How We Rate
How MoneyAtlas scores and ranks financial products: per-category criteria, our 1-to-5 star scale, how we make money, and how compensation is kept separate from editorial ratings.
How MoneyAtlas Rates Financial Products
Every card, account, loan, and policy on MoneyAtlas carries an editorial rating from 1 to 5 stars. Those ratings are set by our editorial team, not by advertisers, and this page explains how we get to them.
What Goes Into a Rating
Each product category has its own scoring criteria, because what makes a great savings account has little to do with what makes a great travel card. Bank bonuses are scored on the real payout after requirements, how reachable the terms are, and the quality of the account you are left with. Credit cards weigh rewards value against fees and approval requirements. Loans are judged on rates, fees, and how transparent the lender is before you apply. The criteria for each category are published on that category's page under “Our Methodology.”
Ratings use current terms pulled from issuer disclosures and product data feeds. When terms change, ratings get re-scored, and product rankings on our comparison pages also reflect real reader behavior over time.
How We Make Money
MoneyAtlas earns affiliate commissions when readers open accounts or are approved for products through our links. Compensation never sets a rating, and it cannot buy a placement in our editorial picks. Some products we rate pay us nothing at all. Rankings driven by reader engagement treat paying and non-paying products identically.
Mistakes and Corrections
Financial terms move fast and we sometimes miss a change. If you spot outdated numbers or a claim that does not match an issuer's current disclosure, contact us and we will verify and correct it.