Methodology
How we research, label, and publish comparisons of email warm-up and deliverability tools on deliverabilitymatrix.com.
1. Scope (2026-09)
- Public pricing pages, feature docs, and merchant-stated models only unless a dated primary observation is published.
- Living matrix: tables may change when vendors update plans; cells marked ASSUMPTION or
pricing verified pendingare not quotes. - Affiliate status (2026-09): live partner links for Warmbox, GlockApps, TrulyInbox, Folderly (
rel="nofollow sponsored"). Instantly and Lemlist remain apply in progress — no invented tracking IDs. Other non-wired merchants stay HOLD. - Zero paid SERP / research tooling for this phase unless noted; public merchant pricing pages remain the primary source.
2. Labels we use
- pricing verified pending — public price not yet captured with source URL + month/year on this page.
- ASSUMPTION — editorial inference (e.g. typical model class) pending merchant-source confirmation.
- apply in progress — affiliate relationship not live; CTA is a placeholder, not a tracking link.
- Observed [date] — reserved for future limited primary tests with N inboxes + protocol link (none claimed yet).
3. Ranking & monetization
- Merchants do not pay for higher rankings unless a row/section is explicitly labeled sponsored.
- Affiliate commissions (including possible recurring) may apply on live partner links — disclosed near first CTA and in the footer. Deferred merchants stay labeled apply in progress.
- Recommendations are not personalized advice and are not a compliance certification.
4. Claim discipline
Allowed soft language includes: feature/pricing as published by the merchant with source + verified month/year; “may improve sender reputation signals when used with proper authentication (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)”; “inbox placement varies by provider, list quality, content, and domain age.”
Forbidden language (auto-reject before publish) includes: “guaranteed inbox,” “beat spam filters,” “bypass spam,” fake lab results, undisclosed affiliates, coupon stuffing / Instantly deal framing, and absolute legal compliance guarantees. Full ALLOWED/FORBIDDEN list is maintained internally by the Chief Entrepreneur (ops checklist — not published on this site).
5. Update cadence
Methodology stamp for this version: 2026-09. Material pricing or claim-policy changes should bump the stamp and changelog notes on affected money pages.