Our Methodology
How MyCreditFind evaluates, scores, and recommends credit cards, loans, and savings products—so you can make confident, transparent money decisions.
What’s inside
1) Editorial Principles
Editorial choices are not for sale. Partner links never change our rankings or reviews.
2) Scoring Framework
Each product earns a category-specific score (0–100). We weight factors by how much they affect real users’ outcomes. Scores roll up into an overall rating used in comparisons and “Best” lists.
| Dimension | Description | Typical Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Cost / Yield | APR, fees, redemption value, APY, min balance. | 40–60% |
| Eligibility & Access | Approval odds, pre-qual, minimums, geography. | 10–20% |
| Usability & Flexibility | Caps, restrictions, portability, mobile UX. | 10–20% |
| Perks & Protections | Insurance, warranties, travel perks, extras. | 5–15% |
| Transparency & Service | Disclosures, support, dispute process. | 5–10% |
We may adjust weights for specific “Best for…” lists (e.g., balance transfers emphasize intro APR and fees).
3) Credit Card Criteria
| Factor | How we assess | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| APR & Intro Offers | Purchase/BT APR ranges; intro duration; balance transfer fee. | 25% |
| Rewards Value | Earning rates by category; caps; point cash value; breakage risk. | 25% |
| Fees | Annual, foreign, late, returned payment fees; waiver policies. | 15% |
| Eligibility | Pre-qualification availability; required credit tiers; issuer rules. | 10% |
| Perks & Protections | Travel insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty, lounge, partners. | 10% |
| Usability | Redemption options, transfer partners, minimums, app experience. | 10% |
| Transparency | Clear disclosures, accessible Schumer boxes, fees shown upfront. | 5% |
We compute an estimated annual value for typical spender profiles to compare rewards vs. fees.
4) Loan Criteria (Personal/Auto/Business/Mortgage)
| Factor | How we assess | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| APR & Total Cost | Rate ranges by credit tier; origination/prepayment fees; representative examples. | 40% |
| Eligibility & Funding | Credit tiers, DTI, income docs; pre-qual (soft check); funding speed. | 20% |
| Term Flexibility | Available tenors, early payoff policies, hardship options. | 15% |
| Transparency | Rate/fee disclosure upfront; state availability; clear repayment schedule. | 15% |
| Support & Reputation | Servicer track record, complaint patterns, assistance channels. | 10% |
Pre-qualification is typically a soft inquiry; full applications may include a hard inquiry.
5) Savings, MMAs & CDs Criteria
| Factor | How we assess | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| APY / Yield | Advertised APY; compounding; historical competitiveness. | 45% |
| Fees & Minimums | Monthly fees, min balance, early-withdrawal penalties (CDs). | 20% |
| Access & Limits | ACH speed, ATM access, transfer caps, mobile deposit. | 15% |
| Insurance & Safety | FDIC/NCUA status, bank health indicators. | 10% |
| Transparency & UX | Clear disclosures, rate disclaimers, app/web experience. | 10% |
6) Data Sources & Verification
- Primary: Official issuer/lender disclosures, Schumer boxes, rate sheets, terms pages.
- Regulatory: Publicly available regulatory guidance and issuer notices where relevant.
- Testing: Hands-on flow checks (pre-qual, redemption, app UX) when feasible.
- Cross-checks: Support docs, fee schedules, and product announcements.
We archive key screenshots/terms and re-verify before major list updates.
7) Update Cadence
- Core lists: Reviewed at least monthly and upon major rate/promo changes.
- Card & loan pages: Spot updates when APRs/fees/terms change.
- Savings rates: Monitored regularly due to market volatility.
If you spot an error or outdated term, please contact us. We respond quickly.
8) Independence & Disclosures
We may earn commissions from partner links (rel="sponsored nofollow"). Commissions never influence our ratings or product picks. When a product ranks highly, it’s because our criteria show it offers strong value for the intended user.
- Labeling: Sponsored/affiliate links are clearly labeled.
- Separation: Editorial and commercial operations are separated.
- Conflicts: Authors disclose any material conflicts; conflicted contributors won’t rate those products.
9) Feedback, Corrections & User Input
We welcome corrections and user experiences that affect our assessments. Send feedback via our contact form. Substantive corrections are timestamped in the changelog below.
- — Initial publication of unified methodology.
10) Glossary
APR: Annual Percentage Rate including fees/interest. APY: Annual Percentage Yield including compounding. Pre-qual: Non-binding soft inquiry estimate. Hard pull: Credit bureau inquiry that may temporarily reduce score. Schumer box: Standardized credit card cost disclosure.