How we review
The method behind every rating on Fonts Mania: what "checked" means, how the score is reached, and the rules that keep it honest.
What "checked" means
A review is a record of what we could verify on a stated date, not an impression. Each one lists the specific checks performed — for a tool, that it does what it claims on real input; for a website, who runs it, whether it is safe to use, what it does with what you type, and whether its claims hold. Anything we could not verify is said to be unverified rather than assumed.
The rating
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 | Does the job well, no meaningful caveats. |
| 4 | Recommended; minor limitations worth knowing. |
| 3 | Usable for some purposes; clear drawbacks. |
| 2 | Not recommended; works, but better options exist or trust issues remain. |
| 1 | Avoid: broken, deceptive, or unsafe on the date checked. |
The score is set by the reviewer and confirmed by the editor. It cannot be bought, and a subject cannot pay to be reviewed.
Links
Every link to a reviewed subject is nofollow, applied automatically. A
review's purpose is to inform readers, not to pass authority to the thing reviewed.
Dates and re-checks
Every review shows the date it was checked. Sites and tools change, so a review older than a year is re-checked or marked as historical. If a subject tells us something has changed, we re-check and update the date rather than argue.
Safety checks for websites
For website reviews we look at, at minimum: HTTPS and certificate validity, who the domain is registered to and for how long, presence of a privacy policy and contact details, what scripts and trackers load, whether downloads are what they claim, and what reputable blocklists say. Passing these is not an endorsement; failing them is reported plainly.