The short version
MFA Tools is free to read, and it stays that way partly because of affiliate partnerships. When we link to a product or service, that link may be an affiliate link. If you click it and then make a qualifying purchase, the vendor may pay us a small commission. The price you pay is the same whether you use our link or not — the commission comes out of the vendor's marketing budget, not your pocket.
How affiliate links work here
- Affiliate links look like normal links and take you to the same official pages (for example, a vendor's pricing page).
- Not every outbound link is an affiliate link — many are plain links to official sources we reference for verification.
- We only join affiliate programs for products we already cover on editorial merit.
Editorial independence
This is the part that matters most, so we are explicit about it:
- Content decisions come first. We decide what to cover, how to rank it, and what to say about it before any affiliate relationship exists. A product with no affiliate program can — and does — outrank one that pays commission.
- No paid rankings. No vendor can buy a higher position, a better review, or a "free" label. Our labeling rules are set out in the Editorial Policy.
- Criticism stays. If a product has real limitations, we describe them, affiliate program or not.
Why we use affiliate links at all
Running a useful resource site costs real time: researching tools, maintaining test accounts, re-verifying pricing, and writing updates. Affiliate commissions let us keep every guide free to read without paywalls or intrusive advertising. If a reader benefits from a guide and chooses to buy through our link, that is a fair trade — and if you would rather not use affiliate links, you can always navigate to the vendor's site directly; the content is the same either way.
Sponsored content
If we ever publish content that a company has paid for or meaningfully influenced, it will be clearly labeled as "Sponsored" at the top of the page. Sponsored placements never appear inside our rankings or comparisons, and sponsors do not get editorial approval over the rest of the site.
What we will never do
- Use fake scarcity ("only 3 left!") or countdown-pressure tactics.
- Promote misleading "deals" that are not really deals.
- Describe a paid product as free because it converts better.
- Recommend a product we would not recommend without a commission.
Our independence from brands
MFA Tools is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Canva, Adobe, Microsoft, Google, or any other third-party brand we write about. An affiliate relationship, where one exists, is a referral arrangement — not a partnership, endorsement, or employment relationship. See our Disclaimer for the full statement, and our Terms of Use for the legal framework.
Questions?
If you have a question about a specific link or about how we make money, we are happy to answer: email hello@mfatools.net or use the contact page. Transparency is the whole point of this page, so ask away.