spam testing tool, and you can't preview emails as a specific subscriber before sending. You'll need to budget for a third-party tool like Litmus if that's a priority.

Also consider

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue). Brevo charges by email volume rather than subscriber count, making it cheaper for large lists that send infrequently. It also includes SMS marketing and a basic CRM in the same platform.
Mailchimp. More templates and deeper third-party integrations than MailerLite, though pricing climbs quickly as your list grows. A better fit if you need extensive e-commerce integrations or detailed audience analytics.
Kit (formerly ConvertKit). Built for creators and newsletter operators. It offers stronger monetization and audience segmentation tools, though it costs more than MailerLite at comparable subscriber counts.

MailerLite: Final verdict

The developers of MailerLite have done a marvelous job of streamlining and simplifying marketing processes, making for a highly intuitive product that’s easy to use. Though professional marketers might find the reporting and automation tools lack a few of the more advanced features of tools like Infusionsoft, most small businesses, freelancers, bloggers, and beginners will find MailerLite has more than enough power and versatility for their email marketing campaigns.

We've also listed the best Q&A polling platforms for customer feedback.

Categories: Reviews

Wix Email Marketing review 2025

Wed, 04/29/2026 - 17:32

Wix Email Marketing is the built-in email tool for Wix website owners, accessible from the Marketing & SEO section of your dashboard. It launched as Wix ShoutOut in 2014, passed through a stint as part of the Wix Ascend Business Suite, and became a standalone product in 2023 after Ascend was discontinued. Now, it's a focused product that handles campaign creation, contact management, and basic automation.

The free plan lets you send up to 200 emails per month with Wix branding on all outgoing messages. Paid plans start at $10/month on annual billing (or cheaper with one of our Wix promo codes) and add more send volume, scheduling, AI-assisted copywriting, and the option to remove Wix's logo from your emails.

The platform won't replace a dedicated email marketing platform for a business with complex needs, but for anyone already building on Wix, the setup friction is minimal. Wix consistently ranks as our best website builder pick year after year, so this is an advantage worth considering. All paid plans also come with a 14-day money-back guarantee, which our previous review didn't mention.

(Image credit: Wix)My experience with Wix Email Marketing

Getting started is fast if you're already on Wix. The tool sits in your existing dashboard, pre-configured and ready to use without any separate account setup. The drag-and-drop editor is clean and familiar, with around 20 templates organized by campaign type: newsletters, promotions, and product announcements among others. Certain elements are tied to the template structure, so fully custom designs can feel constrained.

The AI copywriting feature, available on paid plans, generates subject lines and email body text from a short prompt. The output tends to be generic without specific business details, so it works better as a first draft than a finished result.

Automation is functional but limited: Wix configures triggers automatically based on your site type, so an ecommerce store gets order confirmations and cart abandonment flows, while a blog gets post notification emails. Building multi-step customer journeys or custom logic isn't supported.

Analytics gives you open rates, click rates, and delivery stats in real time, but there's no A/B testing, no heat maps, and no revenue attribution unless you're on the Advanced plan with a Wix Store. For a small business sending a few hundred emails per month, that coverage is usually adequate. Once you need to optimize campaigns using performance data, the reporting here won't give you much to work with.

Wix Email Marketing: Pricing & plans

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Monthly email limit

Free

200

Essentials

$12/month

$10/month

500

Core

$29/month

$24/month

5,000

Advanced

N/A

$49/month

1,000,000

As of 2026, Wix Email Marketing offers a free plan and three paid tiers that are separate from Wix website builder plans. The free plan covers 200 emails per month with the drag-and-drop editor and templates. All outgoing emails carry Wix branding, with no scheduling available on this tier. The Essentials plan ($10/month annually) removes branding, adds scheduling, and unlocks AI copywriting.

Core ($24/month annually) raises the monthly send limit to 5,000 and adds multiple sender addresses and shareable web campaign links. The Advanced plan, available only on annual billing at $49/month, raises the cap to one million emails per month.

All paid plans include a 14-day money-back guarantee on the initial paymen, and Wix prices by email volume rather than subscriber count, so a large contact list with infrequent sends won't push you to a higher tier. These email marketing plans are separate from Wix's website plans, so budget for both if you're building a full setup.

Wix Email Marketing: Features

Wix Email Marketing features an easy-to-use drag-and-drop email editor, much like its website builder. Users can pick from about 20 ready-made templates for different needs or start fresh. They can customize colors, fonts, and backgrounds to fit their brand. The platform includes AI tools to create catchy email text quickly. It also supports multimedia like videos, images, buttons, and product listings linked to your ecommerce site. All templates work well on both desktop and mobile, ensuring a consistent look.

The service allows for basic automation of triggered emails based on customer actions. Wix sets up relevant automations automatically based on your website features. For example, store owners get payment confirmation emails, while bloggers receive notifications about new posts. Analytics tools track delivery rates, open rates, and clicks in real time. This helps users see what content works best and improve future campaigns. The platform allows customer segmentation for focused messaging. However, advanced options are limited compared to specialized email marketing services. Business users can add company details, taglines, and logos to their emails for consistent branding.

(Image credit: Wix)Wix Email Marketing: Setup

Setting up Wix Email Marketing is easy, especially for existing users. You can find the tool in the Email Marketing section of the dashboard under Marketing & SEO. Start by choosing a pre-designed template or creating a campaign from scratch. The template library has options for promoting products, sending newsletters, or announcing special offers. The system guides you step-by-step with clear instructions and visuals, making it user-friendly for beginners.

The creation process is simple: first, design the email using the drag-and-drop editor. Then, select recipients either individually or by segments. You can preview and test the email if you want. Finally, publish and send or schedule the campaign.

A key feature for Wix owners is automatic contact collection. The system gathers contacts from your website, including ecommerce customers and form submissions, making it easier to build your email list. But the platform also suggests filtering out inactive contacts before sending campaigns to maintain good deliverability rates.

Wix Email Marketing: Support

Wix Email Marketing uses the same customer support system as Wix. There is no dedicated support for the email tool. All users can access the Help Center, which has detailed articles on using email features, from creating campaigns to maintaining lists. The Email Marketing page also has a thorough FAQ section. This section answers common questions about file types, sharing options, and usage rights.

For direct help, Wix provides 24/7 customer support for all paid plans. Users can submit tickets, request callbacks, or use chat support in over ten languages. Subscribers to the higher-tier Business Elite plan ($159/month) get priority support, faster response times, and a direct phone service hotline.

Wix Email Marketing: Specs

Drag-and-drop editor

Around 20 templates, mobile-ready

AI copywriting

Subject lines and email body copy

Automation triggers

Site type and action-based

Contact segmentation

Filter by behavior, location, and tags

Analytics

Open, click, and delivery rate tracking

Should I buy Wix Email Marketing?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Covers the basics well, but no A/B testing or complex automation

3.5/5

Performance

Reliable delivery with real-time campaign tracking

4/5

Design

Clean editor, good template variety, mobile-ready output

4/5

Value

Free plan is generous; paid pricing is fair for Wix users

4.5/5

Buy it if

You're already building on Wix. The tool is embedded in your existing dashboard with no separate account or integration required. It's the simplest way to add email to a Wix site without managing another subscription.
You're sending your first email campaigns. The guided setup and pre-configured automations mean you can get a campaign out the door quickly, even without any marketing background.
Your list is large but your send frequency is low. Wix prices by email volume rather than contact count, so a big list you email infrequently won't push you to a higher tier.

Don't buy it if

You need A/B testing or multi-step automation. Those features aren't available on any Wix Email Marketing plan, and working around the gaps is clunky.
Your site isn't on Wix. This tool only works within the Wix ecosystem and can't connect to external websites or other platforms.
Your list is growing fast. The jump from 500 emails on Essentials to 5,000 on Core comes with a significant price increase, with nothing in between for businesses at an awkward middle stage.

Also consider

Mailchimp: A dedicated email platform with A/B testing, advanced segmentation, and deeper analytics. The free plan covers up to 500 contacts with 1,000 sends per month and works with any website platform.
Brevo: A strong pick for businesses that need email, SMS, and transactional messaging under one roof. The free plan allows 300 emails per day with no contact limit, and it connects to Wix via the app marketplace.
Omnisend: Built for ecommerce, with native support for cart abandonment, product review requests, and SMS campaigns alongside email. It integrates directly with Wix Stores through the Wix App Market.

