All questionsShopping
Do affiliate links affect how you rank products?
Short answer
No. Ranking is computed from the ethics score before any commercial relationship is considered, and brands cannot buy a position, a review or inclusion. Some outbound retailer links earn a commission, which funds the research, and every one of them is disclosed on the page it appears.
The detail
The separation is structural: the scoring pipeline has no access to affiliate data, and editorial staff have no revenue targets tied to specific brands. Products with no affiliate programme at all regularly rank first.
We also publish what would change our mind — recalls, controversies and lapsed certifications all reduce scores automatically, including for brands we earn from.
At a glance
- No paid placement
- Position cannot be purchased at any price.
- Disclosed
- Affiliate relationships are stated on every page that carries them.
- Auditable
- The full formula and weightings are published.