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Our ratings and review process ensures the products we include in our recommendations are truly products we use ourselves and would recommend to our own family and friends. That’s what has always set us apart – we do not let advertising deals influence our product ratings or which products we recommend or list on page.
Simply put, we put the best products on page, as rated by our experts (who have no knowledge of any of our advertiser compensation or partnerships).
While rating models and the criteria they assess do vary by product category, there are generally three core themes that products rated favorably by Motley Fool Money's analysts have in common.
Time is a valuable commodity and we want to help members of our community achieve their financial goals as fast as possible. We believe the fewer solutions a person needs to get where they want to be financially, the better. That means our rating models are biased toward products that have straightforward structures with simple offers that don't risk either confusing potential customers or hiding watered-down product offerings behind disclaimers and small print.
The market is packed with offers, which means competition is simply too high to be stuck with a product that charges unjustifiably high fees for a given feature set. When a product has the combination of limited perks and high fees, our ratings will not be favorable.
Companies that go the extra mile to build trust with customers and to provide transparency at all levels will tend to receive higher overall editorial ratings. Again, competition benefits consumers and that may not be any clearer than when it comes to trust and transparency. There are simply too many great products available in the market. The standout options are built with a customer first mentality, because simply put, the companies that don't take this view point end up becoming less competitive over time as they are overtaken by companies that adhere to these values.
Select any topic below to see that topic's dedicated ratings methodology page.
All products are reviewed in depth and evaluated at least quarterly to ensure that any offers Motley Fool Money rates highly keep pace with, or are ahead of the competition.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule. If we wouldn't recommend an offer to a close family member, we wouldn't recommend it on Motley Fool Money either. That editorial integrity guides our ratings methodologies and explains why we only stand behind the best products, based on our editorial opinions, not advertiser compensation.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.