Last updated: March 15, 2026
At ToolStackAI, transparency is core to everything we do. This page explains how we make money, how affiliate links work on our site, and most importantly, why our affiliate partnerships never influence our editorial recommendations.
ToolStackAI generates revenue through two primary channels: affiliate commissions and display advertising. When you click a link on our site and sign up for or purchase a product, we may earn a commission from the product company at no extra cost to you. This commission helps fund our independent testing and review process.
Some of the links on ToolStackAI are "affiliate links." This means that if you click the link and make a purchase or sign up for a service, we receive a referral commission from the company. The price you pay is exactly the same whether you use our link or go directly to the company's website. In many cases, we negotiate exclusive discounts for our readers that actually make our affiliate links cheaper than going direct.
We participate in affiliate programs with many of the AI tool companies we review. These include but are not limited to: direct affiliate partnerships with SaaS companies (such as Jasper, Notion, Surfer SEO, Grammarly, Writesonic, and others), the Amazon Associates Program for hardware and book recommendations, and affiliate networks including Impact, PartnerStack, ShareASale, and CJ Affiliate.
This is the most important section on this page. Our editorial team operates independently from our business and affiliate relationships. Affiliate partnerships never influence our ratings, rankings, or recommendations in any way. Here's how we ensure this:
Our review team does not know which tools have the highest affiliate commissions. Reviews are written and scored before any affiliate links are added. We have given negative reviews to tools from our highest-earning affiliate partners when the product did not meet our quality standards. If we recommend a product, it's because we genuinely believe it's the best option for our readers — not because it pays us the most.
We regularly recommend free tools and open-source alternatives alongside paid products, even when the free alternatives generate zero affiliate revenue for us. Our goal is to help you find the right tool, not to maximize our commissions.
Every tool in our reviews is purchased at full retail price using our own budget. We never accept free accounts, extended trials, priority support, or review units from companies. This ensures our testing experience matches exactly what a regular customer would experience — including the signup process, onboarding, customer support responsiveness, and billing practices.
Affiliate links on our site are typically found in product review articles, comparison tables, and "Try Free" or "Get Started" call-to-action buttons. While we do not individually label every affiliate link, you should assume that any link to a product or service on our site may be an affiliate link. When a link takes you to a product's website, the URL may contain tracking parameters that identify ToolStackAI as the referral source.
ToolStackAI displays advertisements on some pages through advertising networks. These ads are labeled as "Advertisement" and are clearly separated from our editorial content. Advertisers do not influence our editorial decisions, and the presence of an ad on our site does not constitute an endorsement of the advertised product.
This disclosure is provided in compliance with the Federal Trade Commission's guidelines on endorsements and testimonials (16 CFR Part 255). We believe in being upfront about how we fund our operations, and we're committed to maintaining the trust of our readers through complete transparency.
If you have any questions about our affiliate relationships or editorial policies, please reach out to us at disclosure@toolstackai.com. We're happy to provide additional details about any aspect of our business model.