Our standards
We follow the principles of experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness. Content must be accurate, sourced, useful and written in plain language.
Research process
- Primary sources first: official app listings, company disclosures and regulatory guidance (CFPB, FTC).
- Public feedback: app-store and BBB reviews are analyzed for recurring themes, not individual anecdotes.
- Hands-on review: we walk through product flows where possible.
Fact-checking
Each page is reviewed by a second expert. Figures that change — fees, limits, ratings — are dated.
Updates & corrections
We re-review core pages at least quarterly. Spot an error? Email [email protected]; we respond within two business days.
Advertising & independence
We may earn compensation from request forms on our site. Compensation never affects ratings or what we write. Our editors don't see commercial arrangements when scoring products.
Review methodology
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Cost & transparency | 25% |
| Accessibility | 20% |
| Flexibility | 20% |
| Speed | 15% |
| Extra tools | 10% |
| Customer experience | 10% |
Sources we rely on
- Official app-store listings and in-app disclosures
- Company privacy policies and terms
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Trade Commission guidance
- Aggregated public reviews (App Store, Google Play, BBB)
What we won't publish
- Fabricated testimonials or reviews
- Unverified claims about approval odds or guaranteed amounts
- Content that encourages repeated or excessive borrowing
How ratings are calculated
Each product is scored in six weighted categories (shown in the table above). Scores are reviewed by a second editor and updated when terms or public feedback change materially.