Wix Email Marketing: Final verdict

Wix Email Marketing is an easy-to-use tool, helping cement Wix's position as one of the best small business website builders. Its biggest strengths include a simple interface, smooth integration with websites, and fair pricing.

Even free users can start email marketing campaigns with ease. AI content creation helps those who struggle to write engaging copy. Plus, automated setup processes make it friendly for marketing newbies. For existing site owners, it’s a great way to begin email marketing without a steep learning curve. The platform has enough features for basic promotional needs.

However, Wix Email Marketing has some drawbacks compared to dedicated services like Mailchimp or AWeber. Advanced users may find its automation options limited. Creating complex customer journeys or triggered campaigns can be a challenge. While customization meets basic needs, it lacks the depth seen in specialized platforms. The free plan is good for testing, but email limits on lower-tier paid plans could hinder growth. The jump from 500 emails on the Essentials plan to 5,000 on the Core plan is a big price jump for scaling.

All in all, Wix Email Marketing is best for small to medium-sized businesses already using Wix. It’s great for those who value ease of use and integration over advanced features. It works well for businesses starting their email marketing journey. However, companies with more complex needs or larger subscriber lists might find it lacking.

(Image credit: Wix)

Categories: Reviews

Shark's SilkiPro Straight made my curly hair shine bright –I just wish it was easier to use

Wed, 04/29/2026 - 08:47

Shark SilkiPro Straight review: two-minute review

The Shark SilkiPro Straight is a wet-to-dry hair straightener that combines a dryer fan, ceramic plates and three interchangeable combs in a single product. It launched in February 2026 and costs £249.99 in the UK and $249.99 in the US.

At this price, it's the most affordable entry in the growing wet-to-dry styler category. It's significantly cheaper than the GHD Duet Style at £379 / $429 and the Dyson Airstrait at £449.99 / $499.99, plus it's the only one of the three to include a range of attachments and accessories as standard.

It isn't the most intuitive styler. The grip takes some getting used to, and the location of the combs requires some deliberate – at times awkward – positioning. Working in small sections is non-negotiable if you want a consistent finish or you don't want to trap your hair and pull it out with each pass.

If you can get past this, though, the results are great. The SilkiPro consistently made my fine, mid-length, naturally curly hair look shiny and frizz-free when used in Wet mode. This mode is designed to dry and straighten your hair straight from the shower.

It's not the fastest entrant in our best hair dryer list, taking as long as 8.5 minutes for a standard styling session. As a result, it's unlikely to save you a lot of time compared to drying and straightening separately, but it is more convenient. Dry mode works well enough as a finishing step, but it's technically a glorified ceramic straightener, and a large, awkward, and clunky one at that.

The three interchangeable combs are where the SilkiPro really earns its crust, especially if you have curly or coily hair. The wide-tooth comb rough-dries and detangles from the roots on very wet hair; the gentle comb gives a softer, more natural straight; the precision comb delivers a sleek, flat finish. No competitor offers anything like this, and it feels like a feature designed with natural hair in mind, rather than an afterthought.

Elsewhere, the Shark SilkiPro's motion-sensing auto-pause, which cuts airflow after three seconds when you stop moving, is useful in theory but annoying in practice. It interrupts the rhythm, and the constant shift in noise levels as the airflow speeds up, slows down, and stops gets old quickly. At 70dB on high, it's obviously louder than a non-airflow straightener but quieter than a full-power hairdryer.

For fine or straight hair, there are simpler, cheaper tools that will do the same job as the Shark SilkiPro. However, for curly or coily hair where wet-to-dry styling genuinely changes the routine, it's a well-priced, well-equipped choice.

Shark SilkiPro: price & availability

Price: £249.99 (UK) / $249.99 (US)
Launch date: February 2026
Availability: UK / US

At £249.99 in the UK and $249.99 in the US, the SilkiPro Straight is the most affordable entry in the growing wet-to-dry straightener market, by quite some margin.

It's sold directly from Shark as well as third-party retailers, including Amazon and Boots. It's currently available in two colors, called Plum Satin and Rose Petal in the UK, and Rose and Plum in the US. A Turquoise Wave model is also in the works.

Both the UK and US versions ship with the styler plus three attachments: a wide-tooth comb, gentle comb, and precision comb. The UK model also has a heat-resistant storage pouch in the box, but the US version doesn't.

At this price, the SilkiPro Straight is almost half the price of the Dyson Airstrait at £449.99 / $499.99, and more than £100 cheaper than the £379 / $429 GHD Duet Style, which are the most like-for-like 2-in-1 stylers to the Shark SilkiPro. All three take hair from wet to dry, but they go about it slightly differently.

The GHD Duet Style uses heated plates with airflow to deliver the glossiest finish of the three. The Dyson Airstrait has no plates and instead sends high-pressure air through narrow gaps to straighten the hair for a softer, more natural result.

The Shark uses the same plates-plus-airflow approach as GHD but undercuts both it and the Dyson on price. And it's the only one to include interchangeable combs.

The SilkiPro Straight does enough to justify its price, particularly for anyone with curly or coily hair who'd genuinely use the wet-to-dry features every day. If you already have fine or straight hair, you may not see the full value of all of its features – and a cheaper dryer and/or straightener will suffice – but you will appreciate the all-in-one design for a lower price than its rivals.

Viewed from above (pictured), the size difference between the wide-tooth comb and the two narrower smoothing combs shipped with the Shark SilkiPro Straight is clear (Image credit: Future)

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Shark SilkiPro: specs

Model:

Shark SilkiPro Straight

Wattage:

1,000W

Weight (without cord, approx):

1.72lbs / 780g

Size (H x W x L, approx):

12.05 x 2.19 x 1.54in / 30.61 x 5.56 x 3.91cm

Airflow settings:

Temperature settings:

Extra modes:

Wet mode plate (212-248 F / 100-120C); Dry mode plate (320-428F / 160-220C);

Noise level

70dB average

Attachments:

Wide-Tooth Comb, Gentle Comb, Precision Comb, Pouch (UK only)

Cord length:

8ft / 2.4m

Shark SilkiPro review: design

Larger and heavier than a regular flat iron
Three interchangeable combs for different hair types
Split controls for airflow and temperature

The gold power button and wet/dry mode toggle (pictured) sit at the base of the SilkiPro Straight, with the airflow and temperature buttons stacked above them on the lower body (Image credit: Future)

There's very little that's subtle about the Shark SilkiPro Straight, from the color to its shape and features.

The top of the body looks like a conventional flat iron with ceramic plates controlled by a hinge, but the chassis is noticeably wider to accommodate both the comb track that runs along the side and the air vents that direct airflow down through the plates.

The main part of the handle sits just below the hinge and just above a vented grille, and the control buttons are stacked along the side of the lower body into two rows.

Along the top row is where you select the SilkiPro's three airflow settings, cycling through them in order. Below this is the button to cycle through the three heat settings, and the wet/dry mode toggle sits at the bottom alongside the gold power button. On the opposite side of the arm is a lock switch that keeps the plate closed when being stored.

The specific temperatures of the plate's heat settings depend on whether you're in Wet or Dry mode.

Wet mode: 212-248F / 100-120C
Dry mode: 320-428F / 160-220C

In Wet mode, which is designed for use on hair that's at least 70% dry after rough-drying from the roots, the plates run between 212F / 100C and 248F / 120C.

Dry mode, which is used for finishing and touch-ups on already-dry hair, runs the plates much hotter – between 320F / 160C and 428F / 220C – and works like a conventional ceramic straightener.

The lilac faux-leather storage pouch (pictured) is included in the UK box and houses the SilkiPro Straight, as well as pockets for the three comb attachments (Image credit: Future)

Temperature

Wet Mode

Dry Mode

High

120C / 248F

220C / 428F

Medium

110C / 230F

190C / 374F

Low

100C / 212F

160C / 320F

The gold cool-touch strip (pictured) runs along the top of the SilkiPro Straight body, providing a safe place to grip during use (Image credit: Future)

I reviewed the Plum Satin model, which has a two-tone purple/lilac matte body with gold cool-touch strip, gold-toned ceramic plates, and a matching cord. It's a fun, if slightly cheap-looking, mix that stands out in a sea of traditionally white-and-black stylers, but won't suit everyone.

On first glance, I assumed the two-tone design was purely aesthetic, but it acts as a reference point when styling your hair to show which direction the air is flowing.

