At Capterra, we rely on proprietary data to offer our audience unique, independent, and objective insights. Our data sources and methodologies ensure the quality and accuracy of our information.
How we source our data
The data we use at Capterra is classified into several key categories. Each category is sourced and analysed through its distinct methods:
User reviews
Capterra has carefully verified over 2 million user reviews to bring you authentic software experiences from real users. Reviewers rate and comment on various criteria, including overall experience, features and functionality, value, and more. These ratings and comments inform our research, comparison tools, software buyer guides, and product rankings.
Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. They use leading tech to analyse text quality, detect plagiarism, and generative AI.
Buyer interactions
Our advisor team interacts with thousands of buyers from various industries and functions interested in learning more about software solutions. Advisors have access to our database of more than 100,000 solutions and a track record of delivering over 1 million recommendations to help businesses find options that fit their needs. Our content team analyses these interactions to identify patterns and themes that can help buyers make better business decisions with software.
Vendor-sourced research
For the product profiles featured on our site, we use a combination of information provided by vendors and information independently researched by our software researchers. Capterra product profiles are free to any software provider, though providers can choose to sponsor their profile to gain premium placement in some marketplace content (learn more below).
Market surveys
Our analysts survey business leaders, stakeholders, and consumers across various industries and functions to understand their challenges and needs better. We use these results to provide insights on trends, challenges, and solutions for businesses. Our Research Lab team of research specialists uses industry-leading best practices for data collection and analysis to ensure the data quality used in all our reports.
Our methodological approaches
For our content, Capterra develops proprietary methodologies using our data.
Our methodologies vary by output. There are those that:
- Are independent and objective. This includes editorial research and product rankings, in which sponsorship status does not affect the inclusion of any products mentioned. Detailed information about the specific methodology used can be found on the page of each report.
- Consider sponsorship status. This includes sponsored listings and suggested alternatives.
How we develop our research
Capterra uses the data and methodologies described above to provide insights through a variety of content experiences, each presenting our proprietary data uniquely:
Editorial research
Editorial research uses an independent and objective methodology to provide insights derived from our proprietary data, sometimes in collaboration with external contributors specialising in specific markets or topics. This research uses particular methods to inform insights and undergoes editorial scrutiny to ensure independence and objectivity in the methodologies used and the research delivered. Sponsorship has no bearing on the inclusion of any products referenced in our editorial research. Product ranking articles, in which we highlight the top products in a given category, are an example of editorial research. Read more about Capterra ranking methodology for a category or Buyers Guides here.
For research based on survey results, such as our annual Tech Trends reports, our Research Lab team ensures that the panels used and results shared are representative and accurate. Likewise, the entire methodology can be found in each report.
Algorithmic research
Algorithmic research applies defined methodologies to our proprietary data algorithmically. This research is interactive and customisable to user needs. Users' input requirements and content are generated based on a predetermined algorithm. While not a direct criterion of these algorithms, sponsorship status may influence the outcomes of some methodologies comparing products and/or features.
Marketplace content
Marketplace content is content intended to help users interact with software profiles. This content lists, compare, and describes software via standard profiles without editorial commentary. It relies on a mix of data from sources we’ve authenticated and data contributed by vendors. We authenticate reviews, pricing data, and vendor features to ensure category fit. However, we don’t provide editorial oversight on vendors' or reviewers' data. The inclusion or placement of specific products in marketplace content may be influenced by sponsorship status. Vendors can choose to sponsor their product profile, which may enable premium placement in some marketplace content.
Capterra’s use of artificial intelligence
For some content, when appropriate, we use proprietary data science algorithms to identify trends in our proprietary data sets, helping us understand user sentiment, preferences, and priorities. We also use generative AI tools to summarise findings from these algorithms.