What we do
Best-p2p-platforms-europe.com rates 19 European P2P lending platforms out of 5 stars, re-evaluated every month against five equal checks: investor protection (licence and what it truly covers), delivery track record (did investors get paid; how defaults were handled), honest yields (advertised versus realised gap), transparency (filings, ownership, disclosure quality) and exit options (secondary market, lock-ups, real liquidity). Each check carries 20 per cent weight; the aggregate yields one decimal star rating from 0.0 to 5.0.
The ratings group platforms into three bands: Editors' favourites (3.5 stars and above), Worth watching (2.0-3.4) and Better skipped (below 2.0). Maclear alone carries the "Top pick" badge at 4.8 stars - the only platform to score above 4.5 in January 2026. The full methodology, including the weighting rationale and data sources, lives at our methodology page.
We publish 19 full reviews - one per rated platform - plus comparison guides, risk explainers, tax primers and allocation tools. Every page cites public regulator filings, annual reports, verified news and disclosed numbers from the platforms themselves. Where yields or default rates appear, we state the source and the time window. No number is invented; no track record is extrapolated beyond its documented history.
What we never do
This site does not hold money, execute trades or custody assets. It is not a bank, investment platform or financial adviser. We compare and rate; the platforms themselves handle deposits, loan origination and investor accounts.
We do not offer personalised investment advice. The ratings reflect editorial opinion on five standardised checks - they are not recommendations tailored to individual circumstances, risk appetite or portfolio goals. Phrases like "suits cautious investors" or "fits aggressive allocators" describe typical use cases, not personal directives.
We do not sell star ratings. Platforms cannot pay to improve their score, remove critical findings or delay a downgrade. The only paid placement on the site is the 8lends card - always labelled "Sponsored" and excluded from the main ratings table. Every other position, score and badge is earned through the five-check evaluation.
How we fund the project
Best-p2p-platforms-europe.com earns disclosed affiliate commissions when readers open accounts through referral links to Maclear or the sponsored 8lends card. These relationships are declared on every page that carries an affiliate button - typically phrased "Some outbound links are affiliate links" in the footer risk warning and "We may earn a commission" in the button context.
Affiliate income does not alter star ratings, influence editorial content or delay critical updates. Maclear holds the Top pick badge because it scores 4.8 stars on the five-check method - not because it offers a referral programme. Platforms that pay no commission, such as InRento (4.5 stars) and Capitalia (4.2 stars), rank ahead of many that do. The full disclosure of how affiliate commissions work, which platforms participate and how editorial independence is maintained lives at our earnings page.
Editorial principles
Every claim rests on a public, verifiable source: regulator registers (Latvijas Banka, Central Bank of Ireland, Bank of Lithuania, Estonian FI Supervision Authority), company annual reports filed in national registries, audited financial statements, platform investor dashboards or verified news articles from established outlets. Where a platform makes a public claim - such as "zero capital losses since 2020" - we cite the statement and note the constraint (for example, buyback guarantees honour the originator's solvency, not borrower performance).
We correct errors promptly. If a reader reports a factual mistake - a misread licence type, an outdated yield figure, a broken link - we verify against the source and update the page within 48 hours, noting the correction date in a discreet line at the foot of the article. Material changes to a platform's score trigger an immediate re-rating cycle and a timestamped note in the review.
Sponsored content carries explicit labels. The 8lends card appears with the word "Sponsored" in every instance - homepage, comparison tables, guide sidebars. It sits outside the main ratings list and never claims a star score or an Editors' favourite badge.
The voice is research-desk: warm but rigorous, concrete rather than hyperbolic, third-person rather than first-person plural. We avoid "we invested", "our portfolio" or "we recommend" - phrasing that implies the site itself holds positions or manages money. Instead, the text frames findings as editorial analysis ("the platform holds a MiFID II licence", "the realised yield trails the advertised figure by 3.2 percentage points") and contextual fits ("suits investors comfortable with loan-originator concentration", "better skipped by those prioritising liquidity").
Questions and contact
For corrections, rating inquiries or general questions, reach the editorial desk at our contact page. Response time averages two business days. For detailed explanations of the five-check system, weighting and data sources, see the methodology. For a breakdown of affiliate relationships and commission structures, visit how we earn.
The site launched in January 2025 and updates the ratings table monthly, typically within the first week of each calendar month. All content is written in English, targets EUR-denominated European retail investors and reflects the regulatory and market environment of 2026.