How we maintain accuracy, quality, and trust across all calculators and content.
Content Quality Standards
Every calculator page on ThisCalc must meet these minimum quality requirements before publication:
- Clear purpose: The page must explain what the calculator does and who it is for within the first two sentences.
- Documented formula: The underlying mathematical formula must be displayed and explained in plain language.
- Input guidance: Each input field must have a label, placeholder text, and contextual help where needed.
- Result interpretation: Output values must include units, context, and guidance on what the numbers mean.
- Limitations disclosed: Every calculator must state what it does not account for and when professional advice should be sought.
- FAQ section: At least three frequently asked questions relevant to the specific calculator topic.
Source Citation
We cite sources for all factual claims and formula choices. Our citation standards:
- Financial formulas reference IRS publications, Federal Reserve data, or established financial textbooks.
- Health formulas reference peer-reviewed clinical studies or guidelines from organizations like WHO, CDC, or NIH.
- Scientific formulas reference standard textbooks or published research papers.
- When we choose one formula over alternatives (e.g., Mifflin-St Jeor over Harris-Benedict for calorie estimation), we explain why.
YMYL Content Standards
"Your Money or Your Life" (YMYL) content receives extra scrutiny because errors can affect users' financial or physical wellbeing:
- Finance calculators (mortgage, loan, retirement, investment, tax) include prominent disclaimers that results are estimates, not financial advice. We recommend consulting licensed financial professionals for decisions.
- Health calculators (BMI, calorie, body fat, heart rate) include disclaimers that results are screening tools, not medical diagnoses. We recommend consulting healthcare providers for health decisions.
- YMYL pages are reviewed more frequently and receive priority when formula updates or corrections are needed.
Review Process
Each calculator displays a "Last reviewed" date indicating when it was last checked. Our review covers:
- Formula accuracy: Verify the calculation logic produces correct results for a set of known reference values.
- Content currency: Check that tax rates, regulatory thresholds, and other time-sensitive values are current.
- User experience: Confirm that inputs, outputs, and explanations are clear and accessible.
- Link integrity: Verify that internal and external links are working.
Finance and health calculators are reviewed quarterly. Other calculators are reviewed semi-annually or when user feedback indicates an issue.
Fact-Checking
Blog posts, comparison articles, and guide content follow additional fact-checking standards:
- Statistical claims must be sourced and dated.
- Comparisons between financial products (e.g., 15-year vs. 30-year mortgage) must present both sides fairly.
- Recommendations must be qualified with appropriate caveats about individual circumstances.
Advertising Standards
We maintain a clear separation between editorial content and advertising:
- Ad placements never interfere with calculator functionality or input/output areas.
- We do not accept sponsored calculator results or paid tool placements.
- Editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
- Ads are clearly distinguishable from site content.
Questions about our editorial standards? Contact us at contact@thiscalc.com. To report an error, see our Corrections Policy.
Last updated: April 2026