The gold lock switch (pictured) sits between the two arms of the SilkiPro Straight to keep the plates closed when not in use or when traveling (Image credit: Future)

The three combs – wide-tooth, gentle, and precision – clip into a track that runs along the back of the tool, locking in with an audible click. When attached, they sit flush to the styler, which not only keeps them close to the plates but doesn't add more to the chunkiness of the overall design. As they only sit on one side of the styler, you need to be very deliberate about how you hold and use the SilkiPro. This can take a lot of getting used to.

Swapping between the combs is easy, although Shark stressed you shouldn't change combs immediately after using Dry mode, as the hot plates may burn your hands.

The wide-tooth comb attachment (pictured) is designed for use on very wet hair to rough-dry roots and detangle thick, curly, or coily hair before straightening (Image credit: Future)

In terms of weight, at 1.72lbs / 780g, the SilkiPro is heavier than a standard flat iron, and you can feel it, particularly during longer styling sessions.

The swivel cord helps reduce wrist strain, and the cool-touch gold strip gives you a reliable place to grip, but with such a small handle and a top-heavy design, it's not the most comfortable styler to maneuver.

Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Shark SilkiPro review: performance

Delivers smooth, frizz-free results quickly
Auto-pause airflow can be annoying
Dry mode doesn't offer more than a conventional flat iron

Although it looks simple enough, the SilkiPro Straight isn't the most intuitive styler to use.

Its larger size and the specific location of the combs and airflow mean the grip and positioning don't come naturally. You also have to work in small sections to make sure you not only get a consistent finish, but also don't trap hair outside of the plates. Once you've mastered all that, it's a great styler, if a little slow and awkward at times.

In Wet mode, the mix of airflow and plates does a good job of drying and straightening at the same time, with impressive results on my naturally curly hair. Even without a comb attached. It gave me shiny, sleek and frizz-free hair every time, but having to meticulously move around your head in small sections means it's not a quick job.

During my tests, it took as much as 8.5 minutes to dry my entire head of fine, mid-length hair on the fastest airflow and heat setting. For comparison, most dryers I've tested average around five minutes.

The precision comb attachment (pictured) clips into the track along the side of the SilkiPro Straight and is designed for a sleek, flat finish with maximum control (Image credit: Future)

The wide-tooth comb is the best place to start on very wet hair, rough-drying the roots while stretching and detangling before you begin straightening. Switching to the gentle or precision comb for the straightening pass creates a clean finish.

In addition to angling the airflow so it blasts up at the roots, and thus adds volume, you can also use the SilkiPro like a standard dryer. Without any hair inside, close the plates to activate the air, and angle the flow at your roots or anywhere you want to quickly blast away water.

Dry mode works well as a finishing step for smoothing flyaways, but at that point, it's effectively just a regular straightener – albeit a larger, less comfortable one.

A built-in HeatSense sensor reads the plate temperature 1,000 times per second and automatically adjusts the heat based on how much moisture remains in the hair, applying less heat when it's wetter and more as it dries.

Shark goes quite hard on the benefit of its motion-sensing auto-pause feature, which cuts airflow after three seconds when you stop moving it. In theory, this sounds great. In practice, it's annoying. Pausing to clip away a finished section is enough to trigger the auto-pause, and the interrupted rhythm gets old quickly. Not to mention the constant change in noise levels between the motor sound when the plates are open, the airflow noise when the plates are closed, and the constant on and off of the auto-pause.

Speaking of which, noise is reasonable for a tool with a built-in fan. It's obviously louder than a straightener that doesn't have an airflow option – averaging at 70dB – but it's quieter than most hairdryers, even at full power.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

How I tested the Shark SilkiPro review

I tested the Shark SilkiPro Straight over four weeks, using it as my go-to styling tool on both wash days and when I wanted to style second-day hair.

I tried all three combs across a range of scenarios, starting with the wide-tooth comb on freshly washed hair to rough-dry and detangle from the roots; moving to the gentle comb for straightening, and finishing with the precision comb on dry mode to lock in the style.

I tested the 2-in-1 styler on damp hair at varying levels of dryness to get a sense of how the heat-sensing plates worked, and paid particular attention to how the results compared to my usual two-step routine of hairdryer followed by straighteners. I also tested it on dry hair in ry mode alone, using it as I would a standalone flat iron.

Throughout, I noted how easy it was to use, noise levels using the DecibelX app, and the finish and hold.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed April 2026

Categories: Reviews

I tested the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II, and it's flawless — now I’m desperate to upgrade from my trusty DSLR original

Wed, 04/29/2026 - 07:00

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: One-minute review

Hot on the heels of the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II, Nikon has delivered its second mark II lens for its Z-mount mirrorless cameras — and the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II is another 5-star success.

The pro telephoto zoom builds on the original Z 70-200mm by being much lighter (and a fraction smaller), featuring a totally removable Arca-Swiss compatible tripod collar, and offering better close-focusing skills and a new optical design which improves image quality in various ways, especially bokeh.

I found the pricier Sony 50-150mm F2 GM a more exciting telephoto zoom to test, but there's no such lens for Nikon cameras yet; and, overall, it's hard to find fault with Nikon's latest stellar 70-200mm f/2.8. While it easily joins the ranks of essential Nikon lenses there is a big jump in price — it costs $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399, where its predecessor cost around $2,600 / £2,600 / AU$5,100 at launch, and that lens is now available for less.

The Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II alongside the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 G ED VR II designed for Nikon's F-mount DSLRs. They're essentially the same size, but the new mirrorless lens is much lighter (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Is the new lens worth the extra? For me, yes. My own 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II for Nikon DSLRs was my most-used lens for weddings and portraiture work, and it has paid for itself time and again over its years of heavy use.

When I made the switch from DSLR to mirrorless, I continued using that lens via an adapter, such is its quality and versatility for paid work, until the day I could consider upgrading to its Z-mount successor.

The Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S was enticing, but I didn't see enough of an upgrade over my DSLR lens to make it worth splashing out. The mark II version, with its new optical design and lightweight body, is the upgrade I've been wanting all along, especially for long shoot days.

Nikon has squeezed every bit of quality in can into a lightweight successor to what was already a stellar telephoto zoom, and I expect many pro Nikon photographers to buy, and rely on it for years to come.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: Price and availability

Costs $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399
Two tripod collars and a lens hood included

At $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399, the mark II version costs a lot more than the current price of the original, which is now available for around $2,397 / £2,379 at leading retailers, or closer to $2,100 / £2,100 / AU$4,000 secondhand.

I think the weight savings and improved optical design with better close-focusing are worth the extra outlay, and Nikon lenses often receive healthy price cuts soon after launch, too — for example, the 24-70mm f/2.8 mark II briefly saw a 10% saving, so the 70-200mm's pricing might become a moot point soon enough.

In the box, Nikon includes the (removable) tripod collar, a foot-less collar, plus a lens hood which features a sliding door for easy access to attached filters and adjustments a breeze; the lens accepts 77mm threaded filters.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: specsNikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II specs

Type:

Telephoto zoom

Mount:

Nikon Z

Sensor:

Full-frame

Focal length:

70-200mm

Max aperture:

f/2.8

Minimum focus:

0.38m (70mm) / 0.8m (200mm),

Max reproduction

0.3x at 70mm / 0.25x at 200mm

Filter size:

77mm

Dimensions:

3.6 x 8.2 inches / 90 x 208mm

Weight:

2.2lbs / 998g (or 2.6lbs / 1,180g with the tripod collar attached)

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: design

The lightest 70-200mm f/2.8 lens available, weighing just 2.2lbs / 998g
Tripod collar is fully removable, and you'll save 182g of weight when you don't need it
Multiple function buttons and a customizable control ring, but no display

Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

Size-wise, the 70-200mm mark II measures up similarly to Nikon's previous offerings. It's slightly smaller than the mark I for Z-mount, but slightly bigger than the version for DSLRs (see my photo comparison above). However, there is a big weight saving.

The Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II weighs 2.2lbs / 998g, or 2.6lbs / 1,180g with the tripod collar attached — the latter for me is more often how I would set a lens like this up even without using a tripod, because the collar provides an easy hold of the lens between shots. Even factoring in the tripod collar, that's over 25% lighter than other Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses (the mark I weighs 1,360g without collar and 1,440g with it, while the DLSR version is a fraction heavier again), and the lightest lens of its kind for any lens mount.

The tripod foot is now Arca-Swiss compatible, which is probably the most popular tripod-plate type. Don't need the tripod collar? There's a 182g weight saving to be gained by removing it, and Nikon also supplies a lighter foot-less collar that can go in its place. For shoots when you know you won't be using a tripod, that's a decent weight reduction that will be appreciated over long hours lugging around gear (although, as I said, I prefer keeping the tripod collar attached).

