{
  "version": "2026.05",
  "last_updated": "2026-05-12",
  "update_frequency": {
    "pricing": "Monthly",
    "scoring": "Quarterly or after a notable registrar change",
    "country_recommendations": "Quarterly",
    "registrar_reviews": "At least once per year and after major product changes"
  },
  "scoring_weights": {
    "renewal_pricing": 0.2,
    "pricing_transparency": 0.15,
    "whois_privacy": 0.1,
    "dns_tools": 0.1,
    "security_2fa": 0.1,
    "support_quality": 0.1,
    "transfer_experience": 0.1,
    "tld_and_cctld_coverage": 0.075,
    "developer_tools_api": 0.05,
    "beginner_ux": 0.025
  },
  "testing_criteria": [
    "First-year price and renewal price are checked separately, not blended.",
    "WHOIS privacy is checked for cost, default behavior, and which contact fields are redacted.",
    "DNS tools are evaluated on supported record types, propagation behavior, DNSSEC, and UI clarity.",
    "Security is evaluated based on 2FA options, account recovery flow, and registry lock support.",
    "Support quality is tested with timed live chat questions on common problems.",
    "Transfer experience is tested with both inbound and outbound transfers on at least one TLD.",
    "TLD and ccTLD coverage is verified against each registrar's published TLD list.",
    "Developer tooling is evaluated based on API documentation, completeness, and stability."
  ],
  "affiliate_policy": "Some links on this site may earn a commission. Affiliate relationships do not determine which registrars are included, how they are scored, or which are recommended. Scores are based solely on the published criteria above.",
  "corrections_policy": "If a price, score, or fact is incorrect, contact us via the corrections form. Verified corrections are applied within 7 business days and noted in the changelog of the affected page.",
  "selection_criteria": [
    "ICANN-accredited or recognized ccTLD registrar.",
    "Publicly available pricing on the registrar's website.",
    "Sufficient public information to evaluate against scoring criteria.",
    "Available to consumers in at least one of our reviewed countries."
  ]
}