How we make money
You should know who runs a directory before you trust its recommendations. Here’s who runs ToolScout, who pays for it, and what that money can and can’t buy.
Who runs ToolScout
ToolScout is operated and funded by Inventive, a software company that makes AI tools for RFPs and proposals. We built ToolScout because buying software is harder than it should be, and a directory built on sourced facts is useful to the same people we build for.
What we earn from the directory today
- Affiliate links
- None. Links to vendor websites are plain links, and we earn nothing when you click or buy.
- Paid placements
- None. No tool can buy a featured spot, a higher position or a place in a pick.
- Vendor fees
- None. Submitting a product and claiming a listing are both free.
- Advertising
- None. There are no ads or ad trackers on the site.
Inventive’s own listing
Inventive’s product is listed in the directory because it belongs there. Its listing is clearly labelled as operator-owned. It’s built from the same sourced fields, scored by the same formulas and ordered by the same rules as every other tool, with no special treatment.
What money can’t buy
Now or in the future, no vendor (including Inventive) can pay to change:
- A tool’s position in any list or search result
- Its data-completeness or verification score
- A spot in a category’s “Quick answer” picks
- What its record says, or which facts we include
Those all come from the data and the rules in how we rate.
If this ever changes
If we ever add affiliate links or sponsored content, we’ll update this page first. Every paid link will be labelled where you see it and marked rel="sponsored". Sponsored content will always be kept separate from rankings, scores and picks.
Questions or concerns
If something on ToolScout looks like it was influenced by money, tell us and we’ll look into it. You can also read our editorial policy for how facts are sourced and corrected.