How Many Sites Should You Test in Week One?
Start with one candidate and add a second only when you have a specific unresolved question. That is a suggested limit for keeping comparisons manageable, not a research finding about an ideal number of sites. You do not need to create several paid accounts in your first week.
A week-one sequence
- First visit: inspect one site's public directory, terms, payment information, and account controls. Write down what fits and what remains unknown.
- Return visit: revisit during your normal browsing window. Check whether relevant rooms and their published schedules fit better than a single first impression suggested.
- Second candidate, if needed: choose it to answer one concrete gap, such as language availability, readable mobile controls, or a clearly defined private-mode option.
- End-of-week review: compare observations and decide whether to retain one, retain both for different purposes, or stop. None is a required purchase outcome.
Keep the comparison bounded
Use the same device, similar time windows, and the same room preferences where possible. A platform with more rooms overall may still offer fewer rooms relevant to you. Record unknowns honestly; a limited first-week sample cannot establish average support speed or long-term reliability.
Set one combined cash allowance across candidates. Do not fund every account merely to make the comparison feel complete. If a paid feature is essential but its conditions cannot be verified without purchase, decide whether the uncertainty itself is enough to reject it.
Candidate worksheet
Record: first candidate ___; intended use ___; confirmed fit ___; unresolved gap ___; reason for second candidate ___; shared allowance ___; review date ___; stop rule ___. Avoid adding another candidate unless it addresses a gap that matters.
EFF's tool-selection guidance favors evaluating personal needs and limitations. Apply that approach instead of assuming that a longer shortlist produces a better decision.
Source and scope
EFF: Choosing Your Tools. Guidance on evaluating needs, transparency, and limitations rather than relying on blanket assurances.