How we rate

When a guide says one option is the best pick for most students, that's the judgement of the editor who covers the subject, based on the provider's published terms and prices. We don't test products ourselves, and we don't give scores out of five.

Rankings are opinion, based on the things below. Nobody can pay to change one.

What we look at

Each kind of product has its own list, roughly in order of how much it counts. There's no formula behind it.

Student bank accounts (Finance Editor: Jamie Hartwell)

• Interest-free overdraft limit and how quickly it grows: the biggest factor, because a large overdraft is a zero-cost safety net while you are studying.
• Sign-up perks and their real-world value: we work out the cash-equivalent value of railcards, Tastecards, Coachcards and streaming perks, not the headline claim.
• Account fees and foreign-transaction charges: the extra costs students often overlook.
• Graduate transition schedule: how generously the bank steps your overdraft down after you finish university.
• App quality and digital experience: recent App Store and Play Store ratings and how much of the account can be managed in the app.
• Eligibility and international-student friendliness: a bank that locks out half our audience cannot score highly.

Budgeting apps, comparison sites and tools

• Free-tier usefulness: can a student get real value without paying?
• UK coverage and data accuracy: US-first apps that misunderstand Council Tax or Student Finance are marked down.
• Privacy and data handling: Open Banking credentials and GDPR compliance.
• Interface and friction to start: onboarding that loses a student in the first five minutes is a failure.
• Ongoing cost if you upgrade.

Mobile, broadband and energy deals

• Total cost over the contract length including price rises.
• Contract flexibility for students who move house each year.
• Network quality and coverage in UK university cities.
• Student-specific perks, SIM-only options and pay-as-you-go flexibility.
• Customer service and complaint handling.

Insurance (contents, travel, car)

• Policy limits relevant to student possessions, not adults with full households.
• Exclusions and excess.
• Price versus comparable providers.
• Claims process and complaint record.
• Flexibility for short policy terms or academic-year-only cover.

Where the numbers come from

Every rate, fee, limit and perk on UniSorted is checked directly against the provider's own live page on the date we write or update the article. Our sources, in order of preference, are:

1. The provider's own current product page and key facts document.
2. UK government sources: gov.uk, UCAS, Student Finance England, HMRC.
3. Regulated bodies: the Financial Conduct Authority, MoneyHelper, Ofcom, Ofgem.
4. Trusted independent sources: Which?, MSE and Ofcom published data, each cited inline.

Each guide shows the date its facts were last checked.

When we update and re-review

When those checks happen is set out on how we make this site.

Editorial independence from affiliate revenue

UniSorted earns money from affiliate links. Which links earn, including some with no star, is explained on the affiliate disclosure page. It works like this:

• We put a comparison in order before looking at whether any of the options pay us.
• We don't take payment to change a ranking or a verdict.
• If the product we rate highest for a given reader is not available through an affiliate programme, we still rank it first and link to it directly.
• A bank, broadband provider or mobile network cannot pay for a better position in our comparison tables.

If you ever find a product placement or rating that looks like it has been influenced by affiliate revenue rather than merit, email hello@unisorted.co.uk and say which one.

Opinion, not financial advice

Our rankings are the opinion of the editor who covers the subject, based on the factors above. It is general educational information aimed at UK students and graduates aged 18-25. It is not personalised financial advice and it does not take your individual circumstances into account.

Before opening a financial product, always read the provider's own terms, fees and key facts document. If you need personalised guidance, speak to an FCA-regulated adviser or the free, impartial MoneyHelper service.

Who does the rating

Each subject has one editor, named on every guide in it. They're on the about us page. If you have a question about a particular ranking, email hello@unisorted.co.uk.

Last updated: 27 September 2026. If a figure in one of our comparisons is wrong, the corrections page explains what happens when you tell us.