How Hawkbase Trust Scores work
Every product on Hawkbase is scored across 5 dimensions so you can quickly assess how reliable, popular, and up-to-date it is. This page explains exactly how each score is computed. No magic, no paid rankings.
Why we publish the formulas
Most software directories hide their ranking logic behind vague marketing terms. We don't. Every Trust Score on Hawkbase comes from a formula you can read, audit, and critique. If you find a way to game a score, tell us — we'll adjust the formula. Our only goal is to give you data you can actually trust when choosing a tool.
The 5 scores explained
Completeness
0–100How much information is filled out on the product profile.
- Name, tagline, descriptions, website — core metadata
- Logo, screenshot — visual identity
- Pricing model, pricing tiers — commercial info
- Primary category, target customers, platforms
- Features list, integrations list
Weighted percentage of filled fields. Each field has a weight (4–12 points) and contributes if it contains meaningful content.
Freshness
0–100How recently the product has been discussed or updated.
- Date of the most recent published review or comment
- Product creation date as fallback
100 if the last activity is within 7 days. Linear decay from 100 to 0 over the next 173 days. Below 0 activity/180 days → score of 0.
Community
0–100Total engagement from the community on this product.
- Number of published reviews, experiences, questions, migration stories
Logarithmic scale: log10(posts + 1) × 30. 1 post ≈ 9, 10 posts ≈ 30, 100 posts ≈ 60, 1000+ posts ≈ 90+. Caps at 100.
Momentum
0–100Whether community interest is growing, flat, or declining.
- Number of posts in the last 30 days
- Number of posts in the 30 days before that
Ratio of recent vs previous 30-day periods. ≥2x = 100, 1.5x = 85, 1x = 70, 0.7x = 50, 0.4x = 30, <0.4x = 15.
Confidence
0–100How trustworthy the product data and signals are.
- AI confidence score at import time (baseline)
- Number of verified human reviews
- Whether a vendor has claimed ownership of the product
Starts at max(AI baseline, 30). +5 for 1+ human reviews, +10 for 5+, +15 for 20+. +15 if the vendor has claimed the profile.
Frequently asked questions
Can vendors pay to boost their score?
No. Ever. Scores are computed from community data and product metadata. We don't accept payment to influence rankings.
When are scores recalculated?
Every time a new review is published on a product. Older scores are also refreshed in batch weekly.
Why would a product have a high score with few reviews?
A product can score well on Completeness and Confidence even with no community reviews yet — those two scores rely on profile quality and vendor signals. Community and Momentum scores will stay low until people start discussing it.
How do I improve my product's scores?
Claim your profile (which boosts Confidence), encourage your users to share honest reviews, and keep the product description complete and up-to-date.