We are paid by advisors who subscribe. There are two tiers — Basic and Plus — and Plus subscribers appear first in the directory. That is it. Verification is identical for every advisor regardless of tier. Here is exactly how the model works.
Advisors who want the Orange Check pay a monthly or annual subscription. The subscription covers SEC and FINRA verification, the directory listing, the profile page, and the co-branded article tools.
Basic earns the Orange Check, the directory listing, and the profile page. Plus adds priority placement on the directory, deeper profile analytics, and concierge support during onboarding and re-certification.
Plus is a visibility upgrade. It is not a verification upgrade. Every advisor — Basic or Plus — passes exactly the same SEC and FINRA review.
The directory sorts in two stages. First, by tier: Plus subscribers come before Basic subscribers. Second, within each tier, by consumer rating, then by total reviews, then alphabetically by last name.
This means a Plus advisor with weaker reviews can appear above a Basic advisor with stronger reviews. We are telling you that directly so you can decide how to read the directory. The ratings and reviews are real; the tier order is paid.
What money does not change: the verification standard, the disqualification bar, the rating an advisor receives, the reviews on their profile, or whether the Orange Check is awarded.
Partially, yes — and we will not pretend otherwise. The directory has two tiers: Basic and Plus. Plus subscribers appear before Basic subscribers. Within each tier, the order is set by consumer rating, then by total reviews, then alphabetically by last name. The amount any individual Plus advisor pays does not change their position relative to other Plus advisors — within the tier, it is purely merit. Plus is paid visibility, not paid endorsement.
No. Verification is identical regardless of tier. Every advisor on Fiduciary Check passes the same SEC and FINRA review, the same Form ADV read-through, and the same annual re-certification. A Plus subscription does not buy a friendlier review, a faster decision, or a softer disqualification bar. It buys priority placement on the directory and a richer set of advisor tools.
Higher placement on the directory and on state and specialty pages, deeper profile analytics so advisors can see how visitors found them, and concierge support during onboarding and re-certification. Plus does not include sponsored articles, paid testimonials, or anything that would alter how a consumer evaluates an advisor's fitness — only how easy the advisor is to find.
No. We do not run banner ads, paid third-party placements, or sponsored posts from product companies. The only money we take from advisors is the subscription. We do not sell ad space to fund managers, insurance companies, or anyone else.
Co-branded articles are included with an advisor's subscription regardless of tier. The advisor writes the piece. We help with SEO and AEO and we post it. Advisors do not pay extra for an article, and a piece is not promoted because they paid more.