What we look at in this category
Pick the type of service before you pick the company. A self-directed brokerage, an automated portfolio, and a human adviser solve different problems at different prices. Compare the specific account you'd open, not the firm's reputation.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Total yearly cost | 30% |
| Accounts and investments on offer | 25% |
| Tools and support | 20% |
| What advice is included | 15% |
| Registrations and protections | 10% |
Questions every profile has to answer
- Do I want to run the portfolio or hand it off?
- What does the account cost per year, every fee included?
- Which account types and investments can I hold?
Collect evidence you can compare
For each company we identify the legal entity and official site, collect written pricing and terms, check the relevant registrations, and note the date and source of every fact that matters. When pricing depends on the customer, we compare on an identical scenario.
Anything a company says about itself is labeled as the company’s claim. On its own it doesn’t prove quality, service, or results.
Show the upside and the catch together
Every profile should tell you who the service suits, what it costs, and when another option fits better. If we couldn’t verify something, we say so instead of counting it for or against the company.
Score only when the evidence is there
Our model is a 100-point rubric with weights set per category. Each criterion gets a documented 0 to 5 rating, multiplied by its weight and divided by five. No company gets a published number until the evidence is complete and a reviewer has signed off.
Identity, availability, core costs, and material terms are mandatory. Contradictions get resolved before anything is scored. Customer ratings, our editorial score, and a company’s position on the page are three different things.
Keep the record correctable
We go back to the source when a fee, product, restriction, or company status changes. Readers and companies use the same correction form.
Send a correction