Rating Methodology
Last updated: 19 February 2026
Overview
44Finance uses a weighted scoring model to rank lender offers within each market. The model is designed to surface the most cost-effective and transparent offers for the consumer. Scores are recalculated after each data verification cycle and may change when lender terms are updated.
Scoring factors
Our ranking is based on four primary factors:
1. Total cost of credit (TCO) — primary weight
We calculate the total amount a borrower would repay across standardised loan scenarios (defined amount and period combinations). This includes interest, origination fees, monthly service fees, and any mandatory charges. APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is the headline metric, but we also model absolute total cost because APR alone can be misleading for very short-term loans.
2. Pricing transparency
Lenders that clearly disclose APR examples, fee schedules, and representative cost scenarios on their public-facing pages score higher. Opaque pricing — such as "rates from X%" without supporting examples — results in a lower transparency score.
3. Operational speed
We evaluate the lender's stated decision time and funds disbursement speed. Faster services receive a modest positive adjustment, reflecting the consumer preference for timely access to funds.
4. Data freshness
Offers where the underlying data has not been verified within our freshness threshold are automatically downranked. Stale records cannot receive a "Recommended" badge regardless of their cost score. Current freshness status is visible on our offer metrics dashboard.
How we collect and verify data
- Lender terms, pricing pages, and regulatory disclosures are reviewed directly by our team.
- Where available, data is cross-referenced against partner API feeds for additional accuracy.
- Each data point (APR, fees, limits, periods) is recorded with a verification timestamp — see our fact-checking policy for details.
- Changes in lender terms trigger a re-scoring of that offer in the next update cycle.
Avoiding conflicts of interest
44Finance receives referral commissions from some lenders when users click outbound links. To prevent this from affecting rankings:
- The scoring model is formula-based — no manual overrides are applied to favour paying partners.
- Commercial team members do not have access to the scoring algorithm or its weight configuration.
- Non-paying lenders are eligible to appear in comparisons and receive the same scoring treatment.
Update frequency
Lender data is reviewed on a recurring schedule. Core markets (Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania) are reviewed at regular intervals. When a lender publicly announces new pricing or product changes, we prioritise an ad-hoc review outside the regular cycle.
Limitations and disclaimer
- Our rankings are based on publicly available data and standardised scenarios. Actual loan terms depend on the lender's underwriting and your personal credit profile.
- Cost examples shown on 44Finance are indicative and do not constitute a binding offer or financial advice.
- We do not guarantee that all lenders operating in a given market are included in our comparisons.
- Rankings may change without notice after data verification updates.