About Tool Finder
Helping you find the right software since 2012
Our Story
Tool Finder started because we were frustrated. There are thousands of productivity tools out there, and finding honest, in-depth information about them was a nightmare. Most "reviews" are just rewritten press releases or affiliate-driven listicles that recommend everything.
We wanted something different. A place where you could actually trust the recommendations because they came from people who use these tools every day.
Francesco and Karl met after university and quickly realised they shared an obsession with productivity tools (yes, we know that's a bit nerdy). In 2022, they launched Bento Focus, a focus timer app. Then in 2024, they started building Tool Finder into what it is today - the best place to discover, compare, and save on software.
Between Francesco's 13+ years reviewing productivity software since 2012 (and his YouTube audience of 400,000+ subscribers) and Karl's experience building web platforms, we had the perfect combination to make this happen.
What We Actually Do
We help professionals and teams find the right software for their needs. Project management, note-taking, calendar apps, time tracking, CRMs - if it helps you get stuff done, we've probably reviewed it. And if we haven't, we're probably working on it.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
- Honest Reviews - We use tools for weeks before writing about them. No surface-level takes.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons - Can't decide between two tools? We put them side by side and tell you which one wins (and for whom).
- Exclusive Deals - We negotiate discounts with software vendors so our community gets better prices.
- YouTube Deep Dives - Sometimes you want to see a tool in action. That's what our YouTube channel is for.
Meet the Team
Francesco D'Alessio
Co-founder & Editor
Francesco has spent over 13 years in the productivity software space since 2012. What started as a personal blog about getting things done turned into Tool Finder, one of YouTube's most-watched productivity channels with 400,000+ subscribers. He's tested over 1,000 tools, consulted for companies on their tech stack, and been featured in major publications.
Karl Hadwen
Co-founder & Developer
Karl handles the technical side of Tool Finder - the platform, the infrastructure, and making sure everything actually works. He's been building web applications for over a decade, working with companies from startups to enterprises. He also runs a YouTube channel focused on web development and startups. Outside of code, he's obsessed with finding the perfect productivity setup (spoiler: it doesn't exist).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you test and review tools?
We don't just skim features lists. Francesco personally uses each tool for real work over several weeks, putting it through actual workflows. We look at everything from the onboarding experience to how it handles edge cases. If a tool has collaboration features, we test those too. Our reviews come from genuine hands-on experience, not press releases.
How do you make money?
We're transparent about this. Tool Finder earns through affiliate partnerships with some of the tools we feature, premium memberships that give users access to exclusive deals, and sponsored content that's always clearly marked. Our reviews and recommendations aren't influenced by these relationships - we've given negative reviews to tools we have affiliate deals with when they deserved it.
Can I suggest a tool to review?
Absolutely. We get suggestions from our community all the time and it's genuinely helpful. Drop us a message through the contact page or reach out on Twitter. We can't promise we'll cover everything, but we read every suggestion and it often shapes what we look at next.
Do you offer consulting or partnerships?
Yes, we work with software companies on various things - from honest feedback during beta testing to helping with product positioning. Francesco also does consulting for teams trying to figure out their tool stack. If you're interested, get in touch through our contact page and we can chat about what might work.