Disclosure: affiliates & sponsorship
This edition operates no affiliate programme or sponsorship service. The policy below describes the editorial boundaries; it does not promise a future commercial offering.
Read the directory framework See how we curate
Uptism is a new, small, independent site. We would rather be trusted than rich, so this page spells out the money side in language a normal person can read.
Do we use affiliate links?
No affiliate or referral programme is operated in this edition. This site provides editorial articles and discovery frameworks.
Two rules govern every affiliate link we place:
- We only link things we would genuinely recommend anyway. The affiliate relationship follows the recommendation; it never creates it.
- The disclosure sits near the link, not buried. When an entry or post contains a monetized link, you will see a clear label right there, so you never have to hunt for it.
FTC note: We disclose material connections (like affiliate commissions or sponsorship) clearly and near the relevant links, in keeping with U.S. Federal Trade Commission guidance on endorsements.
Does buying through our links cost you more?
No. Affiliate and referral links do not raise your price. You pay exactly what you would have paid going direct; the commission comes out of the company's marketing budget, not your pocket. If a link ever came with a real cost or catch to you, we would say so plainly right beside it.
Can a company pay to be listed?
No. There is no pay-for-placement at Uptism, full stop. A company cannot buy its way into the Directory, into a Collection, or into a "we recommend this" slot. Listings are earned through curation, not purchased.
Every entry has to clear the same honest bar: what it is, who it is for, and when to use it (and when not), with the dates we added and last reviewed it. Money has no vote in that process. You can read the full standard on our how we curate page.
How sponsorship works (if and when it runs)
Uptism does not currently run sponsorships. If that changes, sponsored content will be handled so it can never be confused with our curated picks.
| Principle | What it means |
|---|---|
| Clearly labeled | Anything a sponsor pays for is marked as sponsored, in plain words, up front — not disguised as an editorial pick. |
| Structurally separate | Sponsored slots live in their own space, visually and structurally apart from the curated Directory and Collections. |
| Never a placement | Sponsorship buys a labeled slot and nothing more. It cannot put a product into the picks or move it up a list. |
| No editorial veto | A sponsor cannot approve, edit, or kill our coverage of them or anyone else. Our opinion stays ours. |
Does sponsorship affect ranking?
No. Sponsorship never affects what gets listed, what gets ranked, or what we recommend. The curated part of Uptism and the paid part of Uptism are kept on opposite sides of a wall on purpose. If you ever see a paid placement dressed up as a genuine pick, we have failed our own policy — tell us.
Why the money comes after the frame. We published this disclosure before running any affiliate link or sponsorship, so the rules are in place before a single dollar is. Trust first, revenue second — not the other way around.
Who this is for
- Readers who want to know whether a recommendation is honest or bought (it is honest).
- Companies and makers wondering if money can influence a listing (it cannot).
- Journalists and researchers checking how we separate editorial from revenue.
Plain-language summary
- No affiliate or referral programme is operated in this edition.
- We only link things we would recommend regardless of any commission.
- Disclosure appears next to monetized links, never buried.
- No one can pay to be listed, ranked, or recommended.
- Sponsorship, if it ever runs, is labeled and kept separate from the picks.
FAQ
Do you use affiliate links?
No affiliate or referral programme is operated in this edition. No reader action here earns a referral commission.
Does clicking or buying cost me anything extra?
No. Your price is the same whether you use our link or go direct. Commissions are paid by the company, not added to your bill.
Can a company pay to be included in the Directory?
No. There is no pay-for-placement. Every entry earns its spot through our curation standard, and money has no influence on that decision.
How is sponsored content labeled?
Plainly and up front. Anything a sponsor pays for is marked as sponsored and kept structurally and visually separate from our curated picks, so you always know which is which.
Does sponsorship affect what gets ranked or recommended?
No. Sponsorship never buys placement in the Directory or the picks, and it never changes a ranking. Paid and curated are kept strictly apart.
How do I know a recommendation is genuine and not just a payout?
Because we only link things we would recommend anyway, and because our editorial policy forbids letting money order the list. Ranking is justified by reasoning, never by commission.
What if I spot a link that breaks these rules?
Uptism has no message form or inbox, so there is nothing to report it through; the contact page explains why. The editorial policy sets out how a claim is checked, corrected or pulled, and the rules above are the standard every link is held to.
Keep exploring
Read the full editorial policy and how we curate, or use the reading map on the newsletter. Common questions are answered in public on the contact page.