Genuine.
Independent.
Worth finding.
The Penny Black was the world's first postage stamp - valuable because it was the real thing. That is the standard we hold ourselves to.
What we do
Every article on PennyBlack is a focused comparison. "Best X for Y" guides help you pick the right tool for a specific need. Head-to-head pages break down the real differences between two competing products. We write for founders building something real and needing honest answers.
"We recommend what we would actually use. When a tool is not worth the money, we say so - even when we have an affiliate relationship with it."
How we make money
This site earns affiliate commissions when you sign up for a tool through our links. The commission comes from the tool provider, not from you - you pay exactly the same price either way.
Affiliate income does not influence which tools we recommend. Commission rates play zero role in rankings. The best option for a specific use case is always the winner, regardless of whether we earn anything from it.
Who we are
PennyBlack is part of Raging Orangutan Holdings - a portfolio of independent software products. We build and operate tools across music, gaming, publishing, and more. The recommendations here come from that experience: we have evaluated these tools while building actual products, not in a review lab.
What we look for
- Pricing transparency - what does it actually cost at scale?
- Ease of setup - can one person get this running in under an hour?
- Data ownership - can you export your data? Are you locked in?
- Privacy and compliance - does it respect your users?
- Support quality - when something breaks, can you get help?
Why "PennyBlack"
The Penny Black stamp (1840) was worth a fortune precisely because it was the real thing - not because anyone marketed it. That is the brand. Genuine tool recommendations in a sea of manufactured guru content.