How we rate lenders
The goal is simple: reward clear terms and clear handling of your information, while showing when we do not know enough to make a confident call.
What the scores are for
A score is a shortcut, not the review itself. Use it to spot lenders that are easier to understand or applications that deserve a closer look. The lender page contains the actual terms, tradeoffs, and sources.
Transparency score
How clear is the deal?
We look at whether a borrower can understand the price, fees, repayment schedule, lender identity, and important restrictions before signing.
Data safety score
What may happen to your information?
We look at whether an application stays with one provider, how clearly sharing is explained, what contact permission is requested, and whether opting out is straightforward.
Where the information comes from
We favor the lender’s own current documents first, then use public records and borrower material to add context.
Paying FundingRank does not buy a better rating
FundingRank may earn referral fees from some providers and may eventually sell clearly labeled sponsored placement. Those relationships do not change the lender’s editorial rating or the facts shown on its review.
Technical scoring details
Transparency and data-safety scores are built from weighted subcategories. We also track how complete and current the underlying information is. When too little is known, the correct output is no score or an explicit missing-data state rather than a guessed number.
The methodology can change as the lender database grows. Material changes are dated and should not be used to make older scores look as if they were calculated under a newer system.
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