Editorial & Ranking Methodology

SMCM is run by a small, independent team. This page explains — honestly, without overstating our process — how providers get on the site, where our facts come from, and what our comparisons do and do not mean.

How providers are selected

We list providers we have researched and consider relevant to retail traders — many are commercial partners (see How We Make Money), and some are listed purely editorially with no relationship (for example MetaTrader 4/5). Every provider is presented with the same structure: rules, costs, risks, pros, cons, who it may fit and who may want to avoid it. Inclusion on SMCM is not regulatory approval, certification, or a guarantee of a provider's future conduct.

Where the facts come from

For factual claims we prefer sources in this order: the provider's official terms and rules; its official help centre; its official website; direct written confirmation from the provider; credible external sources. User reports are treated as unverified and labelled as such if used. We do not invent figures — where a value changes often, we say "check the official site" instead of guessing.

Keeping information current

Provider rules, prices and terms change. We periodically re-check important facts and show a "Last checked" date on comparison and provider pages. There can still be a gap between a provider changing something and our next check — always verify material terms directly with the provider before paying. We do not claim real-time monitoring or an institutional verification department.

Ratings and "may fit" labels

The star ratings shown on SMCM are Trustpilot scores— external ratings, labelled and linked to their source; they are not an SMCM score. SMCM currently publishes no proprietary numerical ranking. Default comparison-table ordering is by external rating; you can re-sort and filter by objective criteria. Editorial phrases like "may fit" or "who should avoid it" are general observations about a provider's characteristics — not a personal recommendation or suitability judgment. If we introduce our own score in the future, we will document its methodology here first.

Editorial independence

Affiliate relationships generate revenue, but a provider cannot purchase a favourable review, a rating, the removal of valid criticism, or a factual finding. Any paid placement would be individually labelled. Facts are described the same way for partners and non-partners.

Corrections

Spotted something outdated or wrong? Email contact@smcm.io. We review reports against official sources, correct material errors, and update the "Last checked" date.