How we rate and review

Best-of lists

Every pick is checked by a real person: we eat the food and pay our own bill, or we call and get a quote like any customer would.
For trades that need a license in Texas (plumbers, electricians, AC techs), we check the state license lookup and leave out anyone without an active license.
We look at complaint history (Better Business Bureau, Texas Attorney General) and public ratings, but we don't copy or rewrite other sites' reviews.
Each list shows who checked, when, and what we left out. We re-check lists at least once a year and date every update.

Every fact links to its source, usually the law itself or the government agency that runs the program.
Before a guide goes live, an editor checks each fact against the law itself or the agency that runs the program.
We're not a law firm. Our guides explain how things work; they aren't advice about your situation.

If we got something wrong, tell us. We fix it, change the "last updated" date, and note what changed.