The 11 signals we score every peptide vendor on

Most peptide "best-of" lists are just lightly-reworded affiliate pitches. Ours is not. Every vendor we track gets scored on 11 signals, each 0 to 3, with a total out of 33, which we convert to a score out of 100.

Here are the 11 signals, why each matters, and what a 0, 2, and 3 look like in practice.

1. Identity verification

What it is: can we trace the vendor to a real entity — registered business, named humans, physical address, active domain ownership going back more than a year.

• 0: Anonymous domain, no named humans, no address, WHOIS privacy.
• 2: Some public signals. Named humans on a team page, some social proof, domain older than a year.
• 3: Registered business, public address, named humans with LinkedIn profiles, responsive to direct contact.

2. Cold chain

What it is: how the vendor handles temperature for heat-sensitive compounds during shipping and storage.

• 0: No cold-chain language, or actively claims temperature does not matter for heat-sensitive compounds.
• 2: Specific method named, differentiated by compound.
• 3: Method + tracking + replacement policy + transit-time guarantee + compound-specific guidance.

3. Certificate of Analysis (COA)

What it is: third-party lab testing with batch match.

• 0: No COA, or generic document with no batch match.
• 2: Named lab, batch match, both MS and HPLC, purity ≥95%.
• 3: Named lab, batch match, both MS and HPLC, purity ≥98%, analysis date within 90 days of batch production.

4. Returns and replacement policy

What it is: what happens if the product arrives damaged, temperature-excursion, or contents do not match the order.

• 0: No policy, or policy that shifts all blame to the buyer.
• 2: Written policy with defined conditions, reasonable response time.
• 3: Written policy + real track record of honoring it (reviews corroborate) + generous on edge cases.

5. Shipping

What it is: method, transit time, tracking, customs handling.

• 0: International post, no tracking, 10+ business days, customs problems common.
• 2: Express courier (DHL, FedEx), tracking, 3-5 business days domestic or regional.
• 3: Courier + full tracking + customs-smooth history + fast-track options for urgent orders.

6. Pricing transparency

What it is: can you see the price before you engage.

• 0: "Pricing on request" or quote-based with no public anchor.
• 2: Public price per SKU, visible without login.
• 3: Public prices + visible promo cadence + no hidden fees at checkout.

7. Customer support responsiveness

What it is: when you email, how fast and how substantively do they reply.

• 0: No reply within 72 hours, or template-only reply.
• 2: Reply within 24 hours with substantive content.
• 3: Reply within 12 hours, substantive, willing to have a real conversation about product specifics.

8. Website hygiene

What it is: does the vendor look like someone who cares about the details.

• 0: Broken links, typos throughout, no HTTPS, stale content dating to 2022 still surfaced.
• 2: Functional site, HTTPS, current content, basic SEO done.
• 3: Well-designed, current, good SEO, clear information architecture, obvious attention to detail.

9. Review sentiment

What it is: what the open internet actually says — Trustpilot, Reddit, FB groups, vendor review aggregators.

• 0: Multiple credible complaints about wrong compounds, no shipments, unresponsiveness. Reddit threads are negative.
• 2: Net positive, some mixed reports, vendor has addressed past issues.
• 3: Strongly positive, consistent, Reddit threads cite the vendor as a reference point in their category.

10. Promotion pattern

What it is: is the vendor's marketing strategy sustainable or is it paid-spam and discount-bait.

• 0: Aggressive paid Google ads, constant 50% discounts, affiliate-spam pattern.
• 2: Modest promotion, occasional discounts, reasonable email cadence.
• 3: Mostly organic and word-of-mouth, selective promotion, no discount dependency.

11. Operating longevity

What it is: how long has the vendor been operating without a major rebrand or fire-sale.

• 0: Less than 12 months, or rebranded recently after reputation damage.
• 2: 1 to 3 years, stable.
• 3: 3+ years, stable, no major rebrand, consistent quality across reviews over time.

How we use the scores

• Featured tier (score ≥ 67): surfaced as a recommendation
• Standard tier (score 50-66): surfaced when Featured tier is not available for the user's region or compound
• Gray tier (score 34-49): mentioned in context when the user asks specifically; never recommended
• Silent filter (score ≤ 33 OR binary-fail signal): never surfaced at all

Binary-fail signals override the aggregate score. Examples: COA fabrication, wrong-compound shipping pattern, GDPR/PDPA breach, cold-chain=0 on heat-sensitive line. Any of these force Silent Filter regardless of other signal strength.

Why we publish this

Because the alternative is "trust us." We do not want to be trusted on our word. We want to be trusted on our rubric. If you disagree with a signal weighting, email us — we have changed weightings before and we will again.

If you want our match

Take the quiz. We email a match within 24 to 48 hours. The vendor we recommend has passed the rubric. You can see the score on their card.