TRU Rating Methodology

The TRU Rating Board is a composite rating framework that evaluates and compares financial technology companies using two components: the Comprehensive Organization Rating (COR) and the Members Collective Rating (MCR). It is designed to be objective and evidence-led.

All scores are based on clearly defined evaluation criteria and information that can be substantiated through documented assessment observations, publicly available sources, and validated user inputs, rather than awareness, marketing claims, affiliate relationships, or public sentiment alone. TRU does not provide legal, financial, or regulatory advice, and the TRU Rating Board (including COR and MCR) does not declare any company “legal,” “illegal,” “safe,” or “unsafe.” Instead, it reflects the strength, clarity, and consistency of a company’s disclosed practices and user-impacting commitments based on what can be reasonably verified.

The financial services and technology space involves meaningful risk for end users, which is why TRU is committed to a transparent and trustworthy rating approach that helps traders and companies better understand how scores are formed.

This page explains how the TRU Rating is generated, including how COR and MCR are calculated and presented. It is intended to improve transparency and accountability for all parties, and it should be read together with TRU’s Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and applicable disclaimers, which govern how ratings, reviews, and related content are handled on the platform.

Rating Methodology

Our rating system employs a 10-point scale and is engineered to adapt to a continually evolving competitive industry. To ensure the objectivity of the ratings, our assessment process is based on impact analysis questionnaires. The ratings are bifurcated into MCR and COR, each with equal weight on the final rating of a company. This groups the related factors accordingly for more specific insights and helps the members come up with a sound conclusion.

Members Collective Rating

The Members Collective Rating (MCR) represents the aggregated judgment of TRU members based on their direct experience with a company.

Members submit their evaluations through a five-star rating system on the company’s rating page, where each star level corresponds to a progressively higher degree of satisfaction and confidence. All submitted star ratings are combined to calculate the average star rating, expressed on a 1-to-5 scale.

To align the Members Collective Rating with the 10-point TRU Rating framework, this average is converted through proportional normalization, in which the computed average is divided by the maximum possible star value and multiplied by ten. This approach ensures mathematical consistency, preserves relative differences between ratings, and allows the MCR to be directly comparable with the COR. Learn how the Members Collective Ratings are generated. 

TRU Comprehensive Organization Rating (COR)

The Comprehensive Organization Rating (COR) is TRU’s rubric-based assessment of a company across key evaluation categories. It converts documented and observable information into consistent category scores and a consolidated overall result.

To factor out our key parameters in our methodology process, we made sure that every step covers the global metric standard. This section provides a head start on how we measure each broker and overall financial service provider of their quality, dependability, and credibility within the trading industry. 

1. Global Evaluator Rules and Red Flags 

• In line with the Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Principles, our parameter assessment of legal documents should not just be based on claims but rather be verifiable. 

• Based on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations, we acknowledged service providers with official regulatory and government sources over other references. 
• In accordance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Corporate Governance Principles, we prioritize consistency across all disclosures and filings. 

• As per the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) Prospectus Regulation, treat missing or withheld information as a negative compliance indicator.

• Conforming to the rules of IOSCO and FATF risk principles, we apply conservative scoring when uncertainty exists. 

Comprehensive Organization Rating Factors 

The extensive transparency starts from here. Our rating system operates without barriers or hidden agendas, ensuring that traders, brokers, and service providers have unrestricted access to documentation outlining our global standards, methodologies, and scoring frameworks.

Summary Overview of COR Weight Score 

The composition of our key parameters includes a wide range of factors with expounded sub-factors to explore an extensive formula that is fairly distributed according to its substantial value and objectives. This approach ensures that the sum of weight remains constant, thereby maintaining the balance and comparability across a different array of ratings.  

COR applies fixed weights across all factors and sub-factors to keep scoring consistent. When an item is marked Not Applicable (N/A), its weight is automatically redistributed so the total always remains at 100%, which keeps comparisons valid across companies. If a sub-factor is set to N/A while at least one other sub-factor under the same main factor is still scored, the N/A sub-factor’s weight is redistributed among the remaining scored sub-factors within that same factor. If all sub-factors under a main factor are marked N/A, the entire factor is treated as excluded, and its full weight is redistributed evenly across the remaining non-excluded factors, then allocated evenly to their sub-factors based on the active internal distributions. At all times, active main-factor weights sum to 100% and active sub-factor weights within each active factor sum to 100% of that factor’s internal distribution, meaning no weight is lost, no weight becomes negative, and redistribution cannot be overridden by evaluators.

The COR 7-Factor Framework and its Guiding Pillars

This section explains the substructures that are integrated throughout the entire COR assessment, further contextualizing the inner workings of each of the respective seven factors. 

1. Legal and Compliance 

This measures how clearly a company demonstrates formal accountability through its legal presence and regulatory positioning. It reflects whether the company can be reasonably traced to a legitimate legal entity, whether its registration jurisdiction supports credibility and transparency, and whether any stated regulatory authorization is coherent and verifiable. It also considers the standing of the regulator tied to any license claims and the company’s compliance record as reflected by known regulatory actions, warnings, or sanctions.

2. Security & Risk Management 

This measures how well a company protects user data, transactions, and platform integrity through practical cybersecurity controls, while securing client funds through clear, credible protection mechanisms. It reflects the company’s approach to preventing unauthorized access and system compromise, along with the safeguards it applies to deposits and balances, such as fund segregation practices, compensation scheme participation where applicable, and other visible fund-protection measures. A higher score reflects stronger, clearer protections that a user can reasonably evaluate through the company’s published features and disclosures.

