Numbers from Stackranked's own testing dataset · updated November 8, 2026 · free to cite with attribution · raw JSON
categories ranked, each with 5 scored picks and 3 tools we'd skip (computed from Stackranked's testing dataset, November 2026)
unique tools hold a ranked position; 83 more are on our skip lists (computed from Stackranked's testing dataset, November 2026)
mean score across all 140 ranked entries (median 8.4, range 7.8–9.4) (computed from Stackranked's testing dataset, November 2026)
entries score 9.0 or higher — category-defining tools are rare (computed from Stackranked's testing dataset, November 2026)
of ranked tools have a usable free tier or free product (computed from Stackranked's testing dataset, November 2026)
of ranked tools hide pricing behind custom or enterprise quotes (computed from Stackranked's testing dataset, November 2026)
tools on our skip lists are sunset or defunct yet still appear in other sites' recommendation lists (Alexa.com, Connectively (HARO), Google Optimize, Hopin, Jabmo, Oribi…) (computed from Stackranked's testing dataset, November 2026)
| Category | Avg score of top 5 |
|---|---|
| SEO | 8.96 |
| Paid ads | 8.8 |
| Google Ads | 8.74 |
| Meta ads | 8.74 |
| Ecommerce SEO | 8.62 |
| GEO | 8.56 |
| Email marketing | 8.56 |
| AI visibility | 8.54 |
| Affiliate marketing | 8.5 |
| AI video & UGC ads | 8.48 |
| Marketing automation | 8.48 |
| Shopify SEO | 8.44 |
| Influencer marketing | 8.4 |
| Marketing analytics | 8.4 |
| CRO & A/B testing | 8.4 |
| Account-based marketing | 8.38 |
| Landing pages | 8.38 |
| Social media management | 8.36 |
| CRM | 8.36 |
| SMS marketing | 8.36 |
| Conversational marketing | 8.3 |
| Social listening | 8.28 |
| Loyalty & rewards | 8.24 |
| Reviews & social proof | 8.24 |
| Digital PR & outreach | 8.24 |
| Competitive intelligence | 8.24 |
| Webinars & events | 8.22 |
| Referral marketing | 8.18 |
A high category average means the market is mature and any top pick is safe; a low one means even the winners carry real limits.
Free-tier availability and quote-only pricing vary sharply by category. The counts below cover each category's top 5 ranked tools (November 2026 re-test): a high custom-pricing count means budgeting requires sales calls; a high free-tier count means you can trial the shortlist for nothing.
| Category | Free tiers in top 5 | Custom/enterprise pricing in top 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Paid ads | 0 of 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Google Ads | 1 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| Meta ads | 0 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| SEO | 0 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| GEO | 0 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Shopify SEO | 1 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| Ecommerce SEO | 0 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| AI visibility | 0 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Email marketing | 4 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| Account-based marketing | 0 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Influencer marketing | 0 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Affiliate marketing | 0 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Marketing analytics | 2 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| CRO & A/B testing | 1 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Landing pages | 0 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| Social media management | 2 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| Social listening | 0 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| AI video & UGC ads | 1 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| Webinars & events | 2 of 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Marketing automation | 2 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| CRM | 2 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| SMS marketing | 0 of 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Referral marketing | 0 of 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Loyalty & rewards | 1 of 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Reviews & social proof | 3 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| Digital PR & outreach | 0 of 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Competitive intelligence | 1 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Conversational marketing | 3 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
Every statistic on this page is computed from Stackranked's published testing dataset — the same JSON we ship at /api/rankings.json — not from vendor claims or third-party scraping. Scores are the editorial ratings of named reviewers under the Stackranked methodology (hands-on testing 40%, real pricing 25%, output quality 20%, support 15%), re-tested quarterly. Pricing figures are approximate by design and re-verified each cycle. Cite freely with attribution to marketingtoolsranked.com; the changelog dates every revision, so citations can reference a specific re-test.