How we rate
What our scores mean, and what they do not.
The Partner Index is our own editorial assessment of the options in a category — networks, tools, structures — scored on the things that decide real outcomes for European businesses, not on vendor marketing.
What we score
We weigh the factors that a buyer actually lives with. For an affiliate network, that means payout reliability and thresholds, tracking accuracy, merchant quality and approval rates, and support — not the headline count of programmes. For software, onboarding, pricing transparency, EU data handling and real capability.
Why some figures are marked illustrative
Where a precise number can move — a commission percentage, a price tier, a third-party authority score — we mark it illustrative and confirm it against the provider's published terms at the time of review. We would rather flag a figure as indicative than present a moving target as fixed fact. Verifiable rules (a VAT threshold, a cookie-window norm) we state plainly.
Independence
Scores are not for sale. A sponsor cannot buy a place in The Partner Index or a better rating. Paid placements are labelled and kept separate; see our editorial standards.
How often we review
Ranked categories are reviewed regularly and re-dated when we do. Terms change; a review is a snapshot with a date on it.