Editorial rankings are earned, not sold
When we rank or feature a business editorially, that placement is based only on the five pillars — reputation and review quality, service-area expertise, licensing and compliance, digital presence, and cross-platform consistency. Payment never moves a business up an editorial ranking.
Sponsored listings are clearly labeled
Some businesses pay for placement. When they do, that listing carries a clear "Sponsored" label so you always know it's a paid placement rather than an editorial pick. It's advertising, and we mark it as such.
Why we separate the two
The whole value of this directory is that you can trust the editorial picks. Mixing paid and earned placement without disclosure would quietly destroy that — so we don't. Keeping the two clearly separated is what lets the rankings stay worth reading.
What this means for you
You can always tell which is which. Treat a sponsored listing as advertising and weigh it accordingly; treat an editorial entry as our independent assessment against the five pillars. Both are honest about what they are.
Frequently asked questions
Can a business pay to rank higher in your editorial lists?
No. Editorial rankings are based only on the five-pillar methodology. Businesses can buy sponsored placement, but it's labeled as 'Sponsored' and kept separate from editorial scoring.
How do I tell a sponsored listing from an editorial one?
Sponsored listings carry a clear 'Sponsored' label. Anything without it is an editorial entry, scored on our methodology.
Last updated 2026-06-25