How We Make Money

We think you should know how a site that gives away cost data pays for itself. Here it is, in plain terms.

Reading the data is free

Every cost estimate, climate figure, housing breakdown and methodology page on moldcostguide.com is free to read, with no account, no paywall, and no obligation. We’d rather be useful and trusted than gate the numbers.

We earn a referral fee when you choose to reach out

If you decide to contact a service provider through the site — for example by calling a number we list or submitting a request — we may earn a referral fee from that provider. There is no charge to you for using the service; the referral fee is paid by the provider, not added to your bill.

What it does not affect

• The published figures. Our cost model is applied the same way to every metro, from public data. A provider cannot pay to change a number, move a market up, or soften an estimate.
• The methodology. The model and its assumptions are published in full and versioned. Referral relationships are not an input.
• Your options. You’re always free to take our data and hire anyone you like, including someone we’ve never heard of.

Why we’re upfront about it

A data publisher only works if you can trust the data. Being clear that the referral fee is how we keep the lights on — and that it’s walled off from the numbers — is part of keeping that trust. If you ever feel the two aren’t separate, tell us through the corrections page.