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Transparency: how aban news makes money
Making money and staying honest aren't mutually exclusive. Here, out in the open, is how aban news makes money and the rules that apply. You should never have to guess whether there's money behind a recommendation — if there is, it says so. If there isn't, that says so too.
1. Affiliate links
An affiliate link is a link with a tag. If you click it and buy something, the provider pays me a commission — a kind of referral fee. Nothing gets more expensive for you. You pay the normal price; part of it goes to me instead of entirely to the provider.
So this doesn't become a credibility problem, clear rules apply:
- Only tools I actually use or have tested. No link to something I haven't touched just because there's a commission programme.
- The rating stays the same — with or without commission. A weak tool stays weak, even if it pays. A good tool with no affiliate programme gets recommended just the same.
- Affiliate links are marked in the text — for example with a note "(affiliate)" or an asterisk with a footnote. You can tell straight away whether a click earns a commission.
- The commission is paid by the provider, not you. The price doesn't change for you.
In short: affiliate links help fund the work without me selling you something I wouldn't recommend myself.
2. Advertising & sponsoring
Some issues include a paid ad slot. It's always clearly marked as "Ad" and kept separate from the editorial part — at a glance you can see what's editorial and what's paid space.
Important: the editorial part stays independent. A sponsor buys visibility, not an opinion. If a sponsor's tool shows up in the editorial part, it gets assessed as honestly as any other — even when that cuts against my own meal ticket.
The terms and rules are out in the open:
- → Place an ad (sponsoring) — formats, reach, terms.
- → Advertising policy — what may and may not be advertised.
3. Own products & consulting
Part of the income comes from my own things — things I built myself and stand behind. That's the most honest form of monetisation: no middleman, no third-party commission, I'm directly responsible for what you get.
- → Own products — what there is and who it's good for.
- → Consulting — if you want to work with me directly.
Here too: I won't recommend anything of my own that doesn't solve your problem. I'd rather tell you a free tool is enough for your case than sell you something you don't need.
4. What you'll never see at aban news
Transparency also means being clear about where the line is. This doesn't happen — no matter how much someone pays:
- Paid favour reviews. Nobody can buy a good verdict. Money changes visibility, never the assessment.
- Hidden advertising. No paid content without a label. An ad stays an "Ad," an affiliate link stays marked.
- Fake scarcity. No made-up countdown timers, no "only 2 spots left" that aren't really. If something is limited, it's genuinely limited.
- Sold reader data. Your email address is not sold, not rented, not passed on. Full stop.
The disclosure block
This short note will sit under every issue that contains affiliate links from now on — so you never have to look for it. Here it is to read and copy:
Note: This post contains affiliate links (marked). If you use them, I may get a small commission — the price doesn't change for you. My assessment stays unaffected.
Questions about funding?
If anything seems unclear or unfair: reply to a newsletter email or write directly. Aban reads and answers every reply personally.