Our ratings are built for Canadians who are paying down debt, rebuilding their credit or trying to make every dollar count. So when we rate a lender or a financial product, we look first at what it costs you, whether you can trust the company, and whether it can actually help you move forward.
Every star rating on Loans Canada comes from a published scorecard. Each type of product has its own, because what matters in a loan isn't the same as what matters in a savings account. Below, you'll find the principles behind every rating and a link to each methodology.
Our Rating Principles
These five principles shape every scorecard we build.
Clear, Fair Costs
We check what you'll pay and whether you can see it before you apply, because every dollar matters when money is tight.
Costs up frontBuilt For Canada
We check what matters here: provincial lender licences, CDIC deposit protection, reporting to Equifax and TransUnion, and whether a product is available in Quebec.
Canadian checksTrust Before Perks
A company has to be safe and properly licensed before its extras count. For lenders, trust and compliance is half the score.
Safety firstNo Promises We Can't Keep
We don't give points for claims about how much your credit score will go up. No product can promise a higher score.
Facts onlySame Scorecard For Everyone
Partners and non-partners are scored the same way, and no one can pay for a higher rating. Learn how we make money.
Editorial independenceOur Rating Methodologies
Each type of product has its own scorecard. Here's what counts most in each one.
| What We Rate | What Counts Most | Methodology |
| Lenders | Trust and compliance (50%) | How we rate lenders |
We're adding methodologies for more products, including credit cards, insurance and investing.
Warning: A Good Rating Never Means Paying Up Front
No legitimate lender, including the lenders and partners on Loans Canada, will ask you to pay a fee, deposit or insurance payment before you get a loan. If anyone asks, it's a scam, no matter how a company is rated.
How Do Our Star Ratings Work?
Each methodology scores a product on a few weighted categories, like cost, safety and how easy it is to use. The categories and their weights change by product type. The score is then turned into a star rating out of 5.
Every review is fact checked by a member of our team before it's published, and each one shows the date it was last checked. When a product's rates, fees or terms change, we update the review and its rating.
If You Think We Got Something Wrong
If something in a review doesn't match what the company told you, let us know, and check with the company too.
If you're a company and a fact in your review is wrong, write to us with the correct information and where we can confirm it. We'll check the source, correct the review, update the rating if needed, and re-date it.
Common Questions
Can a company pay for a higher rating?
Why do different products have different methodologies?
Does a high rating mean a product is right for me?
Disclaimer: All information is gathered from companies' own websites and other publicly available sources. Rates, fees and terms are subject to change at the company's discretion.
