Home/Marketplaces/Methodology
Directory policy · Last updated 21 July 2026

How RankSupply Researches Marketplace Profiles

The directory is a researched database of publisher marketplaces and PR desks. A listing means the company is in the sheet. It is not a RankSupply cart and not a paid ranking table.

Why this exists

Why RankSupply publishes this directory

Agencies already ask which carts and PR desks are real. RankSupply is a white-label fulfillment desk, so we encounter those platforms as research subjects. The public directory is the structured answer — 190+ records in one schema — not a side blog and not a scoreboard you can buy.

Treat every profile as research. A listing is not a recommendation unless the RankSupply verdict says Recommended and we have enough first-hand evidence to stand behind it. Company context: About RankSupply.

Research

How marketplace profiles are researched

Each record starts from public positioning: the official site, signup paths, stated regions, and whether the company sells guest posts, PR, niche edits, managed fulfillment, or publisher inventory.

What a marketplace profile records
Public positioning mapped into a shared schema. Empty stays empty.
Placement types Guest post · PR · edits Countries / languages Stated markets only Pricing model Cart, bid, or managed Quality controls What they claim vs show Metrics / filters DR, traffic, niche Last checked Editorial timestamp
FIG. 01 — We do not invent inventory counts or star ratings from a marketing page. Publisher evaluation for fulfillment is a different document: editorial guidelines.
  • We do not invent inventory sizes, price ranks, or 4.8/5 scores from marketing pages.
  • Unknown stays Unknown. Empty intelligence fields stay empty until we have order data.
  • Thin profiles stay live so the database is complete, but they are noindex until the page has a substantial write-up, RankSupply testing, or useful community reviews.
  • Last-checked dates and “Reviewed by RankSupply” bylines are editorial timestamps, not star ratings.

How we judge a publisher for a client campaign is a different document: How RankSupply Evaluates Publishers and Link Building Opportunities.

Labels

Tested vs Reviewed vs Community Data

Reviewed by RankSupply is not Tested by RankSupply. The directory only works if those words stay distinct.

Reviewed is not Tested
Three evidence classes. None of them is a numeric quality score.
REVIEWED Editorial read Public site, schema, positioning, last-checked Not an order TESTED Actual order Delivery, support, replacement observed First / last tested dates COMMUNITY Moderated review First-hand account Human-checked, not auto Money cannot buy a star
FIG. 02 — A Reviewed timestamp means we read the public record. Tested means we placed an order. Community data is a moderated first-hand account. Policy: marketplace methodology.
Orders

What “Tested by RankSupply” means

Tested by RankSupply is only used when we have actually ordered through the platform, or fulfilled against it in a documented test. The profile then shows orders tested and first/last tested dates. A logo, a sales call, or a marketplace paying for a listing is not a test.

Until that happens, the page says we have added the company to the database and have not collected enough transaction data to rate delivery, support, or replacement.

Verdicts

RankSupply verdicts

Verdicts are editorial labels, not numeric scores. There are six, and they mean specific things. Paying RankSupply — for fulfillment, advertising, or anything else — cannot buy a better verdict or remove a legitimate negative review.

RecommendedWe have first-hand evidence we are willing to stand behind. Requires Tested by RankSupply status.
Worth consideringThe public record is coherent and the product model is sound, but we have no order data. Most researched profiles sit here.
Specialized useLegitimate for a narrow job and risky or wasteful outside it. Used where a platform mixes editorial inventory with network or automated products, where documentation contradicts itself, or where the buyer carries unusual diligence.
Currently testingA RankSupply order is in flight. The verdict changes when the evidence lands, in either direction.
Not yet reviewedThe company is in the database and nothing more. No research has been done on the record.
Not recommendedWe researched it and advise against it. Reserved for platforms whose own published material is internally contradictory, whose pricing is not plausible, or which guarantee outcomes no supplier controls. These pages stay noindex and carry a caution notice.

Two of these are negative in different ways, and the distinction matters. Not yet reviewed means we have no opinion. Not recommended means we have one. We will not use the second label without stating on the profile what specifically failed, and a listed company can dispute it through the claim process by correcting the underlying facts.

Moderation

How user reviews are moderated

Reviews do not publish automatically. A human checks for first-hand experience, spam, abuse, off-topic attacks, and rating manipulation. We may edit for length or clarity without changing meaning, or reject the submission. Email is required so we can follow up; it is never shown on the public page if you choose anonymous.

We may store anti-spam signals (IP address, timestamp, honeypot results) and optional evidence that you used the marketplace. See the Privacy Policy and Terms.

Badges

Verification

Community Review is a moderated first-hand account. Verified Experience means the reviewer supplied reasonable evidence (order IDs, screenshots, or other proof we accepted) or we independently confirmed the order. Tested by RankSupply is our own order, not a user badge.

Disclosure

Sponsored relationships

If a marketplace pays RankSupply for a display placement, newsletter mention, or other commercial relationship, that relationship will be disclosed on the relevant page. Sponsorship does not change the verdict, the community average, or whether a legitimate negative review stays up.

Independence

What money cannot buy

These lines are the point of publishing a methodology page. If they were negotiable, the directory would be an ad unit.

Corrections

How corrections and claims work

Marketplace owners may claim a profile to correct facts and respond. They do not control this methodology. Campaign and fulfillment questions still go to hi@ranksupply.io, which reaches the founder on the team page.

Limits

Research limitations

Public sites omit rate cards. Metrics lag. A platform can change inventory after the last-checked date. We have not ordered through every company in the database, and we will not pretend otherwise. Directory pages may name platforms as research subjects. Fulfillment copy on service and case-study pages may not present those companies as RankSupply’s hidden sourcing stack.

Questions

Marketplace methodology FAQ

Is a listing a recommendation?

No. A listing means the company is in the database. A recommendation requires a RankSupply verdict of Recommended and enough first-hand evidence to stand behind it.

What does Tested by RankSupply mean?

We placed an order through the platform, or fulfilled against it in a documented test. A logo, a sales call, or a paid listing is not a test.

Can a marketplace pay for a better verdict?

No. Money cannot buy a better verdict, a higher community rating, removal of a legitimate negative review, or a fake Tested badge.

Why are some profiles noindex?

Thin profiles stay in the database so the set is complete. They stay noindex until the page has a substantial write-up, RankSupply testing, or useful community reviews.

How do I correct a factual error on a profile?

Use the claim policy. Owners may correct facts and respond. They do not control the verdict or this methodology.

Where is the publisher-evaluation standard?

On the editorial-guidelines URL: How RankSupply Evaluates Publishers and Link Building Opportunities. That page is fulfillment judgment. This page is directory policy.

Need RankSupply to handle the sourcing

The directory is research. Fulfillment is a desk: publishers, approvals, unbranded reports.

White-label fulfillment