Keep ranking evidence separate
The published order should follow the underlying research record. A provider request, editorial preference, or reviewer opinion does not justify an unsupported change to that result.
A factual correction may change how a provider or product is described. If a correction also affects the ranking data, the relevant evidence needs to be addressed rather than silently substituting a preferred result.
Commercial links and sponsorship
A link to a provider is not, by itself, evidence of an affiliate relationship. Compensated links and placements should carry a clear disclosure near the relevant content. Advertising and sponsored content should be recognizable as such.
Affiliate disclosure
Mortgage Consensus Index may receive compensation when you use certain links, request information or mortgage quotes, connect with a commercial partner, or apply for or purchase a product or service through a qualifying arrangement. Affiliate, referral, advertising, and other commercial relationships can help fund research and site operations and create a potential financial conflict of interest.
Some commercial links may use tracking parameters, referral identifiers, or cookies to attribute a qualifying action. Compensation may come from a lender, broker, marketplace, referral platform, or marketing network; a link does not necessarily mean we have a direct relationship with the named lender.
- Compensation does not determine research inclusion, recorded AI recommendations, recommendation counts, Consensus Scores, study or category rankings, or historical results. A provider without a commercial relationship can rank first, and a partner can rank poorly. Advertising and sponsored placements should be clearly identified.
- A commercial partner may offer only some lenders, products, or locations represented in our research. A quote or application link is not a research award and does not guarantee approval, a particular rate, the lowest APR, or the lowest fees. Compare current Loan Estimates and the provider’s terms, eligibility requirements, and privacy policy.
- Compensation arrangements and amounts can vary. Do not assume an affiliate link makes a mortgage offer cheaper or more expensive; rates and fees depend on the lender, loan, and borrower. Commercial status does not prevent a factual correction or give a provider the right to change accurate research.
Provider input and potential conflicts
Providers may identify factual errors and supply primary sources. Their statements still need to be considered as provider-supplied information, not independent validation of a claim.
A material relationship affecting an article should be disclosed where readers can assess it. Reviewer involvement does not imply endorsement of a lender, and a review credit does not determine a provider's position.