Write requirements before naming vendors
Prioritize workflows by frequency, financial impact, legal risk, and number of people involved. This prevents recognizable brands from defining requirements for you.
Verify claims at the source
Use official feature and pricing pages for facts, then test usability yourself. Record the date because plans and fees change.
Read comparisons critically
A vendor can publish a useful comparison, but it has a commercial interest. Look for disclosure, sources, limitations, a reproducible method, and recommendations that do not always favor the publisher.