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Ship It Easy

How we make money

Full transparency. No buried small print.

The short version

BarrelCompare is free for everyone using the platform. We make money through featuring suppliers , but our editorial standards (which suppliers appear, how they're reviewed, what we publish about them) are independent of those relationships.

The longer version

What we do earn from

  • Referral fees. When you click through and book with a supplier, the supplier may pay us a small fee. This is the same model used by virtually every comparison site (Compare the Market, MoneySuperMarket, Skyscanner, etc.).
  • Featured placements. A supplier can pay to be highlighted on the comparison page. When this happens, the placement is clearly labelled "Featured" or "Sponsored". It does not affect their review score, verification status, or our editorial assessment.
  • Lead-based partnerships. When you submit a quote request, we share your details with verified suppliers covering your route. Some suppliers pay us per qualified lead.

What we do not do

  • We do not take payment to bury bad reviews. If a verified user reports a problem, the report stays.
  • We do not take payment for verification. Verification is editorial, not commercial. A supplier cannot pay to be marked "Verified" , they have to actually meet the criteria.
  • We do not sell your personal data. Quote-form details are shared only with verified suppliers covering your route, and only to provide the quote you asked for.
  • We do not write fake reviews or accept payment from suppliers to write favourable content about them.
  • We do not scrape prices. Every price we publish has been confirmed directly with the supplier.

Why this model works (when it's done honestly)

Comparison sites are useful when they're genuinely independent. The day a comparison site starts hiding the cheapest option to favour a paying partner is the day it loses its value to the user , and to the paying partner, because nobody trusts the recommendation any more.

Our long-term incentive is the same as yours: surface the best option for your specific situation. If we don't, you go back to WhatsApp.

How we keep editorial separate from commercial

  • Verification criteria are public (see FAQ) and applied consistently.
  • Featured placements are visually labelled , never disguised as organic results.
  • The default sort on the comparison page is "Verified first" , based on verification status, not commercial relationship.
  • Reviews are moderated against an abuse policy, not a commercial-friendliness policy.

Privacy & your data

When you fill in the quote form:

  • We share only what's needed with verified suppliers (destination, barrel size, UK postcode area, contact details you provided).
  • We do not share your data with anyone outside the verified supplier list.
  • You can request deletion of your details by emailing us via the contact page.
  • Suppliers who receive your details are bound by UK data protection rules. If a supplier contacts you outside the quote you requested, tell us and we'll act on it.

Holding us accountable

If you think we've fallen short of any of this, or if anything looks off , tell us.

Last updated: April 2026. This page is reviewed and updated as the commercial model evolves.