Affiliate Disclosure
Last updated: 2026-05-24
Plain-English summary
PowerToolBench earns affiliate commissions when readers purchase tools through some of our retailer links. This is the primary way the site is funded. Affiliate commissions do not affect which products we feature, how we rank them on objective specifications, or which platforms we recommend for a given use case.
Every affiliate link on this site is marked. We don’t hide them.
Programs we participate in
| Retailer | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio Power Tool | Awin | Tier-1 anchor program for cordless power tools |
| Rockler Woodworking | Direct / in-house | Tier-1 anchor for woodworking accessories and hardware |
| Tool Nut | Impact | Tier-1 anchor for Festool and premium tools |
| Acme Tools | Awin | Supporting program for broad tool selection |
| Woodcraft | CJ Affiliate | Supporting program for woodworking tools and accessories |
| Global Industrial | CJ Affiliate | Supporting program for shop equipment and storage |
| Amazon Associates | Amazon | Tier-3 fallback for products not available through preferred retailers |
| Northern Tool | CJ Affiliate | Tier-3 fallback for select equipment |
This list updates as our program portfolio changes. The current list is always the source of truth.
What “affiliate link” means
When you click one of our retailer links and complete a purchase within that retailer’s cookie window (varies by program; commonly 14–60 days), we receive a small commission from the retailer. The price you pay is the same whether you use our link or go directly to the retailer.
Our links are marked in two ways:
- The text
(affiliate link)is announced to screen readers adjacent to every affiliate CTA - All affiliate links use the HTML attributes
rel="nofollow sponsored"per Google’s disclosure requirements
We also route affiliate clicks through /go/[slug]/ paths so that:
- The destination URL stays clean in our HTML (we can change retailers without rewriting articles)
- Click destinations are documented and inspectable
You can always hover any link to see the eventual destination at the retailer.
Editorial independence policy
Affiliate commissions do not affect editorial decisions. Specifically:
- Product selection: Which tools we feature in a comparison or buying guide is determined by reader-decision relevance, ecosystem coverage, and spec coverage — not by which retailer carries them at what commission rate.
- Ranking: When we rank products in a buying guide, the criteria are documented at the top of the article. We rank on the criteria, not on commission rate.
- Verdicts: If a budget product beats a premium product for a specific use case, we say so. If a tool we earn 6% on loses to a tool we earn 2% on, we say so.
If we ever depart from this policy, we will say so clearly on the affected page.
What we do NOT do
- Sponsored content disguised as editorial. If we ever publish sponsored content, it will be clearly labeled “Sponsored” at the top of the page.
- Pay-to-play rankings. No brand has ever paid for placement in a ranking, and we won’t accept payment to alter rankings.
- Brand-paid placements in buying guides. Same as above.
- Hidden affiliate links. Every affiliate link is marked with
(affiliate link)for screen readers and usesrel="nofollow sponsored". - Cookie stuffing or dropping cookies without a click. We use only first-party clicks on visible, marked links.
FTC compliance statement
Per the Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsements and Reviews guides and the 16 CFR Part 255 rules:
- Material connections (our affiliate relationships) are disclosed on every page that contains affiliate links, above the first such link
- Disclosures are clear, conspicuous, and use plain language
- This disclosure page is linked from every page footer
- Disclosures are present in any future social-media posts that contain affiliate links
How this site is funded (full picture)
Affiliate commissions are currently the only source of revenue for PowerToolBench. We do not run display ads at launch; if and when we do, that change will be disclosed here and in the cookie/privacy policy. We do not accept payment for content. We do not have paid sponsorships.
Questions or concerns
If anything on this page is unclear, or if you believe a piece of content violates this policy: hello@powertoolbench.com with the page URL and your concern. We respond to every report.