METHODOLOGY
How a firm earns a score, and what can take it away.How a firm earns a score.
Every firm page comes from recorded facts: verified rules, checked prices and trader reviews with proof. Here is how the score and the order on lists work today.
Four steps, repeated daily
Discover
Directories, registries and certificate logs, checked every morning.
Verify
Registry match, five payout proofs, rules that match checkout.
Score
A review score from published reviews, and lists ordered by the record. No opinions in the maths.
Re-check
Rules re-read and prices re-checked daily. Changes logged with before and after.
The score
| Component | How it counts | Source | Refresh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review score | Weighted average | Published reviews, one per trader. Proof-checked reviews count 1.25×; a review's weight halves every 365 days. | Live |
| Order on lists | Most reviewed | Ordered by review count, then rating — the figures each firm's page shows: reviews gathered from across the web where the firm has them, otherwise approved reviews published on PFR. Equal results are ordered by firm name and ID. | Live |
| Rank numbers | Not shown yet | When a ranking formula is adopted, its version and weights are published on the methodology page before any rank appears. | — |
Review scoreWeighted average
Published reviews, one per trader. Proof-checked reviews count 1.25×; a review's weight halves every 365 days. · Live
Order on listsMost reviewed
Ordered by review count, then rating — the figures each firm's page shows: reviews gathered from across the web where the firm has them, otherwise approved reviews published on PFR. Equal results are ordered by firm name and ID. · Live
Rank numbersNot shown yet
When a ranking formula is adopted, its version and weights are published on the methodology page before any rank appears. · —
What can change a score
- New reviews once they are published; a trader’s newer review replaces their older one.
- Time: a review’s weight halves as it ages, so recent experience counts most.
- A proof of purchase PFR has checked, which gives a review more weight.
- Reviews that fail verification, removed with the reviewer told why.
Questions
Can a firm see its score before it is published?
No. Firms receive the same page you do, at the same time. They can dispute a fact with evidence and the correction is logged publicly.
Why is a big firm ranked below a small one?
A firm’s size is not an input to the current organic ranking. The catalogue orders firms by approved review count, then review score.
How often does the ranking move?
The public order updates when published review records change. Check the firm profile for its current record.
