Using extensive experimental strain-life curve data on 116 steels, 16 aluminium alloys and six titanium alloys, nearly all methods currently available for estimation of fatigue properties from simple tensile data are discussed in detail. The four-point correlation method, the universal slopes method, Mitchell's method, the modified universal slopes method, the uniform material law by Baumel and Seeger. and the modified four-point correlation method by Ong are evaluated in a quantitative manner by using new criteria proposed in this work, along with conventional error criterion. The modified universal slopes, Seeger's and Ong's methods give good life predictions. Among them, the modified universal slopes method provides best results.