Editorial policy
StartupStead exists to give founders answers they can act on. This page sets out how every article is researched, written and kept up to date, so you can judge how far to trust it.
Who writes it
Every article is written by Suraj Upadhyay, an engineer and founder, and says so at the top. Wherever possible, an article draws on something the author has set up, used or paid for first-hand.
Tax, law, insurance, company formation and payroll depend on where you are and change often. Articles on those topics are reviewed by a qualified US professional, such as a CPA, an enrolled agent or an attorney, who is named on the article. Where no reviewer is named, the article sticks to what the author has done first-hand and says so.
How products are chosen
A comparison covers the products a founder would realistically shortlist, whether or not they pay us. A product with no affiliate program is recommended over one with a generous program whenever it is the better fit. We never publish a "best of" list made only of paying partners.
How products are tested
Where we can, we sign up and use the product, and the article shows it with screenshots, real costs and real timelines. Anything we have not used ourselves is marked as such, and the article says where its information came from instead.
How prices and facts are checked
- Prices and features come from each company's own pricing and product pages first. When a figure comes from a review site, a news report or a government source, the article says so.
- Every price carries the date it was checked. We re-check prices and partner terms at least every three months.
- Laws and tax rules are taken from the official source, such as the IRS, FinCEN, the SBA or the state's own filing office, and linked.
What affiliate links never change
Some links earn a commission. That pays for the research, and it never decides a verdict, a ranking or which products appear. Companies cannot pay to be included, cannot review an article before it is published, and cannot ask for changes to one. How we make money lists every product we currently earn from.
How we use AI tools
AI tools help with research and first drafts. Every article is rewritten, checked against its sources and approved by a person before it goes up, and nothing is published straight from a tool.
Updates and corrections
When a price, a product or a rule changes, the article is updated and its "Updated" date moves. When we get something wrong, we fix it and add a note at the end of the article saying what changed and when.
If you spot a mistake, tell us. Every report is read.
Not professional advice
Articles explain how things generally work. They are not legal, tax or financial advice for your situation. Before you sign, file or pay, check with a CPA, an enrolled agent or an attorney who knows your state.