How Filter Tested Makes Money | Business Model

Updated July 2026

Our business model is simple, transparent, and designed to protect editorial independence

About Us Editorial Standards How We Test Affiliate Disclosure

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.