How we rate bonuses
Every bonus on this site is researched from the broker's own pages and terms, scored by a fixed formula, and re-checked on a schedule. This page explains exactly how that works, so you can judge the rating for yourself.
Where the data comes from
We start from the broker's official site and its bonus terms and conditions, including any linked PDFs. Each field we publish records where it came from and how confident we are in it. When a figure is only stated on a marketing page rather than the terms, we mark it lower confidence. When a detail is not published anywhere we can verify, we say so rather than guessing.
We deliberately read the terms with a skeptic's eye. The headline number is rarely the whole story, so we look for the catch: the turnover that makes a bonus unreachable, the clause that locks your deposit, the country exclusions buried in the fine print.
The value rating
The overall score out of five is a weighted blend of five subscores. The weights reflect what actually decides whether a bonus is worth claiming, so withdrawal terms and turnover count for more than the headline figure.
Withdrawal ease
25%Whether you can actually withdraw the bonus and its profits, or only the profits, or nothing. A bonus you can never cash out is capped so it cannot read as a strong offer.
Turnover burden
25%How much trading or how long a hold is required to unlock the bonus. Measured in lots for forex and CFDs, in traded volume for crypto and stocks, and in lock-up days for deposit-and-hold offers.
Headline value
20%The size of the offer relative to what is typical for its type, normalized so a free share and a deposit match can be compared on the same scale.
Broker quality
20%Driven mostly by regulation. Tier-1 regulators such as the FCA and ASIC score highest; offshore-only brokers score lower.
Time flexibility
10%How long you have to use the bonus and meet its conditions. Tight windows score lower.
How we handle the unknown
A bonus is only worth claiming if its terms check out, so we do not reward gaps. When a turnover or withdrawal term is unverified, that subscore is held to a cautious value rather than assumed favorable, and the rating is flagged as provisional. This stops a bonus with unknown terms from masquerading as a clean five-star offer.
Re-verification
Bonus terms change and campaigns expire. We re-check each bonus against its sources on a 60-day cadence and show the date it was last verified. If an offer has ended, we mark it expired rather than leaving a stale page that looks live.
Independence
We earn a commission when you open an account through some of our links. This never changes a rating or where a bonus ranks. The formula is the same for every broker, paying partner or not, and our pros and cons include the unfavorable points. See our affiliate disclosure for details.