I like holding the a large lens like a 70-200mm f/2.8 by its tripod collarFuture / Tim ColemanBut you can also swap it out for a foot-less collar, thus shedding some weight and bulk.Future / Tim Coleman

One chief reason for the weight saving is the new optical design. Nikon has done away with three lens elements: the mark II has 18 elements in 16 groups, while the mark I has 21 elements in 18 groups.

With a simpler optical design, you might expect a compromise in terms of image quality, but the opposite is true — I'll talk more about image quality in the performance section below. There are also 11 aperture blades, versus nine blades in the other two 70-200mm lenses, and inevitably, the additional blades will form a more rounded diaphragm for pleasant and smoother bokeh — again more on this below.

Close focusing has been improved too — it's 0.38m at 70mm and 0.8m at 200mm, delivering a 0.3x maximum magnification at 70mm, compared to 0.2x in the mark I. For a telephoto zoom such as this, those are impressive close-focusing skills — not quite in the realm of macro photography, but easily versatile enough to capture little details sharply, such as wedding rings.

Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

As for build quality, the lens is exactly what you would hope for from a pro optic: it's rugged and weather-resistant, equipped with lightning fast autofocus motors, and packed with a suite of external controls, including clicked aperture control and a customizable control ring.

The supplied lens hood now features a door which slides open for easy access to threaded filters — that's a handy addition for circular polarizer and variable ND filter users, because these (often essential) filters require rotating to adjust strength and you would otherwise have to remove the lens hood to access them.

The only thing that's arguably missing is a digital display for the lens settings, nor are there focus-distance markings, meaning you'll need to check the camera's displays if you need such information. The former could be helpful, but it would add weight to the lens.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: Performance

Practically no lens distortions at any focal length or aperture setting
Dreamy circular bokeh, especially at 200mm
Speedy and practically silent autofocus

The 70-200mm mark II is ideal for wildlife photography (of confident subjects)...Future / Tim Coleman...close up photography...Future / Tim Coleman...and portraiture.Future / Tim ColemanIt's even effective for street photography...Future / Tim Coleman...and landscape photographyFuture / Tim Coleman

I've tried the lens at every key focal length and aperture setting, and I've struggled to find a single optical weakness; it's pin sharp even at f/2.8, and lens distortions are extremely well controlled.

Take the scene below, with dappled background light. It's a testing scenario for any lens, but chromatic aberration, flare, ghosting and vignetting are all well controlled, even with the aperture set to f/2.8 — the widest aperture, which is typically where lens distortions are most obvious.

Bokeh is dreamy too, especially with the lens set to 200mm. It's more defined (read: smaller) at 70mm — that's to be expected at a wider focal length. Only an even wider maximum aperture at 70mm, say f/2, would make bokeh a similar size to what we get at 200mm. Ultimately, the more you zoom in, the bigger bokeh gets. You can see below how bokeh changes at the wide and telephoto settings as I reduce aperture from f/2.8 to f/4, f/5.6, f/8 and f/11.

200mm f/2.8Future / Tim Coleman200mm f/4Future / Tim Coleman200mm f/5.6Future / Tim Coleman200mm f/8Future / Tim Coleman200mm f/11Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/2.8Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/4Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/5.6Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/8Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/11Future / Tim Coleman

I've really appreciated the improved maximum magnification which now goes up to 0.3x, if you make the most of the lens' 0.38m minimum focus distance at 70mm, or up to 0.25x at 200mm. I'm often wanting to photograph little details, and the mark II lens is more versatile than the previous-generation lens for such tasks.

It's also a supremely fast lens for autofocusing — the exotically named Silky Swift VCM (voice coil motors) make light work of the moving 18 lens elements precisely for accurate, lightning quick and practically silent autofocus. Nikon says it's up to 3.5x faster than the previous 70-200mm lens and 50% quieter, plus focus tracking while zooming is 40% more effective.

The lens provides 6-stop vibration reduction image stabilization, which pairs effectively with sensor-based stabilization in pro mirrorless cameras such as the Nikon Z8 (which I paired with the lens for this test). For example, I've been able to get sharp handheld shots at 200mm using shutter speeds as slow as 1/4 sec (though not every time).

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II sample imagesFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanShould you buy the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II?Buy it if...

You want the very best and lightest Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
There's enough reason to upgrade to the mark II from the DSLR equivalent (adapted on mirrorless) or the mark I — it's notably lighter, more versatile, and optically superior.

You regularly shoot weddings and events
For long shoot days, especially event photography, Nikon's 70-200mm mark II feels like an essential for the kit bag.

Don't buy it if...

You don't mind the extra weight of the mark I and cheaper alternatives
The weight saving is a key upgrade, so if you don't consider the mark I too heavy, you might as well stick with it.

You mainly shoot portraiture
Events, weddings, and sports / widlife with a 2x teleconverter are where the 70-200mm f/2.8 mark II excels. If you need a bokeh king for portraits, then a faster-aperture prime, like Nikon's 85mm f/1.2, is the way to go.

How I tested the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Nikon loaned me a sample unit for four weeks, and I used it with the Nikon Z8
I've taken identical photos at 70mm and 200mm, adjusting only aperture throughout the sequence to compare image quality
I've shot street photography, portraits, landscapes, closeups and more

I was fortunate to get a long review period with the 70-200mm lens, and to be able to use it with Nikon's pro Z8 mirrorless camera. During this time, I had a week-long trip to China where I was able to use the gear in wide-ranging scenarios; at night for street photography, taking portraits and so on.

When I test lenses, I make sure all in-camera lens corrections are turned off. I shoot in RAW & JPEG format and compare files between uncorrected raws and processed JPEGs, which allows me to check for lens distortions, such as vignetting and chromatic aberration.

By taking a sequence of identically composed images at the wide and telephoto settings of the lens, beginning at f/2.8 and cycling through the aperture range in full stops, I can see which settings are best for quality, plus how bokeh looks and changes at various apertures.

First reviewed April 2026

Categories: Reviews

beehiiv review 2026

Wed, 04/29/2026 - 04:27

beehiiv launched in 2021, founded by former Morning Brew engineers who built the platform around what actually drives newsletter growth: cross-promotion, referrals, and monetization without fees. That origin story shows up clearly in the product. If you've been looking for a beehiiv review, you might also want to weigh it against Substack or Kit — two platforms with very different philosophies on how (and how much) to charge creators.

We've been reviewing email marketing software at TechRadar since 2012, covering platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign, and more. What distinguishes beehiiv in that group is the combination of a newsletter publishing environment, a web presence builder, and a monetization layer that most ESPs simply don't offer.

My experience with beehiiv

(Image credit: beehiiv)

Getting started on beehiiv is fast. You can be publishing within minutes of signing up, with no credit card required on the free plan. The onboarding flow asks you about your newsletter topic and helps you configure a basic website, which is a nice touch that sets expectations early: beehiiv treats your newsletter as a publication, not just an email blast.

For solo creators, especially, the value is hard to argue with at the free tier. You get a custom domain, unlimited email sends, campaign analytics, and a podcast channel, all before paying anything. The caveat is that key monetization features, including the ad network and paid subscriptions, require upgrading to Scale.

beehiiv review: Features

(Image credit: beehiiv)

beehiiv's feature set is clearly built around newsletter publishers rather than email marketers. You get subscriber segmentation, an audience referral program, Boosts (a cross-promotion network where you earn per new subscriber from recommendations), and an in-platform ad network that starts matching you with advertisers once you hit around 1,000 subscribers. These features work together as a growth engine rather than a checklist of add-ons.

The platform added AI writing assistance, a website builder with custom webpages, polls, and surveys. The Max plan goes further with dynamic content and audio newsletters. One area where beehiiv trails traditional ESPs is automation: triggers are fairly basic, and complex behavioral sequences are harder to build here than in something like ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo. Third-party integrations also rely heavily on Zapier rather than native connectors, which adds friction and cost for anyone running a more complex tech stack.

The 0% take rate on paid subscriptions is the headline differentiator. Substack takes 10% of every subscription; beehiiv takes nothing beyond Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee. For a newsletter with 500 paying subscribers at $10 a month, that works out to $600/month more in the creator's pocket.

beehiiv review: User experience

beehiiv's writing environment is built more like a blog CMS than a typical email builder. There's no conventional drag-and-drop layout editor, so if you're accustomed to Mailchimp's block-based design tools, the experience will feel stripped down. What you do get is a clean, distraction-free writing interface that makes publishing fast, though not visually flexible.

