Methodology
AiXVPS is a documentation-and-calculation site. Buying claims need matched primary sources. Forum posts alone never carry a page.
Four evidence pillars
| Pillar | What it can support | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Community / forums | Billing friction, support timelines, setup questions, failure modes to verify | Labeled “user report.” Upvotes ≠ truth. Not a complaint rate. |
| Provider official docs | SKU price, billing unit, AUP, cancel/stop rules, marketplace image notes | Proves the public promise on the product page—still verify against your workload. |
| Institutions / standards / industry research | Security control intent, public network measurement context | Does not certify a vendor or replace provider quotes. |
| Scientific literature | Why specs ≠ speed; measurement caveats; storage/network principles | Scope-bound context for sizing questions—not a substitute for your own measurements. |
How we treat evidence
- Shortlists follow scenario fit, published SKUs, and recomputable cost fields.
- Speed or deploy outcomes stay with your own tests (or dated third-party sources if cited).
- Community posts are prompts to verify, not complaint rates or rankings.
- Missing price or disk fields leave a total incomplete—never filled with competitor averages.
Public labels
- Verified label / terms — primary page checked with date/region.
- Cross-supported — two pillar types agree on the narrow claim.
- Single-source user report — community only.
- Conflict — both sides shown; SKU may leave recommendation math.
- Unverified — unknown; not treated as zero cost.
Total cost arithmetic (summary)
Period spend = base + metered extras + backup + licenses + required add-ons (disk / verified GPU SKU) + one-time fees + tax − usable promo. Monthly equivalent = period spend ÷ months covered. Annual prepay also shows cash due today. Local-AI helpers: model download size M plus workspace reserve R must fit disk tier; egress for pulls is listed when priced.
Worked numeric examples on the cost tool page are arithmetic illustrations only—not quotes.
Corrections
Material term or price errors should be corrected after re-check; outdated promos leave the decision inputs. See also About.