How we rate and review
We publish rankings that people use to spend money, so we think you are entitled to know exactly where our scores come from. This page explains what our numbers mean, how we make money, and the limits of what we do.
What our scores are — and are not
Every score out of 10 on this site is an editorial opinion assigned by our research team from publicly available information: published pricing, feature and coverage documents, fee schedules, eligibility criteria and terms of service.
Our scores are notaggregated customer reviews, and they are not verified user ratings. We do not currently collect user-submitted reviews or star ratings anywhere on this site. If you see a score of 9.2, that is our assessment against the criteria below — not an average of anyone else’s.
Our scoring criteria
We score each product against five weighted criteria. Weightings shift slightly by category — fees matter more for a loan than for a popcorn machine — but the framework is the same everywhere.
Price & value
25%Headline price, what the entry tier actually includes, and whether the cost is justified against directly comparable products. For financial products we look at APR ranges, origination fees and any prepayment penalties.
Features & coverage
25%What the product does out of the box versus what needs a paid upgrade. For insurance and loans, this covers eligibility ranges, limits, exclusions and how much of a typical need is genuinely met.
Transparency of terms
20%Whether pricing, fees and conditions are published plainly or hidden behind a quote form. Providers that publish clear terms score higher than those that do not.
Support & service
15%Contact channels, published hours, and whether help is reachable by a human. We also weigh documented complaint-handling and regulatory standing where it is public.
Ease of getting started
15%How much friction there is between deciding and using the product — application length, whether a soft credit check is offered, setup time and cancellation terms.
How we make money
ReviewAgent is free to read and funded two ways: advertising shown on our pages, and affiliate commissions. When you click through to a provider and sign up or buy, we may be paid a referral fee by that provider at no extra cost to you.
Commission rates differ between providers. We are aware that this is a conflict of interest, so we hold to three rules: rankings are decided against the criteria above before commercial terms are considered, a provider cannot buy a better position or a higher score, and we include providers that pay us nothing where they deserve a place. Sponsored placements, if we ever run them, will be labelled as such.
How we keep pages current
Prices, APRs and eligibility rules change often, and providers change them without telling us. We review our published lists on a rolling basis and update figures when we find them changed. Even so, the provider’s own site is always the authority: check the current terms there before you apply or buy.
Our limits
- We assess published information and product documentation. We do not lab-test physical products, and we do not hold accounts with every financial provider we cover.
- Nothing on this site is financial, insurance, legal, medical or tax advice. Our content is general information and does not account for your circumstances. For decisions with real financial consequences, speak to a licensed professional.
- Eligibility, rates and availability depend on your own profile and location. The rate you are offered will often differ from any advertised “rates from” figure, which typically goes only to the most creditworthy applicants.
Corrections
If a figure on this site is wrong or out of date, we want to fix it. Email hello@reviewagent.us with the page and the detail, and we will correct it or explain our reasoning. See also our About and Terms pages.