Methodology · 2026-10-21
How the index works
Every number on this site comes from a public page. If we couldn't find it, the field is blank.
1. Discovery
Candidates come from public directories (aiautomationdb.com, aiagencymap.com, theexpertroster.com, partnerhire.com), the official n8n and Zapier partner directories, and public "best agencies" articles. Domains are de-duplicated.
2. Verification
A crawler fetches each homepage plus contact, about, pricing and case-study pages. A listing passes if the site is live, automation/AI is a core service, the site shows 2025–2026 activity, and it reads as an agency rather than a single SaaS product. Listings are re-checked weekly; dead sites are flagged and removed.
3. Enrichment
We extract service headings, case-study titles, sentences that state outcomes, logo alt-text in client sections, published prices, team size and founders. Outcomes are shown as quotes attributed to the agency; we do not verify them.
4. The Cofounderbase Score (0–100)
| Component | Max | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Platform depth | 25 | Core automation platforms (n8n, Make, Zapier, Power Automate…) named on the site: 8 pts each; AI/voice agent platforms 4 pts each; +3 for 4+ tools. |
| Evidence | 25 | Case-study pages found (4 pts each, max 3), named case studies (3 each, max 3), stated outcomes (2 each, max 2), linked review profiles (+4). |
| Certification | 20 | 20 if found in an official partner directory (n8n, Zapier); 8 if a partnership is only self-reported on the agency site. |
| Transparency | 15 | Published pricing (6), team size (3), named founder (3), public contact email on own domain (3). |
| Freshness | 15 | Footer/copyright year 2026 = 15, 2025 = 10; otherwise 6 (passed our 2025–26 activity check). |
The score measures public evidence and transparency — not the quality of an agency's work. Paid plans never change the score.
Current distribution
| 0–19 | 86 |
| 20–39 | 518 |
| 40–59 | 332 |
| 60–79 | 62 |
| 80–100 | 7 |
5. Labels
verified found in an official partner directory. self-reported claimed on the agency's site only. "Featured" marks paid placement.
Known limitations
- Platform/use-case detection is keyword-based and can miss or mis-tag.
- Location is unknown for some agencies.
- Sites that block automated requests may be under-scored.