Methodology
How we rate services
Every factual data point is attributed to a source with a verification date. No ranking position is for sale.
1. How we assign the 0–5 rating
Each service receives a score from 0 to 5 calculated across five weighted factors. The final score is a weighted average of the five criteria, assessed using verified public sources.
| Factor | Weight |
|---|---|
| Total costs (fees, monthly, FX, ATM, issuance) | 35% |
| Security & regulatory licensing | 25% |
| Operator transparency | 15% |
| Geographic coverage | 15% |
| User experience (UX) | 10% |
2. What the S/A/B/C/D tiers mean
Excellence on both costs AND security. Top-tier licensing, zero hacks, competitive fees, maximum transparency.
Excellent with minor trade-offs. Reliable across all criteria, with one or two acceptable limitations.
Good with clear limitations. Suitable for most users, but with aspects to monitor (fees, regulation, track record).
Acceptable only for specific use cases. Use only when no Tier A/B alternative meets your specific need.
Not recommended except when no alternative exists. Significant verified risks: uncovered hacks, regulatory enforcement, opaque governance.
3. Exclusion criteria
- Verified fraud or exit scams documented by regulatory or judicial sources.
- Absence of an identifiable legal entity in a recognised jurisdiction.
- Terms that cannot be publicly verified (no website, no documentation, no official contact).
- Usage volume below the minimum relevance threshold (<$10K/24h for exchanges).
Historically closed or failed services are retained in the catalog with Tier F for documentary purposes only.
4. Update frequency
Systematic update of fees, cashback, geographic availability and regulatory status for all services.
Triggered by provider-announced changes, hacks, failures, regulatory enforcement or significant fee changes.
Automatically shown on any service card whose data was last verified more than 60 days ago.
5. Rating vs. net cost calculator
The rating measures a service's overall quality: security, transparency, coverage and average costs. The net cost calculator measures what that service costs or earns you based on your specific spending profile. The two values may diverge — and that's perfectly fine. A Tier A service might be suboptimal for someone who rarely spends abroad; a Tier B service might be the best choice for a very specific spending profile. Use both together for an informed decision.