Navigation across the dashboard is logical, and the analytics surface is more detailed than most: you can track opens, clicks, subscriber growth, revenue, and verified click rates (which filter out bot activity) from one place. The 3D analytics feature, available on Scale and above, adds a useful multi-dimensional view of audience engagement. New users from a content background tend to adapt quickly; those migrating from traditional marketing platforms may need a short adjustment period.

beehiiv review: Customer support

Support quality depends on your plan. Free (Launch) users get access to an AI assistant and documentation, but no direct human support. Scale users unlock human support via email, along with access to a Slack community. Max subscribers receive priority support with faster response times, and Enterprise customers get a dedicated account manager.

Several user reviews note that when support is available, the team responds with real platform knowledge rather than generic troubleshooting scripts, which is worth noting. The absence of live chat or phone support across all paid tiers is a limitation if you run a time-sensitive publication and hit a sending issue before a big send.

beehiiv pricing and plans

Plan

Monthly price (billed monthly)

Monthly price (billed annually)

Subscribers

Free

2500

Scale

From $49

From $43

1000 to 100,000

Max

From $109

From $96

1000 to 100,000

The free plan covers real ground for early-stage newsletters, offering custom domains, campaign analytics, and the recommendation network. Upgrading to Scale unlocks the ad network, Boosts, paid subscriptions, automations, and human support. The jump from $0 to $49 is the sticking point: there's no intermediate tier for creators who've outgrown 2,500 free subscribers but aren't yet ready to monetize seriously.

Max adds white-labeling (removing beehiiv branding), audio newsletters, a sponsorship storefront, up to 10 publications, and unlimited team seats. Both Scale and Max use subscriber-based pricing, so your monthly cost rises as your list grows toward the 100,000-subscriber cap. All plans include unlimited email sends, which compares favorably to volume-based pricing at competing platforms.

beehiiv review: Specs

Spec

Details

Free plan subscriber limit

Up to 2,500 subscribers

Paid plan pricing model

Subscriber-based; scales from ~1,000 to 100,000

Platform take rate on subscriptions

0% (Stripe fees apply)

Email sends

Unlimited on all plans

Ad network access

Scale plan and above

Branding removal

Max plan only

Should I buy beehiiv?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Strong growth and monetization tools; automations are basic

4/5

Performance

Reliable delivery, verified click tracking, detailed analytics

4.5/5

Design

Clean interface, but email editor lacks layout flexibility

3.5/5

Value

0% take rate and unlimited sends make the price defensible

4.5/5

Buy it if…

You want to monetize without fees. beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue, compared to Substack's 10%. At even modest subscriber counts, that difference adds up quickly.
Newsletter growth is your primary goal. The Boosts network, referral program, and cross-promotion tools are purpose-built for audience building in ways that generic email platforms aren't.
You need a publication hub, not just an ESP. beehiiv combines email delivery, a hosted website, archive pages, and podcast support, giving creators one place for everything.

Don't buy it if…

You need sophisticated automation. Behavioral email sequences, advanced segmentation triggers, and CRM-style flows are better served by platforms like ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo.
You rely on deep third-party integrations. Native connectors are limited; you'll need Zapier for most external tools, which adds cost and complexity.
You're on a tight budget below $49/month. There's no mid-tier plan between free and Scale, so creators who've outgrown 2,500 subscribers but aren't yet earning from their list will feel the jump.

Also consider

Substack: A simpler entry point for writers who want built-in discovery and don't mind the 10% revenue cut. It's worth considering if you prefer a reading-app-style ecosystem over a standalone publication.
Kit (formerly ConvertKit): Offers more mature automation and landing page tools, making it a better fit for creators who sell digital products through complex email funnels.
Ghost: An open-source alternative with no platform fees and strong CMS features, though it requires more technical setup and self-hosting or a paid Ghost Pro subscription.

How I tested beehiiv

Signed up for a free account and walked through onboarding, newsletter creation, website setup, and the analytics dashboard hands-on.
Reviewed the full feature comparison across Launch, Scale, Max, and Enterprise plans using beehiiv's official pricing page.
Assessed third-party reviews and user reports from G2, EmailToolTester, and creator case studies to evaluate real-world performance.

I tested beehiiv by setting up a publication from scratch, publishing test sends, and walking through the monetization features available at each tier. Pricing and feature details were verified directly against beehiiv's official pricing page at beehiiv.com/pricing. I also cross-referenced competitor pricing to evaluate the platform's relative value, particularly around Substack's 10% take rate versus beehiiv's 0%.

Categories: Reviews

I ditched my iPhone and used the second-generation Ray-Ban Meta (2nd gen) by using it as my travel guide in Rome, Italy — but I absolutely got the wrong pair

Tue, 04/28/2026 - 12:01

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2): two-minute review

Between the boom in generative AI technology and the ability of manufacturers to produce smaller-than-ever hardware components, accessories as light as glasses frames can house impressive computing power these days, and leading that particular charge has been Meta, with its stylish and capable Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, made in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica (the parent company of Ray-Ban and Oakley), set the current standard for the many lesser-known brands competing for space in the burgeoning market.

That being said, the competition may well catch up before long — the changes between the first- and second-gen glasses are only iterative, and Meta’s focus is more than likely on the Meta Ray-Ban Displays rather than on these comparatively ‘dumb’ smart glasses.

So, what better way to test them than by taking them on the road? I took my pair of second-gen Ray-Ban Metas on vacation to Rome, Italy and used them as both my main camera and my tour guide to find out how useful they are in real-life environments.

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review: price and availability

Starts at $379 / £379 / AU$689

The Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) start at $379 / £379 / AU$599 in all their various styles — that’s $80 / £80 / AU$150 more than the first-generation glasses. That’s a relatively small price increase (especially given current market conditions) for a decent upgrade to battery life and camera specs — and you can easily swap out your existing lenses into the Gen 2 if you already own the first generation and really want those benefits.

You'll also pay $30 / £30 / AU$40 or $80 / £80 / AU$90 extra for Polarized or Transitions lenses, respectively. I went for standard shaded lenses, and I wished for transitions countless times during my testing; they’re a must-have if you plan to use these indoors at any point without looking like you’re nursing a hangover.

Ray-Ban Meta 1st gen vs. 2nd gen specs

Specs

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1)

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)

Camera

12MP ultra-wide

Photo Resolution

3024 x 4032 pixels

Video Resolution

1080p at 30fps

1200p at 60fps

1440p at 30fps

3K at 30fps

Microphones

5-microphone array

Storage

32GB

Audio

Two open-ear speakers

Weight

49.2g

52g

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1

Compatibility

iOS; Android

Battery (Glasses)

Up to 4 hours of moderate use

Up to 8 hours of moderate use

Battery (Charging case)

Up to 32 additional hours of charge

Up to 48 additional hours of charge

Water Resistance

IPX4 (splash resistant)

Designs

Wayfarer, Skyler and Headliner

Lenses

Prescription (-6.0 to +4.0), Transition and Polarized

While these are still surprisingly affordable, the price is beginning to creep up towards “wait, do I really need these?” territory; in a world where we can now purchase a $599 / £599 / AU$899 MacBook Neo, the ‘cool’ factor can only go so far to inspire new customers to invest in an otherwise niche category.

All frame designs are priced the same, and you can choose from six color options across the Wayfarer and Headliner frames, or seven in Skyler. Plus, two new designs have also recently been released for prescription wearers: Blayzer and Scriber. There are two model sizes too, although exclusively for the Wayfarer style; one for larger and one for smaller heads. Certain frames also offer the option of a low nose-bridge model.

Value: 4/5

(Image credit: Future)Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review: design

Broadly the same as first-gen glasses
Slightly heavier
Still IPX4 splash-resistant

Little has changed outwardlythat the eye can see between the first and second-generation Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. The case is the same, they’re available in the same styles with the same lenses (Prescription (-6.0 to +4.0), Transition and Polarized) – in fact, all that’s noticeably changed here is the weight, which goes up 2.8g, from the 49.2g of the first-generation to 52g, likely on account of the larger battery and improved camera hardware.

There’s some disappointment in this sameness. For example, these still only have an IPX4 rating, so they’re splash-resistant but not splash-proof — and something that’s worn on your head, which is the first place to get wet in a sudden downpour, should have the best possible protection here.

