How we test and review

Red 11 Media is a video production company first. We edit podcasts, produce commercials and run YouTube channels for clients, so the tools we write about are tools we use on paying projects. Here’s how a review gets made, and how we get paid.

We use the tool on real work

Silas has been editing video for over 15 years, and most of what we review gets tested on a real client project, not a demo file. For recording tools, that means real interviews with real guests, including guests with bad internet. For music libraries, it means licensing tracks for client videos that go to YouTube, social and sometimes TV.

When we compare two tools, we try to run the same test on both at the same time. For example, recording the same session on Riverside and Descript at once and comparing the exports.

We say what we pay for

If we subscribe to a tool with our own money, we say so. If a company gave us free access or paid for a review, the post says that at the top, before you read anything else.

How affiliate links work

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, Red 11 Media may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Posts with affiliate links carry a short notice near the top, and Amazon links carry Amazon’s required wording: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Affiliate commissions never decide the verdict. We point out where a tool falls short, we recommend free options when they’re good enough, and we name competitors that win for certain people, even when we don’t earn anything from them. When a company stops treating customers fairly, we stop recommending it, commission or not.

We keep reviews current

Prices and features change constantly. Each review shows when it was last updated, and we revisit our main reviews regularly. If you spot something out of date, tell us.