At RTINGS.com, our goal is to help you buy the right product for your needs. We buy, test, and review everything ourselves, and we share the full results so you can make your own call.
For years, we didn't run ads. That decision helped keep our incentives aligned with our mission. That matters because our focus isn't on keeping you viewing page after page—it's on helping you make the best decision. Ad revenue is tied to how many pages people view, and affiliate revenue is tied to whether someone actually buys a product.
Our mission is still helping you make the best decision, but we want to build a stronger foundation to support this mission for years to come.
Why That's Changing
Our work has grown. We now cover more categories, buy more products, and run more tests than ever. To keep that going, we need a stronger foundation. That means:
- Trying different revenue models that may work better for different product categories. This allows us to invest back into testing and improvements
- Diversifying how we earn money, so we're not relying too heavily on any one source
We're starting to experiment with ads, but doing it our way.
What You'll See (and What You Won't)
We're rolling this out carefully. Here's what to expect:
- Limited number of ads per page
- No autoplay video, sound, pop-ups, or oversized formats
- No ads for paid insiders
We picked a partner who supports our approach. They handle the ad setup and management, while we stay focused on testing and reviewing. We've set clear limits on the types of ads allowed. If anything changes, we'll be transparent, and your feedback will help shape future decisions.
You can see examples of how we expect this to look on our recommendation articles and our review articles when we roll out these changes in the next few weeks.
Staying Unbiased
Our editorial and monetization teams are separate. That means the people writing reviews don't know what ads will appear, and the people working with advertisers have no say in our scores or content. This setup helps us stay focused on what's best for you, not anyone else.
We buy all the products we review ourselves. Manufacturers, brands, or advertisers can't influence our reviews and recommendations, we don't do any sponsored reviews, and we don't let brands decide what we test. We let our community vote on which product we should review next.
Why It Matters
This isn't just about making money. It's about:
- Diversifying our revenue to reduce business risks
- Building a long-term, sustainable business that stays independent
- Keeping our product testing and reviews high-quality
Whether you're new here or you've followed us for years, we want to keep earning your trust. These changes are about making sure we can do that, both now and in the future.
The Mission Hasn't Changed
We're still here to help you find the best product for your needs. Everything we're doing—from introducing ads carefully, to choosing our partners, to setting limits—is about making that mission stronger and more sustainable. See more information about how we make money to ensure our sources of revenue and structure allow us strong editorial independence.
Let Us Know What You Think
We're sharing this because we want to be open. Got thoughts? We're listening. What works? What doesn't? What should we improve?
Let us know in the comments below, reach out to us via email, or join our Discord server. Whichever avenue you choose, we want to hear from you.