I don’t love how the Wayfarers look on me, which did kind of ruin my holiday shots. I went for the Wayfarers as they’re a more unisex design, and I could share them around with my colleagues, but the boxy shape and thick frames make me look like Carl Fredricksen from Up. Broadly speaking, I think at least one of the three styles will suit most people (I’m more of a Skylar girl, myself), but even Meta can’t entirely escape the fact that these glasses need to be decently boxy in order to squeeze in all that tech.

(Image credit: Future)

The fit is still super-comfortable, though, and that 2.8g weight increase hasn’t made the glasses unwearable — though first-timers may find them a little heavy on the nose bridge. On the upper-left corner when you’re wearing the glasses / looking at the glasses from the front, as on the first-gen, is the 12MP camera lens, and on the upper-right is the indicator light that lets passers-by know you’re filming or taking a photo. The placement here bothers me — most smart glasses clearly weren’t made with women in mind, because if you have bangs as I do, you’ll find a great many shots get interrupted by your hair.

Also as on the first-gen specs, the shutter button is on the top of the right arm, and the invisible touchpad is on the outer side of the arm, which lets you control things like music and Meta AI. On the left arm is the power switch.

From afar, these features are discreet enough to be almost invisible, and that continues right the way through to the embedded mics and speakers. In fact, the only way you can tell these are smart glasses at all is from the camera lens and the light — I’ll let you decide whether that’s a good thing, or a menace to society.

Design: 5/5

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review: Performance

AI is broadly reliable
12MP camera is still limiting, but decent
Battery boost is much appreciated

I took the Ray-Ban Meta (2nd generation) smart glasses on vacation with me to Rome, Italy, hoping the beautiful and historic city would offer lots of opportunities for that neat little 12MP camera to capture some great first-person perspectives as I explored the landmarks.

I didn’t necessarily want to like the process — I’m deeply concerned by the privacy implications of guerrilla video and photo capture — but I can’t think of a better way to really capture a moment than to record pretty much the exact perspective you had when you experienced it. Plus, with news in late 2025 about new targeted ads using Meta AI conversations and alarming reports about footage captured on the glasses, including intimate moments, being viewed by contractors, the privacy-conscious may well want to keep all Meta products at arm’s length.

That aside, the quality of photos and videos captured by the Ray-Ban Meta (2nd generation) will naturally pale in comparison to the main camera on any flagship smartphone from the past few years. It’s only a 12MP camera, after all. Still, I think there’s something quite rustic and charming about the photos and videos taken by the Ray-Ban Meta, especially if you work around its limitations.

As you can see, framing a shot was harder than anticipatedFutureFuture

You’re limited to vertical shots, and framing your shots is tough, given there’s no display or preview. Shooting at night will garner middling results, and colors can also often be a little diluted, but broadly speaking the results are great for capturing the moment.

You’ll need to put some thought into what video settings suit the action, too: 1080p at 30fps is a little better stabilized, but naturally less detailed and well-balanced, than 3K HDR videos. You can see examples of this in our Ray-Ban Meta (gen 2) video review.

The most noteworthy upgrade for me is to the battery. With double the on-device battery and a solid 16-hour boost to the case charge compared to the first-gen, these can comfortably last you through a whole weekend away, or you could get by with a few quick charges if you’re travelling for a week or two. That’s a huge win while only adding a few grams to the weight.

Inside the glasses’ arms are two open-ear speakers, through which you can hear Meta AI’s responses and music; these are louder, bassier, and have less sound leakage compared to the first model, according to Meta. I’d say that all tracks — the quality here is pretty great, though there’s still a good amount of leakage. I still wouldn’t personally wear these while sitting next to a stranger and listening to tunes full blast, but if you’re lying on a beach or on a walk, they’ll work a treat.

Shot taken on the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2FutureSame shot on iPhone 15 ProFuture

Speaking of Meta AI, the assistant is pretty handy to have around, and has seen some improvements since we reviewed those original specs back in 2024. Broadly, the AI suite works as expected, including newer features; I tried using Live Translation to quickly unpack what someone was saying, and while it’s not super-accurate or snappy, it gets you by when you’re abroad and you’ve been neglecting your Duolingo sessions.

When I visited the Colosseum, Meta AI served as my stand-in tour guide, telling me about the different landmarks I was looking at, and chatting up a storm about Ancient Rome. However, I did experience some hallucination; I asked if the massive structure had ever been used for anything beyond entertainment, and Meta AI told me all about its past as a housing complex.

I pressed for more information – including when this happened, and all of a sudden it said that had never been the case. Such issues were infrequent, but it does show why you should generally take AI-generated information with a pinch of salt.

The worst part of the AI suite is, unfortunately, the app you have to use to pair your Ray-Ban Meta. The Meta AI app is brimming with AI slop, and I hate that there’s no one-touch button to get straight to your media if you’re a Ray-Ban user. Every time I accidentally open the Vibes feed, I shudder.

Performance: 4/5

Should I buy the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2)?

Attribute

Comment

Score

Design

Comfortable and stylish thanks to Ray-Ban's ocular know-how, though camera placement can still be bothersome.

5/5

Performance

A boost to audio and battery makes for a well-rounded set of smart specs, though there's still room for improvement.

4/5

Value

Still sit comfortably within the value range for smart glasses at this calibre, but a $/£80 price increase might spell trouble for future lenses.

4/5

Buy them if…

You’ve never owned a pair of smart glasses

These are the industry-standard smart glasses; while imperfect, they offer a really well-balanced range of features, great design and reliable software. That’s far from the case with most smart glasses we’ve tested.

You’ve got ambitions in content creation

Being linked to Meta’s suite of social platforms has its benefits, with some great content-creation tools on offer here.

You want a good-looking pair of smart specs

Benefitting from Ray-Ban’s design know-how, these are far and away some of the best-looking and ergonomic glasses available today.

Don’t buy them if…

You’ve got a pair of first-gen Ray-Ban Meta glasses

Unless you’re really desperate for more battery life, there’s not enough innovation between the first- and second-gen glasses to justify the expense. Unless you’ve got money to burn, I’d wait for a more distinctive upgrade, or hold out for the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses instead.

You’re privacy-conscious

Meta isn't known as a paragon of privacy, and smart glasses are a bit of a minefield in that department. You’re wearing a camera on your face everywhere you go, after all.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) review

I used the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) for a month, including during a trip to Rome, Italy, wearing them on any day where it was bright enough to use sunglasses. I filmed and shot photos indoors and outdoors, day and night to see how well the 12MP camera could capture the action.

I made sure to try all of their AI features, testing their battery and performance over longer periods to assess comfort, usability and battery life.

I ran the Meta AI app from my iPhone 15 Pro.

First reviewed: April 2026

Categories: Reviews

Moosend review 2026

Tue, 04/28/2026 - 09:02

Founded in Athens in 2012, Moosend has grown into a platform used by over 100,000 businesses worldwide.

A few things make it stand out: contact-based pricing (rather than per-send billing), 32 automation triggers available on every paid plan, and consistent praise for live chat support that actually responds quickly. Importantly, it's one of the few platforms where automation and reporting are included from the base tier, rather than held back for higher plans.

We've been reviewing business software at TechRadar Pro since 2012, with new email marketing tools evaluated every year. This Moosend review draws on hands-on testing, platform walkthroughs, and analysis of several hundred verified user reviews to give you an honest picture of what the platform gets right and where it falls short.

My experience with Moosend

Getting started takes less time than most comparable tools. An onboarding checklist walks you through importing contacts, setting up your sending domain, and creating your first campaign, with live chat accessible throughout. For a platform at this price, the initial setup is notably friction-free.

That said, the editor has some rough edges. A few interface elements appear greyed out until you hover over them, and the campaign editor works slightly differently from the automation email editor, so habits from one don't always carry over to the other. Neither issue slows you down significantly, but they're worth knowing upfront.

Moosend review: Features

(Image credit: Moosend)

At this price point, Moosend's feature set is hard to fault for small business use. All paid plans include unlimited email sends, a drag-and-drop editor with 130+ templates, an AI writer for copy and subject lines, landing pages, subscription forms, and an SMTP server. Nothing is locked behind a higher tier just to drive upgrades.

The automation builder is where Moosend earns its reputation. It offers 32 triggers, 30+ filter criteria, and 11 action types, which is more than most platforms at similar pricing. Eighteen pre-built "recipes" cover common journeys, including welcome sequences, cart abandonment, birthday campaigns, and re-engagement flows, so you don't need to build from scratch. There's also a Perfect Timing feature that uses subscriber behavior to estimate the best send time per contact.

