How we score
One number. Four parts. All the math shown.
Every lender, funder and debt-relief firm on Zogby gets a Z-Score from 0 to 10, to one decimal. This page is the whole method, what goes in, what is weighted, what caps a score, and how we get paid.
Methodology version 2026.3 · Updated September 14, 2026 · Editorial standards owner: Jordan Mercer
The short answer
A Z-Score averages four equally weighted sub-scores, cost transparency, terms and flexibility, speed, and verified owner reviews, each rated 0 to 10 from documents, contracts and interviews. Certain practices cap a score at 5.0 regardless of the rest. Companies cannot pay to change a score, and we disclose the one company we share ownership with.
The four parts
Cost transparency
Whether the true cost is stated up front in a number you can compare. For funders: is the APR printed, or only a factor rate? For relief firms: is the fee schedule published before enrollment?
Scores 10: APR or full fee schedule on the first document you see. Scores 2: Cost only disclosed after a signed agreement.
Terms and flexibility
What the contract lets you do and what it lets them do: prepayment, reconciliation, personal guarantees, confessions of judgment, cancellation, whether you can use your own attorney.
Scores 10: Prepay discount, reconciliation honored, no COJ. Scores 2: COJ, no prepay benefit, unilateral debit changes.
Speed
For lenders: application to money in the account. For relief firms: enrollment to lowered or paused debits, and to the first settlement. Measured from verified owner timelines, not marketing.
Scores 10: Same-day funding; debits paused within two weeks. Scores 2: Weeks of silence; debits continue past 8 weeks.
Owner reviews
Verified-customer ratings, weighted toward the last 12 months, with extra weight on whether the outcome matched what was promised.
Scores 10: 4.7+ verified average with consistent outcomes. Scores 2: Under 2.5, or repeated reports of undisclosed fees.
Automatic caps
Some practices matter more than an average can show. Any of the following caps the overall Z-Score at 5.0, whatever the other parts say:
- Refusing to state the payback amount or total cost before signing (lenders and funders).
- Charging fees before any settlement (debt-relief firms), also a federal-rule issue.
- Unclear legal status, implying to be a law firm, or refusing to say whether licensed attorneys are involved.
- Verified over-collection, debits continuing past the payback amount in three or more verified reviews.
A confession of judgment in the contract is not a cap but costs up to 3 points in Terms and flexibility. Scores below 5.0 render in red and carry an “Avoid” verdict; 5.0 to 6.9 amber; 7.0 and above green.
Where the data comes from
Contracts and term sheets
Requested directly from each company and collected, redacted, from owners. Factor rates are converted to APR using stated term and payment cadence.
Owner interviews
Reviews count only when the owner shares a funding or settlement document. Companies cannot remove, edit or pay for reviews.
Public record
Court filings (chiefly New York), UCC filings, state disclosure-law compliance, regulator actions and press statements.
Attorney review
A business-debt attorney reads every client agreement we score for COJ language, venue, fee triggers and legal-status claims.
Scores are re-run quarterly and whenever a company changes its contract or a regulator acts. Each page shows its “Updated” date.
How Zogby makes money
Fees when you click. Never for a score.
Zogby is free to use. Some companies pay us a referral fee when you request a quote or call through our site. That fee does not affect the Z-Score, the ranking order, or whether a company appears. Companies that scored below 5.0 are listed with an “Avoid” verdict whether or not they would pay us, several would.
Ownership disclosure. Zogby and Delancey Street, a business debt relief company, share common ownership. Delancey Street is scored under exactly this methodology, by the same editors, with the same attorney review. We state the relationship on every page where it appears so you can weigh it, and we would rather you know than wonder.
Review policy
Owner reviews are verified against a funding or settlement document before they count. We publish negative reviews of companies we have a referral relationship with, including Delancey Street. We remove reviews only for verified fraud, personal information, or when the reviewer asks. Companies may respond publicly; they may not edit or suppress.
Corrections
If a fact or figure is wrong, tell us at corrections@zogby.com. Material corrections are noted on the page with the date. Companies disputing a score may submit documents; we re-score within 30 days and publish the outcome either way.
Frequently asked questions
Can a company pay to improve its Z-Score?
No. Referral fees are separate from scoring, and the editors who score companies do not see revenue data. Several companies with “Avoid” verdicts would pay us if we listed them favorably; we don’t.
Why do you convert factor rates to APR?
Because a factor rate hides the term. A 1.35 repaid over 4 months costs far more per year than a 1.35 over 12. APR is imperfect for daily-debit products but it is the only number that lets you compare an advance to a loan.
How often are scores updated?
Quarterly, and immediately when a contract changes, a regulator acts, or a dispute is resolved. Every page shows its updated date.
Zogby is independent. We may earn a fee when you click a partner link, it never changes a score. Zogby shares ownership with Delancey Street, a debt relief company it rates; the relationship is stated on every page where Delancey Street appears.