Editorial Standards & Policies

These standards govern every piece of content published on SecurityCompassHQ. They ensure that our affiliate relationships — which fund this site — never compromise the accuracy or independence of our editorial judgments.

Quick verdict: No brand has ever paid to appear higher in our rankings. Affiliate commissions are earned after editorial scores are set. Sponsored content does not exist on this site.

Editorial independence principles

  • Scores are set first, affiliate relationships second. We never establish an affiliate relationship with a brand before its editorial score is finalized.
  • No pay-to-rank. Brands cannot purchase better rankings, higher scores, or more favorable editorial positioning.
  • No sponsored content. We do not publish sponsored posts, native advertising, or brand-funded content of any kind.
  • No free product acceptance for positive coverage. We do not accept free products or services in exchange for positive reviews.
  • No advertiser review before publication. Advertisers and affiliate partners do not review, approve, or edit our content before publication.

Affiliate disclosure summary

What is trueWhat is not true
We earn commissions from affiliate networksCommissions change our editorial scores
Affiliate links are marked rel='nofollow sponsored'Rankings are paid for by brands
All affiliate partners are disclosed on our disclosure pageBrands can purchase favorable coverage
Commissions are paid by brands, not readersWe accept free products for positive reviews

Read our full affiliate disclosure →

Accuracy and update standards

  • Pricing is verified before every publish. Every page includes a pricing verification date.
  • Significant product changes trigger a re-review. New equipment generations, monitoring plan restructuring, or contract term changes trigger an immediate update.
  • Errors are corrected promptly. We investigate all correction requests within 2 business days and note corrections publicly on the affected page.

To submit a correction: see our corrections policy →

Frequently asked questions

Are any rankings on SecurityCompassHQ sponsored? +
No. No brand or affiliate partner has ever paid to appear higher in our rankings, receive a better score, or be featured in a best-of list. Our editorial rankings are determined entirely by our scoring rubric and editorial judgment.
How does SecurityCompassHQ make money? +
We earn affiliate commissions when readers click through our links and make a purchase. These commissions come from the affiliate networks our partners use (Impact, Amazon Associates, ShareASale, CJ). Commissions are paid by the brand, not by the reader, and do not change the price you pay.
Can a brand ask you to change a review? +
Brands can submit a correction request if they believe a factual error has been made. We investigate every correction request. However, brands cannot request a change in editorial tone, score, or ranking — those are editorial decisions made independently.
How do you handle conflicts of interest? +
All affiliate relationships are disclosed on our affiliate disclosure page. We do not accept free products or services in exchange for positive coverage. We do not accept sponsored content. Our editorial team operates independently of any business development function.
What is your corrections policy? +
If we make a factual error, we correct it promptly and note the correction at the bottom of the relevant page. We do not silently edit errors — corrections are always acknowledged. You can submit a correction at our corrections page.

Our independent editorial coverage: All brand reviews and comparison pages follow these editorial standards. No exceptions.

Related reading: Full scoring methodology · How we test · Corrections policy · All brand reviews

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