Methodology

How InfoShot turns product details into useful comparisons.

We compare similar products using source-checked facts, explain the factors that matter, and remove or withhold information when an important term can no longer be supported.

1. Compare like with like

A savings account, CD, bank bonus, and credit card solve different problems. We compare products within a meaningful category instead of forcing unlike products into one leaderboard.

2. Check important terms

Depending on the product, important facts can include APY, fees, minimums, deposit insurance, reward rates, caps, deadlines, eligibility rules, and qualification requirements.

3. Keep freshness visible

Time-sensitive product information is checked on a recurring basis. If an important term becomes stale or cannot be confirmed, the affected offer can be removed until it is checked again.

4. Use stated comparison factors

The factors used depend on the decision. A savings comparison may weigh APY, fees and minimums, while a credit-card tool may use a reader's spending to estimate dollar value.

5. Show assumptions

Calculators and personalized tools depend on assumptions such as balance, spending, time horizon, or whether a requirement will be met. Those assumptions are shown or editable so the result can be understood.

6. Keep compensation out of ranking

Affiliate payouts, advertising spend, conversion rates, and partner priority do not determine where a product ranks. A commercial link may be attached after a product is selected, but compensation does not buy a better position.

Published methods

The comparison rules we publish and maintain.

Not every calculator uses a published ranking method. We list a method here when a versioned comparison record exists. Retired methods remain visible for transparency.

Current method · credit-card-cash-value-v1

Credit Card Cash Value — Personalized Decision Aid

Rank currently publishable cash-back credit cards by modeled dollar value under user-supplied spending assumptions while separating welcome-offer value from ongoing rewards.

Status: current · Effective 9/1/2026

Inputs excluded from ranking

affiliate compensation · CPA · CPL · revenue share · advertiser spend · partner priority · paid placement · conversion rate · sponsorship · tracking URL · subjective cents-per-point valuations · approval odds

Current method · bank-bonus-effective-value-v2

Bank Bonus Effective Value — Personalized Decision Aid

Order currently publishable verified bank-account bonus offers for a user-supplied scenario by modeled net economic value, after controlled provider-specific eligibility restrictions are affirmatively confirmed.

Status: current · Effective 9/1/2026

Inputs excluded from ranking

affiliate compensation · CPA · CPL · revenue share · advertiser spend · partner priority · paid placement · conversion rate · sponsorship · tracking URL

Current method · cd-horizon-fit-v1

CD Horizon Fit — Decision Selection Aid

Select a currently publishable verified CD for a user-supplied cash horizon without creating a universal ranking across unlike maturities.

Status: current · Effective 9/1/2026

Inputs excluded from ranking

affiliate compensation · CPA · CPL · revenue share · advertiser spend · partner priority · paid placement · conversion rate · sponsorship · tracking URL

Current method · banking-savings-v1

High-Yield Savings Editorial Ranking

Rank currently publishable high-yield savings accounts using verified comparable account terms under the controlled InfoShot editorial scoring model.

Status: current · Effective 9/1/2026

Inputs excluded from ranking

affiliate compensation · CPA · CPL · revenue share · advertiser spend · partner priority · paid placement · conversion rate · sponsorship · tracking URL

Retired method · bank-bonus-effective-value-v1

Bank Bonus Effective Value — Personalized Decision Aid

Order currently publishable verified bank-account bonus offers for a user-supplied scenario by modeled net economic value.

Status: current · Effective 9/1/2026

Inputs excluded from ranking

affiliate compensation · CPA · CPL · revenue share · advertiser spend · partner priority · paid placement · conversion rate · sponsorship · tracking URL

Commercial compensation is excluded from ranking inputs. Affiliate payouts, conversion economics, and partner priority cannot improve a product's editorial position.

By product type

What we look at.

High-yield savings

APY, monthly fees, opening minimums, balance requirements, federal deposit insurance, and other conditions that can affect the advertised rate or practical use of the account.

Certificates of deposit

APY, exact term, minimum deposit, maturity timing, and early-withdrawal rules. We do not treat a higher APY on a longer term as automatically better.

Bank bonuses

Bonus amount, qualification requirements, deadlines, payout timing, monthly fees, and the amount of cash or activity required to earn the offer.

Cash-back credit cards

Annual fee, cash-back rates, category limits, welcome-offer requirements, and estimated dollar value based on the spending assumptions used in the comparison.

A ranking is not a guarantee. Product terms can change, savings rates are variable, credit-card approval is not guaranteed, and a calculator cannot know every detail of a reader's finances. Verify important terms with the provider before acting.