Start with the operating problem
We define the workflow, team and constraint before considering a product.
Independent software decisions for professional-services firms
Choose software with a business case, not a feature list.
ToolThesis analyses software the way a consultant would - fit, total cost, ROI, implementation difficulty, risks and who should actually buy it.
01Business fit
02Total cost
03ROI potential
04Implementation
05Risk & trade-offs
Our method
Decision-grade research, built around how small firms actually operate.
Model the real cost
Subscription price is only the beginning. We include seats, setup, integrations and switching effort.
Test the practical fit
Capabilities are assessed against realistic professional-services workflows - not feature-count theatre.
Make a clear recommendation
Every analysis says who should buy, who should skip and what to do next.
Research desk
Built around decisions you actually need to make.
Our opening research programme focuses on automation workflows for consulting and advisory firms. Every brief will distinguish verified facts, hands-on testing and modelling assumptions.
Make vs Zapier: which is easier for a non-technical team?
A practical comparison of setup, mapping, branching, testing, troubleshooting and ownership without claiming a hands-on test.
Published · documentation analysis
Read the analysis Make vs Zapier vs n8n for professional-services firms
A research-led comparison of workflow design, pricing units, hosting, collaboration and operating fit for small expert teams.
Published · documentation analysis
Read the analysis Make automation readiness checklist for non-technical teams
A 20-point checklist for deciding whether a workflow is ready for a controlled pilot, needs more preparation or should remain manual.
Published · documentation analysis
Read the analysis Seven Make automations a small consulting firm can build
Seven practical workflows for leads, onboarding, documents, tasks and reporting, with prerequisites, controls and clear limits.
Published · documentation analysis
Read the analysis How many Make credits will your automation actually use?
Four worked examples and a reusable worksheet for estimating triggers, bundles, routes, iterators and AI usage before choosing a plan.
Published · documentation analysis
Read the analysis Make pricing and credits explained for consulting firms
A practical guide to plan costs, credit consumption, usage traps and choosing the right Make tier for a small professional-services firm.
Published · documentation analysis
Read the analysis Make for professional-services firms: a hands-on client-intake test
A controlled Google Sheets-to-Gmail test covering mapping, normalisation, routing, logging, notifications and Make's learning curve.
Published · hands-on test
Read the analysis Automate client document onboarding with WorkDrive and Make
A tested workflow for detecting, classifying and routing clear client files while preserving human review for exceptions.
Published · hands-on test
Read the analysis What should a consulting firm automate first?
A prioritisation framework for finding high-value workflows without automating a broken process.
Published · structured test
Read the analysis Swipe sideways on touchscreens, or use the arrow controls to browse older research.
Help shape the research
What should ToolThesis test next?
Tell us about a tool you are considering or an operational problem your firm is trying to solve. Strong suggestions may become future hands-on tests or decision guides.
Evidence before endorsement
We will never claim to have tested something we haven't.
Software decisions deserve clearer evidence than copied feature lists. Each ToolThesis brief will state how its conclusions were reached.
01Regular use
Experience from ongoing, real-world use.
02Structured test
A documented scenario tested across products.
03Documentation analysis
Verified product and pricing research without usage claims.
04Modelled assumption
An explicit scenario - not a claimed outcome.
Who ToolThesis is for
Small expert teams making consequential software decisions.
Built first for founders, partners and operations leaders at 2–20-person consulting and advisory firms.
- Boutique consulting firms
- Transaction and finance advisors
- Research and professional-services teams
- Small agencies with complex client workflows
The thesis