How we rank and verify
PayCompare is an independent directory. Here’s exactly how listings are ordered, what our badges mean, and how we handle reviews and sponsorship — so you can judge what you read.
How processors are ranked
The default “Recommended” order on directory and category pages is applied in three stages, in this exact priority:
1 · Sponsored placements
Processors with a paid sponsored placement appear first, ordered by their sponsor rank. Every sponsored listing carries a clear “Sponsored” label on the card — it is never hidden.
2 · Listing tier
Next, remaining processors are grouped by listing tier: Premier, then Verified, then Free. A higher tier reflects a more complete, maintained profile — not a higher rating.
3 · Rank score
Within each tier, processors are ordered by a computed rank score — a weighted blend of their average rating (60%), review volume on a log scale so a handful of reviews can’t outweigh hundreds (25%), and our editorial score (15%).
You can override this any time with the sort control — Highest rated, Most reviewed, Lowest fees, or Newest. Those orders are applied as you’d expect and do not pin sponsored listings.
What “Verified” means
A Verified badge means we’ve confirmed the processor is a genuine, operating business and that the core facts on its profile — pricing model, supported regions, and payment methods — match its official documentation at the time of review.
Verification is about authenticity, not endorsement. It doesn’t mean a processor is the cheapest or the best fit for you — only that what you’re reading is accurate. Fees change often, so always confirm current pricing directly with the provider before signing up.
How reviews are collected and verified
Reviews are submitted by real merchants through our write-a-review form. Every submission is held for moderation and is never shown publicly until a human approves it. We check for spam, conflicts of interest, and off-topic content before publishing.
Reviewers provide a private email so we can confirm they’re a genuine customer. Reviews from confirmed merchants are marked Verified. A processor’s star rating and sub-ratings are computed only from approved reviews and update automatically as new ones are published or removed — they’re never edited by hand.
Sponsorship & disclosure
PayCompare is free for merchants. We’re funded by sponsored placements and affiliate links — when you click “Visit website” we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. These links are marked with rel="sponsored" and we tag affiliate clicks for our own analytics.
Sponsorship affects placement only — it never influences a processor’s star rating, sub-ratings, review content, or editorial score, and sponsored listings are always labelled. Our reviews and rankings stay independent of any commercial relationship.
Questions about our methodology?
We aim to be transparent. If something looks wrong on a profile, let us know.