CardNorth is an independent, advertising-supported website. We may receive compensation when you click on links to credit card products and services on this site. This page explains how those relationships work, what they mean for you, and how we protect our editorial independence.
How CardNorth Earns Revenue
CardNorth earns revenue through two primary channels:
1. Affiliate Marketing
When you click on a link to a credit card application page and subsequently apply for or are approved for a product, CardNorth may receive a commission from the issuer or its affiliate network. This is a standard arrangement in the financial media industry.
Affiliate commissions do not affect the price you pay. Credit card annual fees, interest rates, and welcome bonuses are the same whether you apply through CardNorth or navigate directly to the issuer’s website.
2. Display Advertising
CardNorth displays advertisements through Google AdSense and may work with other advertising networks. Advertisers pay to display ads to our audience. These advertisers have no influence over our editorial content.
What This Means for Our Content
What compensation does NOT affect
- Which cards we recommend. CardNorth’s editorial recommendations — including our “best” picks, star ratings, and which cards we suggest for specific use cases — are based solely on our research and analysis.
- What drawbacks we disclose. If a card has a significant limitation (high annual fee, weak earn rate, poor redemption value, Quebec unavailability), we say so — regardless of whether we earn a commission on that card.
- Our comparative rankings. We do not sell placement in our “best of” articles. Cards appear in rankings because our editorial team determined they belong there.
What compensation may affect
- Which cards we feature and prioritize. We may be more likely to write detailed reviews of cards from issuers with whom we have affiliate relationships, because doing so supports our ability to operate the site and produce free content.
- The presence of links. Cards from affiliate partners are more likely to have prominent “Apply Now” or “Learn More” links than cards without a commercial relationship.
We disclose this transparently because you deserve to understand the economic model behind any financial comparison website.
Our Editorial Standards
CardNorth is committed to editorial independence. Our editorial team operates separately from our business development function. Issuers and advertising partners do not review, approve, or have advance knowledge of our editorial content before publication.
We adhere to the following principles:
- Accuracy first. All card details (fees, rates, earn rates, income requirements) are verified against the issuer’s official website before publication.
- No paid reviews. We do not accept payment to write positive reviews or to suppress negative information about a product.
- Balanced analysis. Every card review identifies both strengths and weaknesses.
- Disclosure by default. Affiliate links on this site are standard hyperlinks; they are not disguised or obscured.
- Regular updates. We update card information when issuers change their offers. Stale information that could mislead readers is corrected as quickly as possible.
Canadian Regulatory Context
CardNorth operates under Canadian law. Our affiliate and advertising practices are designed to comply with:
- The Competition Act (Canada) — governing misleading advertising and deceptive marketing practices
- ASC (Advertising Standards Canada) guidelines on disclosure of material connections
- CASL (Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation) — governing commercial electronic messages
- FCAC (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada) — governing financial product advertising
In Quebec, additional requirements under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) apply to financial product advertising. We note Quebec restrictions and limitations on specific card pages where applicable.
Cards We Do Not Feature
Not every credit card available in Canada appears on CardNorth. Our coverage is limited by editorial priorities, time, and in some cases the absence of a commercial relationship with the issuer. The absence of a card from our site does not mean it is inferior to cards we do cover.
How to Support CardNorth
If you find our content helpful and decide to apply for a card we’ve reviewed, using our links at no cost to you helps support CardNorth and allows us to continue producing free, independent Canadian credit card content. We appreciate your support.
Questions
For questions about our advertising and affiliate relationships, contact [email protected].
For questions about our editorial standards, contact [email protected].
See also: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | About CardNorth