How We Make Money

Last updated October 31, 2026

Plainly, because you deserve to know what's behind a recommendation.

Two ways, both disclosed

Affiliate partnerships. Some links to brokerages and robo-advisors — on the robo-advisors page and elsewhere — are affiliate links. If you open an account through one, the company may pay us a commission. It costs you nothing extra.

Display advertising. We run display ads on some pages. They're labeled, and they don't influence our editorial.

What money does not buy here

It does not buy a rating, a ranking position, or a kinder review. Our rankings are driven by expense ratios and suitability, full stop — and you'll notice we repeatedly point readers toward near-zero-cost index funds we earn nothing from, and openly tell you that the cheapest version of a robo-advisor is doing it yourself. That's the tell that the editorial comes first.

The inherent tension, named

Affiliate revenue creates an incentive to send you to partners. We manage it the only honest way: by leading with the cheap, commission-free DIY path on every page where a paid option appears, and by disclosing the relationship every time. If a recommendation ever reads like it's working against your interests, it's a bug — tell us.