Methodology
Every ranked tool gets a score out of 100 from the rubric below. Rank is just the score, highest first. Ties are broken alphabetically. Nobody can pay for a position, and affiliate status is never a factor.
What counts as "free"
- Free plan: usable forever without paying, confirmed on the tool's own site.
- Free calculator / free page: no signup needed.
- Free trial only: listed on Free trials, never in the free ranking.
The rubric (100 points)
| Factor | Weight | Source | How points are given |
|---|---|---|---|
| How much is usable free | 35 | Tool's pricing page | Full free = 35, real free plan with limits = 20. Trial-only tools are excluded from the ranking and listed on Free trials. |
| No signup / no card | 15 | Our manual check | No account needed = 15, free account with no card (verified) = 8, not verified yet = 4, card required at signup (even if the free plan is never charged) = 0. |
| Data quality | 20 | Tool's site | Sharp or no-vig reference price = 7; book coverage: 30+ = 7, 10–29 = 4, calculators that work with any odds you enter = 4, under 10 or not verified = 2; player props: full = 6, limited = 3. |
| Usefulness for +EV / line shopping | 15 | Written editorial rubric | Live +EV feed in the free tier = 15, +EV bets but a short/limited list = 12, line-shopping odds screen = 11, supports the workflow (devig, hedge, tracking, raw data) = 8, research/trends only = 4, other = 2. |
| Freshness | 10 | Our checker | Continuously updating data or a working calculator = 10, loads fine but update speed not verified = 8, free tier refreshes on a stated delay of minutes (e.g. every 10 min) = 7, updates once a day = 6. |
| Mobile app | 5 | App stores / tool site | iOS and Android = 5, one = 3, none or not verified = 0. |
Unverified = conservative. If we couldn't confirm something on the tool's own site (signup rules, book count, app), it gets the lowest points for that line until we can. Tools can email hello@linegoat.com with a link to correct us.
How often we re-check
Prices, free tiers and trial lengths come from one maintained dataset, with a source link and a "checked" date on every tool. Current data was checked Oct 16, 2026. Scores are recalculated automatically whenever the data changes.
Affiliate links
Some links (currently OddsJam, Sharp App and SportsGameOdds) are affiliate links. They're labeled "affiliate" and use rel="sponsored". We may earn a commission at no cost to you. OddsJam and Sharp App aren't in the free ranking at all, because neither has a free plan. SportsGameOdds is ranked because its free Amateur API plan qualifies, and it's scored on the same rubric as everyone else (it loses points for requiring a card at signup and for its 9-book, 10-minute-delay free tier).
Sponsored placements
The homepage and category pages have one "Featured tool" box labeled Sponsored. It's an ad (right now for OddsJam via our affiliate link, or for our own Daily Edge newsletter). It sits outside the ranked list, and buying it, or a newsletter mention or sponsored review, never changes a tool's score or rank. How advertising works.
Weighting "free" and "no signup" heavily is a deliberate choice that favors fully free sites. That's why every score breakdown is public.