How CheatsMatch Rates Products

A strong documentation score means that more of the information needed for a comparison is available and specific. A product can have a clear status page, detailed plans and readable policies while still being under maintenance. A low score may reflect missing information rather than poor software.

We score the named product. Provider-wide information may support brand, contact or policy fields, but we do not transfer one product’s compatibility or update record to every item in the store. Customer review stars are not converted into CheatsMatch points.

Each factor receives 0–5 points. We use the highest fully supported level, with half points only where the documented rubric provides an intermediate level. The factor weights add up to 100.

Provider-reported functional claims are capped at 3.5 out of 5. Independently corroborated claims are capped at 4 and need at least two independent third-party sources. Directly observed objective facts may reach 5. Unknown or unsupported claims earn 0.

The distinction depends on the claim. Reading a published price directly verifies the displayed amount, but reading a Windows support statement only verifies that the provider makes that claim. It does not turn the claim into a compatibility test. A visible Discord ticket route shows that a support process is published; it does not prove that replies are fast or helpful.

Each scored factor links to its supporting sources and includes a reason for the assigned points. Partial or unresolved conflicting evidence contributes neither points nor coverage. Where a dedicated status page resolves a conflict in sales copy, the documented disagreement limits the status factor to 3 out of 5.

• Understand the evidence labels

For each factor, divide its points by 5 and multiply by its weight. Add the eight contributions, then divide by 10. We round the final result once, to one decimal place.

For example, 3.5 points in the 20% status factor contributes 14 points to the 100-point total, or 1.4 to the final score out of 10. A missing 5% update factor contributes zero. We keep that missing factor in the denominator instead of raising the remaining factors to fill the gap.

The bands describe documentation: 9.0–10.0 exceptional, 8.0–8.9 very strong, 7.0–7.9 good, 6.0–6.9 mixed and below 6.0 weak. The words do not describe safety or success rates.

Evidence coverage is the combined weight of supported factors. We show a numeric score only when coverage reaches at least 70%. Below that threshold, the product can remain a factual listing while its score stays unavailable.

Coverage is separate from the score. A product with full coverage can score poorly because the documented details are limited or unclear. A product with 75% coverage can receive a score, but the missing quarter still contributes zero. We show the coverage so readers can tell these cases apart.

A missing status page is not automatically a reason to remove a product. If we cannot establish a current product-specific status, we display “Couldn’t be verified.” We do not fill gaps with an undetected claim, an assumed update history or a customer’s unrelated experience.

A comparison needs at least three qualifying products from at least two providers. Known duplicates and different access plans for the same product do not create extra candidates.

Best Documented also needs at least 85% evidence coverage, an active status, explicit game compatibility at the stated evidence level, an identified provider and known or explicitly unpublished pricing. The highest eligible score must be unique. An updating or unavailable product cannot win Best Documented, even when its documentation score is the highest.

Equal eligible scores remain a tie. We do not invent a tie-break to create a winner. Other labels, such as Best Value or Best External Option, need an actual relevant comparison. The cheapest advertised day key alone does not establish the best value.

In the September 14, 2026 Fortnite assessments, Arctic’s Hydra scores 7.2 for its documentation but is marked Updating by Arctic. Arcane and Frost each score 7.0 and are marked Undetected on the reviewed status page. That produces a tie among the highest eligible active products, with no sole Best Documented.

This example shows why a score and a recommendation are different. Read the product’s status, plan availability and limitations beside its score. The expandable breakdown on the comparison page shows each factor’s points and source.

• See the Fortnite score breakdowns

Sources: [1]

We keep the scoring method consistent across product assessments. If the rules change, we publish the revised method and date so readers can distinguish a scoring change from a product change. New source information can still correct an existing assessment.

If a factor looks wrong, send the product, the factor and a source supporting the correction. A request for a higher rating without evidence is not a reason to change it.

• Request a scoring correction

Continue your research

• Providers