Reporting covers click maps, geolocation, device breakdowns, and revenue attribution. You can share reports with teammates via a no-login link. One gap worth noting: you can't filter out bot clicks or Apple Mail Privacy Protection opens, which matters if you need clean engagement data for deliverability analysis or compliance.

Moosend claims a 98% deliverability rate and supports SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration with clear documentation. The integration catalog runs to around 80 native connections, covering WooCommerce, Shopify, Salesforce, and Zapier, among others, though you'll need Zapier for anything outside the mainstream stack.

Moosend review: User experience

(Image credit: Moosend)

The interface is clean and sensibly organized. Campaigns, Automation, Audience, and Growth tools sit clearly in the left-hand navigation, and most everyday tasks are reachable in two or three clicks. The platform is available in seven languages, and the drag-and-drop editor responds quickly without the lag you sometimes get from browser-based builders.

There are a few quirks that surface over time. The "More" tab in the navigation functions as a catch-all for miscellaneous settings, which can make finding less-used features a guessing game. The editor occasionally behaves unpredictably when rearranging content blocks. These are minor annoyances rather than fundamental problems, but they do add up in a busy workflow.

Moosend review: Customer support

Live chat is Moosend's most consistent strength in support. Users report typical response times of five to thirty minutes, with agents working through issues rather than redirecting to help articles. Chat transcripts get sent to your inbox automatically, which is a useful touch for keeping records.

The knowledge base is organized across 13 categories — covering campaigns, automation, integrations, deliverability, and billing — with video tutorials alongside written articles. The main limitation is availability: support runs Monday to Friday only, and there's no phone option on any plan. If you run into an urgent issue over a weekend, you're working from documentation alone. Dedicated account managers are reserved for Moosend+ and Enterprise customers.

Moosend pricing and plans

Plan

Contacts

Monthly price (paid monthly)

Monthly price (paid annually)

Pro

500

Moosend+

Custom

Enterprise

Custom

Moosend+ and Enterprise are custom-priced plans that add optional add-ons, including transactional emails, dedicated IPs, SSO & SAML, and an account manager.

Moosend charges by subscriber count, which works in your favor if you send frequently. At 5,000 contacts, you're looking at $48/month on monthly billing or $38/month on annual. The full Pro feature set (automation, landing pages, forms, analytics, AI writer) is available from the starting price without needing to upgrade. There's a 30-day free trial with no credit card required.

The important caveat is transactional email. Order confirmations, password resets, and shipping notifications aren't included on the Pro plan and require either the Moosend+ custom plan with the transactional email add-on or an Enterprise package. If your business depends on transactional messaging, this affects your total cost significantly and should be confirmed before signing up.

Moosend review: Specs

Spec

Details

Email templates

130+ pre-built, fully customizable

Automation triggers

32 available on all paid plans

Deliverability rate

98% (as claimed by Moosend)

Native integrations

~80 connections

Security

GDPR and ISO-27001 compliant

Should I buy Moosend?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Strong automation and reporting for the price

4.5/5

Performance

98% deliverability; real-time analytics

4/5

Design

Clean interface with some editor inconsistencies

3.5/5

Value

Among the most affordable at this feature level

4.5/5

Buy it if…

You need automation on a tight budget. Moosend's Pro plan includes 32 triggers, pre-built recipes, and unlimited sends from $7/month on annual billing. You're not gated from automation features until a higher tier.
You're launching standard email journeys fast. The 18 pre-built recipes cover welcome series, cart abandonment, and re-engagement without requiring you to map out logic from scratch. You can have a functional automation live within an hour of signing up.
Responsive support matters to your team. Live chat agents typically respond within thirty minutes during business hours, and the quality of help is consistently rated above average across user review platforms.

Don't buy it if…

Your business relies on transactional email. Order confirmations, account alerts, and similar triggered messages aren't included on the Pro plan. Adding them requires a custom Moosend+ or Enterprise package, which changes the cost calculation meaningfully.
You need a wide integration catalog out of the box. ~80 native connections, which cover the major tools but leave gaps for anything outside the mainstream stack. If you rely on niche CRMs or platforms, expect to build bridges through Zapier.
You need support outside business hours. Moosend's chat and email support runs Monday to Friday. Weekend outages or time-sensitive campaigns that hit problems after hours will leave you relying on documentation rather than live help.

Also consider

Brevo: Worth a look if you need transactional email, SMS, or WhatsApp included without a custom plan. It also offers a free tier and supports multi-channel campaigns that Moosend doesn't cover.
MailerLite: Occupies a similar price range but includes a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers. It's a better fit for newsletter publishers and content creators who don't need advanced automation depth.
Mailchimp: Leads on integrations and name recognition, though its free tier was scaled back to 250 contacts in late 2025. It makes sense if integration breadth is a higher priority than low pricing.

How I tested Moosend

Created a fresh trial account and completed the full onboarding process, including contact import, domain authentication setup, and first campaign creation.
Built and tested automation workflows using both pre-built recipes and custom trigger logic, and reviewed the reporting dashboard using a live test send.
Analyzed verified user reviews from a range of sources to cross-reference my testing observations with real-world user experience at scale.

Our testing process focused on the tasks a typical SMB marketing team would handle week to week: building campaigns, setting up automations, managing a contact list, and checking deliverability configuration. I also contacted the live chat support team directly during standard business hours and reviewed the knowledge base for coverage depth and ease of navigation.

Categories: Reviews

I tested the DJI Mic Mini 2 and the thing that excited me the most is the new low pricing — there’s no better value small wireless mic

Tue, 04/28/2026 - 07:00

DJI Mic Mini 2: one-minute review

The DJI Mic Mini 2 is DJI's second-generation entry-level wireless microphone system, replacing the late 2024-released Mic Mini, which we previously rated as the best small wireless mic.

The headline new feature is a set of interchangeable magnetic front covers for the transmitter units, available in colors ranging from white and black to a vivid magenta. Beyond the colorways, the other notable addition over the original Mic Mini is a trio of voice tone presets — Standard, Rich, and Bright — designed to let users subtly shape their vocal recordings.

Everything else will be instantly familiar to anyone who owns the original Mic Mini: the same compact and lightweight transmitter and receiver form factor, the same 24-bit 48kHz audio quality, the same maximum range of 400m with the standard receiver (or 300m with the mobile receiver), and the same claimed battery life of 11.5 hours for the transmitter and 10.5 hours for the receiver, extendable to 48 hours total using the charging case. Two-level active noise canceling is included, and the system is compatible with DJI's OsmoAudio ecosystem, meaning it connects wirelessly without a receiver to devices like the Osmo Action 6 and Osmo 360.

In my testing, audio quality proved crisp and clear, and the active noise canceling did a solid job of taming ambient noise. The voice tone presets, however, were a different story: the differences between Standard, Rich and Bright were so subtle in practice as to be barely worth mentioning, let alone factoring into a buying decision.

That verdict could stand in for the Mic Mini 2 as a whole, really. For buyers new to the world of wireless mics, it's an excellent option: lightweight, affordable, versatile, and easy to use. But for anyone coming from the original Mic Mini, the interchangeable covers and voice presets aren't a compelling reason to upgrade.

Also worth noting: DJI has confirmed that a Mic Mini 2S is coming this summer, bringing with it internal storage for solo recording and support for up to four transmitters simultaneously. If those features matter to you, it's worth sitting tight for now.

The Mic Mini 2 is a fine product sold at a great price. It just happens to be a product that DJI has already announced it will meaningfully improve in a matter of months – which makes it a harder sell than it might otherwise be.

The Mic Mini 2's front panels can be easily removed and replaced, with some beautifully colorful options available. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)DJI Mic Mini 2: price and release date

Priced from £49 / AU$89
Sold in two bundles – but transmitters not available separately
Available now (except in the USA)

The DJI Mic Mini 2 was released worldwide on April 28 2026 – although, as with all recent DJI products, it will not officially launch in the USA. Not yet, anyway.

DJI offers the Mic Mini 2 in two bundles: the DJI Mic Mini 2 (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) package costs £89 / AU$149 and includes two transmitters, a receiver, a charging case, two windscreens, two white magnetic front covers, two black magnetic front covers, two magnetic clips, two magnets, a carrying pouch, a USB-C mobile phone adapter, a 3.5mm audio cable, a USB-C charging cable and a box of multi-color magnetic front covers (see below).

