Our Method
What our recommendations are based on — and what they deliberately are not.
What WorthSwitch measures
- product role
- primary functional mechanisms
- strength / intensity where relevant
- supporting formulation architecture
- usage / experience compatibility
- available product evidence
What the Match Score does not mean
- not percentage-identical ingredients
- not a medical guarantee
- not “higher is always better”
- not influenced by merchant commission
Match Confidence
Confidence is shown separately from the Match Score. Uncertainty can come from the source and completeness of product data as well as from the maturity of the model for that product class. Low confidence does not lower a Match — it tells you how much weight the Match deserves.
Material differences
An important difference in mechanism, strength or experience can affect the verdict on its own. It is surfaced as a trade-off rather than being counted again as an additional Match penalty.
Price and value
For the exact same product, a Buy cheaper decision uses a verified same-variant comparison. For substitutes, prices are normalized to a comparable size or unit, so a smaller bottle can never look like a bargain.
Real-world outcomes
As real users switch from A to B, WorthSwitch can evaluate retention and expectation outcomes over time. These outcomes are kept separate from the technical Match Score and are only shown when there is sufficient evidence.
Transparency
WorthSwitch may earn a commission when you buy through some merchant links. Commercial relationships do not change the technical Match Score, Match Confidence, verdict or the order of recommendations. Affiliate disclosure
Scope and limits
What WorthSwitch is — and is not
WorthSwitch provides cosmetic product comparison and shopping decision support. It does not diagnose or treat medical conditions, and nothing here replaces advice from a doctor or pharmacist.
A high Match Score does not mean two products are identical, and it is not a promise of a particular cosmetic result. Individual experience with a product can differ.
Formulas, prices and availability change. Prices are only presented as verified when the underlying offer data is fresh enough to support that; otherwise they are shown as a last verified price or flagged for rechecking.