Primary Revenue: Amazon Associates
Filter Tested participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When readers click an Amazon link on our site and make a purchase, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to the buyer. This is our sole source of revenue.
Key principle: We earn the same commission regardless of which product you buy. A click on our #1 ranked product pays the same as a click on our #5 ranked product. This removes any incentive to manipulate rankings for financial gain.
What We Do NOT Do
- No sponsored reviews. Manufacturers cannot pay for review placement, favorable coverage, or higher rankings.
- No free products. We purchase all tested products through retail channels using our own funds.
- No advertising. We do not run display ads, pop-ups, or native advertising from manufacturers.
- No consulting fees. We do not advise manufacturers on product development or marketing strategy.
- No affiliate program gaming. We do not create content solely to target high-commission products.
How Editorial Independence Is Protected
Our editorial team operates independently from revenue considerations:
- Reviewers do not know which products generate more affiliate revenue
- Product selection for testing is driven by reader demand and market importance, not commission rates
- Negative reviews are published without manufacturer notification or approval
- Rankings reflect test results, not business relationships
Financial Transparency
Filter Tested is a privately owned publication. We do not disclose exact revenue figures, but we confirm that:
- Amazon affiliate commissions typically range from 1-3% of product price
- Average commission per sale: $2-$15 depending on product category
- Revenue covers testing costs, research time, hosting, and editorial salaries
- The site operates profitably without compromising review integrity
Why This Model Works
The affiliate model aligns our interests with readers: we succeed only when readers trust our recommendations enough to act on them. If we publish biased or inaccurate reviews, readers stop clicking, and revenue declines. This creates a self-correcting incentive structure that prioritizes accuracy over favorability.
Read our full Affiliate Disclosure for additional detail on how we handle affiliate relationships.