Why You Should Trust Us
Investopedia was founded in 1999 and has provided original recommendations for the best credit counseling services since April 2021. Investopedia’s research and editorial teams collected data directly from company websites and media representatives to rank and review services. Investopedia researched 40 debt relief companies, including 17 credit counseling services, to objectively determine the best options for people dealing with overwhelming debt. Our recommendations are designed to serve people in a variety of financial circumstances.
How We Chose the Best Credit Counseling Services
Investopedia’s research and editorial teams conducted in-depth independent research into the credit counseling industry. Background research was conducted through database research, competitive analyses, and consumer sentiment analysis. Data collection spanned 40 debt relief companies, including 17 credit counseling services offering debt management plans.
Each company was evaluated based on 53 criteria across five categories; the following weights were used to score credit counseling services:
- Costs and fees: 37.00%
- Availability: 19.50%
- Reputation and stability: 18.50%
- Services: 16.00%
- Customer experience: 9.00%
Investopedia collected data directly from company websites and media representatives from Oct. 19, 2023, to Dec. 18, 2023. Over 2,000 data points were collected in total, although not all were used to score and rank debt relief companies; the rest were collected for background information to inform content.
To learn more about Investopedia’s process for finding the best debt relief companies, read our full debt relief methodology.
