How CluedUp Makes Money
Quick answer: CluedUp makes money from clearly labelled advertising, sponsored content and partnerships. We are an independent publisher, not a government body, and none of these ever changes what our free how-to guides say — our guidance is never for sale. Here is exactly how it works.
Key takeaways
- Our income: labelled advertising, sponsored content and partnerships.
- Independence: revenue never affects the accuracy or conclusions of a guide.
- Transparency: everything paid is disclosed under the FTC endorsement guidelines.
- Not official: we are not a government agency, and we do not charge for access to public information.
- No hidden links: we do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links.
Why we tell you this
People rely on CluedUp to explain real processes correctly, so they deserve to know how we fund the work. Being open about our income is part of earning that trust. This page sets out every way we make money and, just as importantly, the lines we do not cross. If you ever wonder whether something on the site is paid for, this explains how to tell.
There is a bigger principle behind it. A public-service explainer that hides its funding invites exactly the suspicion it should be trying to avoid — that its advice is quietly shaped by whoever pays. We would rather remove that doubt by being specific. Running a useful, free site costs money, and we are not shy about earning it honestly; what we will not do is pretend the money is not there, or let it creep into the guidance. Telling you plainly how the site pays for itself is how we keep the two apart in your mind as well as in ours.
Advertising
We sell clearly labelled display and promotional placements shown around our guides. Adverts are visually distinct from our editorial and marked as advertising, so you always know what you are looking at. They sit alongside our guidance without altering it. You can read the full detail on our advertise page.
Sponsored content
Sometimes an organisation funds an article to tell its story. When that happens, the article is clearly labelled as sponsored and is never presented as our independent guidance. We produce it to our standards so it is still useful, but the sponsor’s viewpoint is disclosed. More detail is on our sponsored content page.
Partnerships
We also work with organisations over longer periods through partnerships. These can combine advertising, sponsored resources and co-produced material. Every commercial element is disclosed, and the collaboration has to help our readers — not just the partner — to be worth doing. Because a partnership is ongoing, it also gives us the time to represent a partner’s work accurately, which on public-service topics is a responsibility rather than a nicety. A rushed description can mislead; a considered one, built over a proper relationship, is far more likely to be fair to everyone, readers included.
What our money never buys
Revenue never changes what an independent guide says. Advertisers, sponsors and partners cannot edit our guidance, cannot buy a favourable mention inside a guide, and cannot remove accurate information they dislike. We do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links, and we do not charge readers for access to information about public processes. Where advertising and editorial might ever conflict, the reader wins.
This is not just a policy statement; it is the whole business model. Our guidance is worth something to readers precisely because it is not for sale, and it is worth something to advertisers precisely because readers trust it. The moment we let money buy influence over a guide, we would destroy both at once — the trust that brings readers and the credibility that makes a placement worth paying for. Keeping our money away from our guidance is therefore the most commercially sensible thing we do, not a sacrifice we make despite the commercials.
Affiliate arrangements and recommendations
Where we ever point readers towards a product or service and earn a commission if they act, we treat that as a commercial arrangement to be disclosed, not a secret to be kept. Any such recommendation reflects our own honest assessment, and a commission never turns a poor option into a suggested one. If you see a recommendation on CluedUp, you can assume it is either unpaid or clearly disclosed — never a hidden pay-to-play placement dressed as neutral advice. Our full approach to labelling is set out in our advertising disclosure.
How to tell what is paid
It should always be obvious. Adverts are visually marked as advertising; sponsored articles carry a sponsored label; partnership content discloses the commercial relationship. If a page is not labelled as paid, it is our own independent guidance. When in doubt, our disclosure approach follows the FTC endorsement guidelines, and you can always ask us.
Keeping guidance and money separate
Our editorial team decides what guides to write and what they say, independently of any commercial arrangement. The people who sell advertising do not control the guidance, and the guidance does not exist to sell advertising. This separation is deliberate, and it is the single most important thing that lets a public-service site accept revenue without losing the reader’s trust. In practice it means an advertiser cannot commission a guide into existence, cannot veto one that is inconvenient, and cannot demand changes to the facts. They can buy visibility next to our work; they cannot buy the work itself. If those two things ever came into tension, we would protect the guide and, if necessary, decline the money — because a site that quietly lets the balance tip the other way is no longer worth reading.
CluedUp is an independent publication with a named team and published methods — see about us and how we verify and edit our guides. Every source of income is disclosed in line with the FTC endorsement guidelines, and our guidance is information only — not legal, financial or professional advice. Making money honestly, and saying exactly how, is how we keep the guidance worth trusting. If you would like to work with us, start on our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
How does CluedUp make money?
Through labelled advertising, sponsored content and partnerships. Our free guidance is independent and never for sale.
Does making money affect your guides?
No. Revenue never affects the accuracy or conclusions of a guide, and no advertiser or sponsor can edit our guidance.
Do you charge readers?
No. We do not charge for access to information about public processes. Our guides are free to read.
Are you funded by the government?
No. We are an independent publisher, not a government agency, and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government.
How can I tell if something is paid?
Paid content is clearly labelled — adverts as advertising, sponsored articles as sponsored. Anything unlabelled is our own guidance.
Do you sell links?
No. We do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links. See our advertising disclosure.
Who decides what guides you publish?
Our editorial team, independently of any commercial arrangement.
How do I advertise or partner with you?
Start on our contact page or see work with us.