Northbound is reader-supported… because we’re regular people. To keep ourselves independent and out from under venture capital/private equity/all the other big dollar influences, we have to have some sort of income stream.
Like most modern publications, we use a mix of advertising, affiliate partnerships, and occasional sponsored opportunities to help support our work. Those relationships allow us to continue producing reporting, reviews, stories, and opinions without placing content behind a paywall.
How we make money is important. So is how we don’t.
Affiliate Links
Some articles may contain affiliate links.
If a reader purchases a product through one of those links, Northbound may earn a commission at no additional cost to the reader.
Affiliate commissions help support our reporting and operations.
Affiliate relationships do not determine which products we cover, how products are reviewed, or what conclusions we reach.
A product cannot buy a favorable review.
Product Samples & Reviews
Some products reviewed by Northbound are purchased. Others may be provided by manufacturers for testing and review consideration.
Receiving a product does not guarantee coverage.
Receiving a product does not guarantee a positive review.
Manufacturers do not receive editorial approval before publication.
Our goal is simple: use the product, evaluate the product, and tell readers what we found.
Additional information about our review process can be found on our Editorial Standards page.
Advertising
Northbound accepts advertising.
Advertising helps fund the work we do, but advertisers do not control editorial coverage, story selection, review outcomes, or opinion content.
Advertising and editorial decisions remain separate.
Purchasing advertising does not guarantee coverage.
Sponsored Content
From time to time, Northbound may publish sponsored content or paid partnerships.
Sponsored content will be clearly identified.
Sponsored content is not independent editorial reporting and should not be confused with news coverage, reviews, or opinion pieces.
When content is sponsored, we’ll tell readers.
Independence & Disclosure
Our responsibility is to the readers.
Advertisers do not approve stories before publication.
Manufacturers do not approve reviews before publication.
Sponsors do not determine editorial decisions.
Organizations, agencies, companies, and advocacy groups do not determine what Northbound covers.
When a potential conflict of interest exists, we’ll make reasonable efforts to disclose it.
