Computed, never negotiated
How We Rank
100% Transparent. No secrets.
Our rankings are built on our own editorial research and testing, with trader ratings and likes feeding in as they arrive — weighted, published and never for sale. Here is the exact formula.
Every point earns its place
The dial next to every firm starts at our research verdict and hands over to real trader ratings as they accumulate — weighted so no single signal can be gamed.
Research Verdict × Trader Ratings
95%One Bayesian blend: every firm starts at our published research verdict — payout requests we made, rules we audited, track records we checked — and real trader star ratings progressively replace it as they accumulate. Sustained satisfaction, not one lucky review, moves a firm.
Trader Likes
5%A lightweight signal of goodwill, hard-capped at 100 likes so brigading is pointless.
Research Score
One 0–100 number, recomputed live from the inputs on the left.
- Research Verdict × Trader Ratings95%
- Trader Likes5%
How ratings grow with more reviews
A firm's displayed rating starts pinned to its research-verdict prior and only earns its true score as real reviews accumulate — the Bayesian average in action.
Fairer reviews. More accurate rankings.
The formula is designed to be hard to game and easy to trust. A few things it will never do:
New firms start honest
Every firm begins at its research-verdict prior worth 5 phantom reviews, so a single 5★ rating can't rocket an unknown to the top.
Money can't move the needle
No firm can pay for a higher score. Affiliate deals fund the site but sit entirely outside the formula.
Sponsorships are labelled
Any featured pick is marked Top pick directly in the table — the score itself has no commercial input.
Scores update live
Only registered traders can rate, one review per firm. Ratings feed the dial immediately — that's why rankings shift.
Rankings you can trust.
Because trust is earned.
- The score is a formula, not an opinion — you can reproduce it from the numbers on any firm page.
- Affiliate links pay the bills, transparently, and touch nothing in the ranking pipeline.
- When a firm changes a rule or a payout, we update the data — corrections welcome any time.
Questions traders ask
Everything about how the number is built — and why you can rely on it.
Can a firm pay to rank higher?+
No. Placement in the rankings is computed purely from the formula above. Affiliate partnerships are disclosed in the footer and fund the site, but they have zero weight in the score.
Why doesn't one 5-star review shoot a firm to #1?+
Every firm starts from a Bayesian prior anchored to its research verdict, carrying the weight of 5 phantom reviews. A firm needs sustained ratings from many traders before its score can climb, so a single review barely moves the dial.
Where do the reviews come from?+
Only registered accounts can rate a firm — one review per trader per firm — with rate limits and moderation for spam. Ratings feed the score immediately.
What is the research verdict?+
It's our own hands-on testing: payout requests we actually made, support tickets we actually opened, rules we actually read, track records and third-party signals we checked. It sets a firm's starting score — and real trader ratings progressively replace it as they accumulate.
How do I report a wrong number?+
Every data point on a firm page can be verified against the firm's own site — and when they change, we update. Tell us via the newsletter reply address in the footer.