The pricier of the two kits includes all of the above, plus a soft zip-up carrying pouch. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Also available is the DJI Mic Mini 2 (1 TX + 1 Mobile RX + Charging Case) bundle, which includes a single transmitter, a mobile receiver, a small charging case, one windscreen, one black magnetic cover, one white magnetic cover, one magnetic clip, one magnet, one USB-C charging cable and a carrying pouch. It's priced at just £49 / AU$89.

Unlike the original Mic Mini, DJI doesn't appear to be selling Mic Mini 2 transmitters (mics) solo – at least not at launch. That's a shame – for some buyers using the Osmo Audio system or linking the transmitter directly to their phone via Bluetooth, a receiver and charging case may not be necessary.

However, the overall pricing seems much cheaper than the original Mini, which at launch cost £145 / AU$245 for the complete kit and £49 / AU$69 for individual TX units. So in terms of value, I think the Mic Mini 2 has a lot going for it.

DJI Mic Mini: specs

Dimensions

TX: 28.6 x 28 x 13.5mm / RX: 46.5 x 29.6 x 19.3mm / Mobile RX: 39.3 x 27.3 x 9mm

Weight

TX: 11g (without clip or magnet) / RX: 17.8g / Mobile RX: 6.5g

Range

With standard RX: up to 400m / with mobile RX: up to 300m

Connectivity

RX: USB-C / Lightning, 3.5mm jack

Bluetooth

Yes

Battery

11.5 hours (transmitter), 10.5 hours (receiver), up to 48 hours with fully charged case

Noise cancelling

Two-level

The standard receiver, or RX, looks quite awkward when attached to a smartphone. Thankfully, a sleeker made-for-mobile version is also available. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)DJI Mic Mini 2: Design

Transmitters support swappable front panels
Clip or magnetic attachment
Receiver offers manual audio gain, but no monitoring

If we're talking transmitters (also known as the TX units), the Mic Mini 2 looks a lot more like the full-size Mic 3 than it does the original Mic Mini. There's one key difference though: the Mini 2 supports swappable magnetic front covers, which can be prised off with a fingernail and replaced with another of a different color.

The DJI Mic Mini 2 (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) bundle I was sent to review features a whole range of covers, from staid white and black to eye-popping magenta. These might come across a little gimmicky on paper, but they're harmless and fun – even if I can't really think of too many practical reasons why you'd need them (DJI markets them for outfit matching).

The main Mic Mini 2 bundle includes a wide selection of front covers. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Besides the covers, the TX can be fitted with a clip-on furry windshield for outdoor use, as well as two other magnetic accessories for mounting: a small clip for attaching it to collars, caps and lapels, and a single (but sufficiently strong) magnet for clipping it directly to thinner fabrics. The clip's direction can be selected when attaching it, which is handy.

There's also an indicator light and a couple of buttons for powering on/off and pairing the TX with different devices, but other than that, the TX is pretty simple. It doesn't feature on-board storage and, with no USB-C port, can only be recharged in the charging case.

The standard receiver (or RX) looks identical to the original Mic Mini's to my eyes. It suffers from the same drawback, too: with no on-board LCD display, there's no way to monitor levels on the hardware. Still, I suppose that's what the more pro-friendly Mic 3 is for – the Mic Mini 2 is the affordable option, and cuts must be made somewhere. The receiver does have a clip for attaching to clothing, which can also slide onto a camera cold shoe, plus a USB-C adapter for plugging into smartphones (there's a Lightning adapter too, which I used with my iPhone 13, but it's an optional extra rather than included in the box). There's also a 3.5mm jack, dial for adjusting audio levels and power and pairing buttons.

Future | Sam KieldsenTransmitters include just two buttons: one for pairing and another for power.Future | Sam KieldsenThe receiver (RX) unit appears to be exactly the same as the original Mic Mini's.Future | Sam KieldsenThe receiver fits on the cold/hot shoes of most cameras.Future | Sam KieldsenA soft carrying pouch is included in both bundles.Future | Sam Kieldsen

Additionally, the new DJI Mic Mini 2 (1 TX + 1 Mobile RX + Charging Case) bundle comes with a mini receiver unit designed only for attaching to a mobile phone (as with the standard RX, this appears to be the same mobile RX that was available as an accessory for the original Mic Mini). I didn't test this myself (check out our experience with the receiver via the link above) but it's much lighter, smaller and more streamlined than the standard RX, and won't look as awkward when plugged into your handset.

DJI Mic Mini 2: Performance

11.5 hours battery life (transmitter), 10.5 hours battery life (receiver)
Up to 400m range
Two-level noise reduction and three voice tone presets

The Mic Mini 2 offers 24-bit 48kHz quality audio, just like the original Mic Mini. It's similar in other ways, too: there's a maximum range of 400m between TX and RX; the claimed battery life is the same (11.5 hours for a TX, 10.5 hours for the receiver and a total of 48 hours with the charging case); and there are two levels of active noise cancelling included. Both generations also feature automatic volume limiting to avoid clipping.

And, like the first Mic Mini, it also works seamlessly with OsmoAudio ecosystem products like the DJI Osmo Action 6 and Osmo 360 cameras and Osmo Mobile 8 smartphone stabilizer.

In fact, aside from the changeable covers, the only major difference I could find between this second-gen Mini and the first is the addition of three voice tone presets – Standard, Rich and Bright – which are designed to slightly tweak how vocal recordings sound. In practice, I found the differences between the three settings to be negligible, so I would say that owners of the original Mic Mini have no compelling reason to update to the new model.

The charging case has room for two transmitters, a receiver and clips, magnets, windshields and a 3.5mm audio cable. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Newcomers looking for a cheap wireless microphone option that performs well will be very happy with what's on offer here, though. I found the Mic Mini 2's quality to be crisp and clear, and a noticeable step up from the built-in mics found in smartphones, vlogging cameras and mirrorless cameras, and the mounting and connectivity options and general ease of use make it a joy to live with. The two-level active noise cancelling works well enough too – I tested it with a fan running in my office and, while it could still be heard whirring away even on the strongest noise cancelling setting, it was reduced enough to prevent it becoming an issue.

Interestingly, DJI tells me that a Mic Mini 2S is coming later in 2026, offering some real upgrades over the original Mic Mini. The Mini 2S's TX units will have internal storage space to support solo recording, and users will be able to connect up to four transmitters to a single receiver. It's launching this summer.

Should I buy the DJI Mic Mini 2?Buy it if…

You want a cheap mic for multiple devices
Compatible with mirrorless cameras, smartphones and DJI's whole OsmoAudio ecosystem, the Mic Mini 2 is wonderfully versatile for such an affordable microphone.

You want something lightweight and discreet
The DJI Mic 3 isn't large or heavy by any means, but the Mic Mini 2 is even more compact and lightweight – so if size matters, it's worth considering.

Don’t buy it if…

You already own the original Mic Mini
The lack of major upgrades between the first- and second-gen Mic Mini models mean owners of the original Mic Mini should stick with what they've got.

You want 32-bit float or on-board recording
With no internal storage, the Mic Mini 2 doesn't support internal recording or higher quality 32-bit float format audio. However, the upcoming Mini 2S will allow for the former.

DJI Mic Mini 2: also consider

DJI Mic 3

The current gold standard for small wireless mics, DJI's flagship is barely bigger than the Mic Mini 2 but offers better audio quality, more adaptable noise cancelling and pro-friendly features like timecode, built-in storage and support for up to four transmitters.

Read our DJI Mic 3 review

Boya Mini

It's limited to 16-bit and lacks a 3.5mm connection for mirrorless cameras, but if you just need a useable, reliable wireless mic for boosting your smartphone videos, the Boya Mini fits the bill perfectly – and costs next to nothing.

Read our Boya Mini review

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)How I tested the DJI Mic Mini 2

Several days of testing indoors and outdoors
Connected to iPhone 13, DJI Osmo Action 6 and Panasonic Lumix GH6
Tested with Bluetooth, OsmoAudio and RX

I've not had a huge amount of time to spend with the Mic Mini 2, but in the several days since my sample arrived I've managed to test it both indoors in quiet conditions and outside amongst traffic and wind noise. I've also paired with my iPhone 13, a DJI Osmo Action 6 action camera and my Panasonic Lumix GH6 mirrorless camera, testing it with and without the receiver unit involved.

First reviewed: April 2026
Read more about how we test

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