Methodology

How Airdroplet Scores Airdrops

Every airdrop is scored on a 100-point rubric. The score combines team, fundamentals, token design, and risk penalties into the number shown across the tier list.

1

Team & Transparency

Max: 25 points

Strong teams with doxxing/track record reduce rug risk and signal long-term commitment.

  • 0–10Doxxed/Reputable Team. Fully doxxed + prior successful projects (+10); pseudonymous but strong on-chain/dev history (+5–7); anonymous/low-info (+0–3).
  • 0–10Funding & Backers. Raised $10M+ from top VCs (e.g., a16z, Paradigm) (+8–10); $2–10M solid backers (+4–7); bootstrapped/no major funding but credible (+2–4); none/unknown (+0–1).
  • 0–5Transparency & Audits. Multiple smart contract audits (e.g., by Trail of Bits, Quantstamp), public roadmap, active GitHub (+4–5); basic audits/docs (+2–3); none/minimal (+0–1).
2

Project Fundamentals & Traction

Max: 30 points

Real usage and product-market fit matter more than hype.

  • 0–15TVL / Usage Metrics. Pre-airdrop TVL >$500M or high activity (e.g., daily txns, volume) (+10–15); $100–500M or growing (+5–9); <$100M/low activity (+0–4). Bonus for organic growth (not just airdrop farming TVL spikes).
  • 0–10Product & Innovation. Solves real problem (e.g., L2 scaling, DeFi primitive, modular infra) with unique tech/traction (+7–10); standard but executed well (+4–6); vaporware/me-too (+0–3).
  • 0–5User Base & Community. 100k+ active/organic users, engaged socials/discord (+4–5); moderate (+2–3); low/sybil-heavy (+0–1).
3

Tokenomics & Airdrop Design

Max: 25 points

Fair distribution and sustainable economics drive post-airdrop performance.

  • 0–10Airdrop Allocation & Size. 10–30%+ to community/users (e.g., Hyperliquid's 31%) with meaningful per-user value (+7–10); 5–10% decent (+4–6); <5% or tiny/unknown (+0–3).
  • 0–8Vesting/Cliffs & Unlock Schedule. Team/investor tokens vested 1–4+ years with cliffs (+5–8); short/no vesting (+0–3). Anti-dilution mechanisms (e.g., burns, revenue share) bonus.
  • 0–7Eligibility & Anti-Sybil. Points-based on genuine activity (e.g., bridging, txns over months, liquidity provision like Arbitrum/Jito) with sybil detection (+5–7); loose or easily farmed (+0–3).
4

Risks & Red Flags

Max: −20 points (subtract)

Penalize heavily for scam signals (can push score negative/near 0).

  • 0 to −10Rug/Scam Potential. History of rugs, anonymous team + no audits, honeypots, or unrealistic promises (−5 to −10); minor concerns (−1 to −4).
  • 0 to −5Overhype / Farming Meta. Extreme TVL inflation from farmers only, short-term hype without retention (−3 to −5).
  • 0 to −5Other (e.g., regulatory, tech risks).