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How to check if an online service is good

At this age, we often use an online service to fix our problems. Whether it’s a blogging service like WordPress, or a web hosting to host our blog, or a VPN to protect our privacy, we need to admit that we are now more dependent on such services. So, here’s how to check if an online service is good enough for you.

There are many times we need to change our service provider. Or we need to buy a new service to help us. On such moments, whether you like it or not, we need to check if the service we’re going to subscribe is good or bad or worse: a scam.

Then, how to do that?

Ask for closest friends and relatives

I always ask them about the new service I’m going to pay for. Chances are, some of them have used it so they can give me advice or suggestions. If none of them have used it, then I will try the next step.

Read or ask on the relevant SubReddit

I have some stories about this. When I was planning to use Cloudflare on this blog, I read about their service on the SubReddit about web hosting.

Initially, I hesitated to put on Cloudflare to sit in front of my blog. My hesitation lost after I read some Redditors reported their site got a DDoS attack.

Another story is when I needed a new host for this blog. I looked at that SubReddit again. They gave me some suggestions and I tried one of them: VeeroTech.

So far, their suggestions are working well. All the online services I buy based on them are good.

Look for honest reviews

I know with so many lucrative affiliate commissions, it’s getting harder to get an honest review today. I won’t mention a brand here. Yet, there are some folks still promoting web hosting services under one brand. Regardless many other folks complain about their services.

If you’re looking for an honest review, make sure the reviewers have tried the service themselves. It’s better if the review doesn’t contain any affiliate link. Such reviews tend to be an honest one.

Beware of the review you read when it’s just praising the service. Never trust one or two reviews only. I always read at least three or four different reviews first.

Watch the complains and how their customer service handles it

Not every complaint is valid. Some of them may be fake. The others may be misleading. The rest can be a part of the competitor’s black campaign.

That’s why we, as a buyer need to watch them in detail. See if their customer service clarifies the complaints on every online forum. Just because one or two folks say it’s a scam, then it’s true.

Google it with “service name” + “scam”

When I’m highly in-doubt, I will open Google and do that. But, as always, I add some grains and salts on the things I find there. Make sure to replace the “service name” with the online service you’re researching.

Try it yourself

This is the last resort. I will try it by myself by buying the lowest plan. Sometimes, I do this in the first place if the service is:

  • cheap

  • offering some guarantee period like 30-days-money-back-guarantee

  • offering some trial periods


Categories: Internet  

Tags: check scam or not