If you end up with a mix of different programs in your pile of keepers, know that it’s okay to mix and match. You might enjoy one program for language arts and a different program for history. You might love science from one vendor, or really like everything except math from another.
Sonlight, for example, allows you to customize packages that include precisely what you want, while offering you more than one option for handwriting, math, and more. This flexibility allows you to do much of your shopping in one place.
If you like more than one program for the same subject, you might consider trying one this year and the other the next. Or do more research. Email the curriculum provider with questions, talk to an advisor, and ask what kind of guarantee and return policy is available.