3. Product Range & Offering 

This evaluates the extent and practicality of what a company makes available to traders, based on its coverage of asset classes, the depth and variety of tradable instruments, and the accessibility of account options. It also considers whether the offering is supported by meaningful add-on services that improve usability or expand trading capabilities, such as platform-related enhancements, research, or trader utilities. A higher score reflects an offering that is clearly structured, usable across trader profiles, and broad enough to support different strategies without confusing packaging.

4. Company Stability, Integrity, and Transparency 

This assesses how clearly a company presents who it is, how it is structured, and how it operates across its markets. It reflects the transparency of ownership and leadership information, the credibility and accessibility of its geographic presence and market reach, and the clarity and completeness of its user-facing documentation such as terms, risk disclosures, and related policies. A higher score reflects a company that is straightforward to evaluate based on consistent organizational visibility, accessible regional support signals, and well-presented documentation that allows users to understand what they are agreeing to.

5. Fees & Pricing 

This evaluates how understandable and predictable a company’s costs are across the full user journey, from trading to funding and account maintenance. It covers trading-related charges (such as spreads, commissions, and overnight costs), deposit and withdrawal fees and policies (including processing speed, limits, and conversion costs), and non-trading fees (such as inactivity or administrative charges). A higher score reflects pricing that is clearly disclosed, easy to compare, and consistent with what users can reasonably expect during actual usage, with minimal ambiguity in fee conditions and funding rules.

6. Trading Platform & Technology

This measures the quality and capability of the technology a company provides for trading, with emphasis on how dependable and functional the platform experience is in real use. It evaluates the availability and overall quality of the platform options (web, desktop, mobile), including stability, accessibility, and user interface usability. It also examines execution and order quality, focusing on how efficiently and accurately trades are processed, including execution speed, pricing accuracy, slippage patterns, and order reliability. It also covers the depth and usefulness of tools and analytics provided to support decision-making, and reflects the company’s level of innovation and integrations, including support for third-party tools and services, availability of advanced APIs for automation, and practical technology upgrades that expand flexibility for different trading styles.

7. Customer Experience & Support 

This measures how consistently a company delivers a professional, responsive, and user-centered experience across the full customer journey, from onboarding to ongoing account servicing. It evaluates the accessibility and reliability of support channels, the quality and accuracy of assistance provided, and the speed and consistency of issue resolution. It also considers whether the company’s customer-facing processes feel structured and predictable. It also assesses how well the company sets expectations and reduces friction through clear communication, helpful self-service resources, and consistent service standards across regions and channels.

You May Also Be Asking…

Are the evaluators of TRU financial experts? 

Yes. As part of the financial industry, it is our commitment to stick with framework models that are driven by integrity and excellence. We acknowledge that our operational enterprise deals with “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) content, which could significantly impact the user’s experience. 

On that account, we ensure that every individual personnel and the entire TradersUnited management consists of professionals with proven expertise in their respective fields. Specifically, our evaluators are financial experts, equipped with the experience necessary to deliver accurate, reliable, and unbiased assessments.

How does TRU handle the transparency of disclosing negotiations with brokers? 

Every service of TradersUnited operates within a framework designed to disclose its operational undertakings with clarity and integrity. This commitment is documented and reflected in our Rating Board System, which is built on interconnected pillars that align every objective in a coherent and progressive manner.

In line with this principle, our TRU Alliance service reinforces our equitable objective to accommodate all parties regardless of their positions in the market. We believe that bridging the gap between brokers and traders through TRU Alliance enables transparent disclosures for a purpose-driven cause, fostering trust and accountability across the financial ecosystem.

Can brokers influence their rating through sponsorships or partnerships? 

No. TradersUnited operates with an unwavering commitment to fairness and impartiality. Our system is built on a middle ground of just and transparent policy, ensuring that ratings remain objective and free from external influence.

While we do not restrict partnerships with financial service providers that align with our TradersFirst principle, these relationships are governed by strict terms and conditions clearly outlined in our Rating Board System. 

How does TRU maintain transparency in its scoring system?

Our Comprehensive Organization Rating (COR) serves as a documented framework that ensures transparency at every stage—from the initial process to the outcome.

The Methodology Process, Global Evaluator Rules, Standard Scoring Framework, and the 7 Core Factors with their Pillars are all interconnected and applied uniformly. This structured approach guarantees consistency and fairness throughout the evaluation process.

Maintaining transparency is not just a policy; it is part of our core identity. We leave a digital footprint that is traceable, accountable, and verifiable, reinforcing trust and credibility for every trader who relies on our ratings.

How does TRU ensure quality assurance in its rating process?

We implement a scoring system aligned with globally recognized standards, supported by a verified multi-step process that includes hands-on testing, cross-referencing regulatory sources, and rigorous quality assurance checks.

However, we acknowledge that even with extensive measures, human error is inevitable. To address this, we conduct multiple layers of quality assurance to minimize mistakes and external interferences. 

How often are ratings updated to reflect changes in broker services or compliance status?

We monitor regulatory updates, platform changes, and market developments regularly. Ratings are reviewed and updated to ensure they remain accurate and relevant in a dynamic financial landscape.

Moreover, our documentary approach is designed to be fully auditable, ensuring transparency and accountability in the event of disputes, concerns, or dynamic changes that may redefine rating quality.

Does TRU incorporate data protection and privacy compliance in its services? 

Yes. Our commitment to lawful and ethical service is embedded in every aspect of our operations. Data protection is comprehensively outlined in our documentation, detailing compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR.

These regulations require us to clearly explain the valid legal bases we rely on to process personal information. Accordingly, we may process data information by following the legal bases.