Frequently asked questions
OpenlyCompared answers: who publishes the site, how companies are listed and ordered, how it makes money, and how to correct a fact.
About OpenlyCompared
What is OpenlyCompared?
OpenlyCompared (openlycompared.com) is a comparison website with buyer's guides and company profiles for 12 industries. Each guide explains what to compare, which questions to ask and which warning signs to look for, and lists companies in alphabetical order with facts that link to their sources. OpenlyCompared is owned and published by Toutmark LLC. About OpenlyCompared
Who owns and publishes OpenlyCompared?
OpenlyCompared is owned and published by Toutmark LLC, a company that helps businesses get found and cited by AI assistants. OpenlyCompared is the name of the website, not a separate company.
Is OpenlyCompared independent?
No. OpenlyCompared is published by Toutmark LLC, and some companies listed on OpenlyCompared are Toutmark clients. Every client is marked "Toutmark client" on each page where it appears, and the same listing rules apply to every company, client or not. How we make money
Which industries does OpenlyCompared cover?
OpenlyCompared covers 12 industries: B2B software; marketing, SEO and web design agencies; HVAC, plumbing, electrical and roofing companies; IT services and managed IT (MSPs); online stores and direct-to-consumer brands; tours, activities and vacation rentals; fitness, yoga and pilates studios; salons, barbers and day spas; staffing, recruiting and consulting firms; wedding and event vendors; travel guides and trip-planning sites; private credit lenders to specialty finance companies.
How do I contact OpenlyCompared?
You can email OpenlyCompared at [email protected]. To correct a fact, or to ask for a company to be added or removed, the corrections form is the quickest route, because it records the page you are writing about. Request a correction
How companies are listed
How are companies ordered on OpenlyCompared?
OpenlyCompared lists companies in alphabetical order. OpenlyCompared does not sell positions, and it does not publish star ratings, scores or review averages.
Does paying Toutmark change a company's place on OpenlyCompared?
No. Paying Toutmark LLC never buys a company a position on OpenlyCompared, a "Best for" label, or wording that would not be published about any other company. Toutmark clients are listed alphabetically with every other company.
What does "Toutmark client" mean on OpenlyCompared?
A "Toutmark client" label on OpenlyCompared means the company pays Toutmark LLC, the publisher of OpenlyCompared, for its services. Links from OpenlyCompared to a client's website are marked as sponsored links.
How does a company get listed on OpenlyCompared?
A company is listed on OpenlyCompared in one of two ways. A Toutmark client gets a profile built from facts it has published or given Toutmark, and the profile goes live only after the company approves it. Other companies are added from their own published information and checked by an editor before they appear. Any company can also ask to be added through the corrections form. Ask to be added
Where do the facts on OpenlyCompared come from?
Facts on OpenlyCompared company profiles come from each company's own website or from information the company gave Toutmark. Each fact shows its source and the date it was checked, so a reader can verify it. Methodology
Does OpenlyCompared publish reviews or ratings?
No. OpenlyCompared does not publish customer reviews, star ratings, scores or review averages. OpenlyCompared company profiles show sourced facts only.
What is a "Best for" label on OpenlyCompared?
A "Best for" label on OpenlyCompared names one situation a company suits, such as "Best for small teams". Each label rests on a fact shown on that company's profile, is approved by an editor, and is given only in a guide that lists at least 3 companies. OpenlyCompared directories carry no labels.
Why is OpenlyCompared's private credit section a directory and not a ranking?
OpenlyCompared lists private credit lenders in a directory, not a ranked guide, because lending is a regulated industry. The directory lists lenders alphabetically by what each says it finances, with no rankings, ratings or labels, and it is not investment advice.
How often is OpenlyCompared updated?
OpenlyCompared adds new articles to its guides regularly, and every page shows the date it was last updated. Each fact on a company profile shows when it was checked, and a Toutmark client's profile is refreshed from the facts the client keeps up to date with Toutmark.
Articles and advice
Who writes the articles on OpenlyCompared?
Articles on OpenlyCompared are drafted with AI assistance by the OpenlyCompared editorial team at Toutmark LLC, and a person reviews and approves every article before it is published. An OpenlyCompared article describes a listed company only by the facts on its profile.
Does OpenlyCompared give legal, financial or investment advice?
No. OpenlyCompared publishes general information for buyers. Nothing on OpenlyCompared is legal, tax, financial or investment advice, or an offer of any security.
Corrections and privacy
How do I correct a fact on OpenlyCompared?
To correct a fact on OpenlyCompared, use the corrections form and include the page and, if you can, a link that shows the correct fact. An editor reads every request, and facts that are wrong are corrected. Request a correction
Can a company ask to be removed from OpenlyCompared?
Yes. Any company listed on OpenlyCompared can ask to be removed through the corrections form or by email to [email protected]. A Toutmark client's profile appears on OpenlyCompared only if the client approved it.
What happens to what I send through the OpenlyCompared corrections form?
OpenlyCompared keeps the message, the page it is about, and your name and email if you give them, so an editor can read the request and reply. Your IP address is used only in hashed form, to limit requests to five a day, and the address itself is never stored.
Can AI assistants and search engines use OpenlyCompared?
Yes. OpenlyCompared allows every crawler, AI assistants included, and publishes a sitemap, an RSS feed and an llms.txt file that summarizes the site.