How We Work
Our Methodology
Last full fee audit: July 2026
How we rate brokers, verify fees, and build the break-even scenarios behind every comparison on QuantRoutine — independent of whether we earn a commission.
How We Rate Brokers
Our star rating out of 5 is an editorial judgment made by QuantRoutine — it is not a user-vote aggregate or an average pulled from another site.
| Criterion | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Cost efficiency | 35% | Commissions, FX fees, custody and inactivity fees, and total cost for a typical recurring ETF buyer. |
| Product range & market access | 15% | UCITS ETF access, exchange coverage, savings plans, fractional shares, and relevant local account types (ISA, PEA, TFSA, super, where applicable). |
| Regulation & investor protection | 15% | Regulator tier, deposit or investor compensation scheme, bank license vs. investment firm status, and asset segregation. |
| Platform & UX | 15% | App and desktop quality, order types, and reliability track record. |
| Accessibility | 10% | Non-resident and expat account-opening friction, and country availability. |
| Support & reliability | 10% | Support channels, responsiveness, and downtime or complaint patterns. |
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 in 0.5 increments. The weighted average is rounded to the nearest 0.5 to produce the displayed rating. Cost carries the heaviest weight deliberately — it’s the site’s core editorial focus and the category we can verify most objectively. Third-party review data, such as Trustpilot and comparable sites, is fetched live and used as one input signal for the Support & Reliability criterion only. It never sets the overall rating.
How We Verify Fees
Fees are checked directly against each broker’s own official pricing pages and fee schedules — never against other comparison sites. A full audit across every broker we cover was completed in July 2026. Review pages carry their own verification date, and fees are rechecked whenever a broker announces a change, as well as during periodic audits.
Same-brand brokers operating in different markets are always treated as separate products in our reviews and never cross-referenced — they can be different legal entities with different regulators and different fee structures, even when the brand name is identical.
Break-Even Methodology
QuantRoutine’s signature approach is concrete cost scenarios and break-even math, rather than generic feature lists. Every scenario combines a monthly contribution amount and a portfolio size with a broker’s one-off costs (commissions, FX conversion) and recurring costs (custody, connectivity, inactivity), computed for a UCITS ETF investor over a defined holding period.
The specific amounts used vary from page to page and country to country, because typical investor profiles differ across markets. You’ll find the exact assumptions stated on each individual comparison, review, or study page where they’re used.
Affiliate Independence
We earn commissions from some of the brokers we cover. Ratings and verdicts are set before and independently of affiliate status — a broker’s commercial relationship with us has no bearing on its score. Non-affiliate brokers are assessed under the identical methodology and labeled distinctly, with a plain “Visit website” link rather than a tracked one. See our full affiliate disclosure for details.
Corrections and Updates
Errors are fixed when found through our own audits, or when they’re reported by readers. We welcome corrections — if something on the site looks out of date or wrong, get in touch. Every reported correction is reviewed against the broker’s official documentation before we make a change.
Explore Further
Frequently Asked Questions
How are QuantRoutine’s star ratings decided?
Each broker is scored across six weighted criteria on a 1-5 scale in 0.5 increments. The weighted average is rounded to the nearest 0.5 to produce the displayed rating. Cost efficiency carries the heaviest weight at 35%, since it’s the site’s core editorial focus and the most objectively verifiable category.
Are reviews paid or sponsored?
No. Ratings and verdicts are set before and independently of affiliate status. We earn commissions from some brokers, but non-affiliate brokers are covered under the identical methodology and clearly labeled.
How often are broker fees checked?
Fees are checked directly against each broker’s official pricing pages and fee schedules, never against other comparison sites. A full audit across all covered brokers was completed in July 2026, and fees are rechecked whenever a broker announces changes and during periodic audits.
Do affiliate partnerships affect ratings?
No. Affiliate status has no bearing on scoring or verdicts. Brokers we don’t have a commercial relationship with are assessed against the same six criteria and shown with a plain visit-website link instead of a tracked one.
What counts toward the Support & Reliability score?
Support channels, responsiveness, and downtime or complaint patterns. Third-party review data, such as Trustpilot, is fetched live and used as one input signal for this criterion only — it never sets the overall rating on its own.
How can I report an error?
Errors are fixed when found through our own audits or when reported by readers. You can reach us through our contact page, and every correction is checked against official broker documentation before it’s made.
This site provides educational content only, not personalized investment advice. Investments can lose value and past performance does not guarantee future results. You are responsible for your own financial decisions and for confirming the tax and legal rules that apply in your country.