A directory is only useful if you know how to read it. Our ratings are meant to save you time - to get you to a short, sane shortlist faster - but a rating is a starting point, not a verdict. Here's what's behind the number, and how to use it well.

What the rating is

Each listing carries an editorial rating and an original review written by us, weighing the things that actually matter for that category: for a network, things like volume, targeting and payment reliability; for a host, adult-friendly terms and real uptime; for a processor, stability and chargeback tooling. The rating is a considered opinion, formed independently, and the review explains the reasoning so you can see whether our priorities match yours.

What it isn't

It isn't a guarantee, and it isn't pay-to-rank. Nobody buys a better score, and a high rating doesn't promise the provider will be the right fit for your specific traffic, geo or stage. A review is our take based on what we can assess - it can't know the details of your business. Treat it as informed guidance, not a substitute for your own judgment.

How it stays independent

The whole point of the directory is that the ratings aren't for sale. Reviews are original, not scraped from the providers or anyone else, and the editorial opinion is kept separate from any commercial relationship. Some outbound links may be affiliate links - that's how the directory sustains itself, and we're open about it on the "how we make money" page - but they don't move a rating. If that separation ever stopped being true, the directory would be worthless, so we guard it.

How to actually use it

Use the rating to narrow, then verify to decide:

• Start with the shortlist the ratings and category give you, and read the reviews for the reasoning, not just the number.
• Cross-check against the community - the people who've actually used a provider are the best signal of all, and reports of trouble reach our moderators privately.
• Then run your own small test. No review, however good, replaces pointing real traffic or real volume at a provider and watching what happens.

Done this way, the directory does the job it's meant to: it gets you to the handful of options worth your time, so you spend your testing budget learning about the right providers instead of eliminating the wrong ones.