BarBend conducts genuine hands-on testing with credentialed staff and publishes a scoring rubric, but its own disclosure that it receives free products and earns commissions on ranked links is a live conflict of interest that the editorial firewall cannot fully neutralize.
What it's really for Drive affiliate-linked purchases through authoritative "best of" lists backed by hands-on staff testing
What our grade covers The grade on this page is about Gym equipment (barbells, racks, treadmills, cardio machines, kettlebells) and fitness supplements, not everything the site does.
Medium Scoring Confidence Mostly sourced, but a detail or two still needs a primary source, so the grade could shift slightly.
BarBend earns affiliate commissions on purchases made through its "best of" links. The site's own article discloses: "We receive free products and receive commissions through our links." Products are tested by staff, but top-ranked items are the same items linked to commission-generating retailers, creating a structural incentive to rank buyable products highly.
Source →- Operating since
- 2016 (10 years) · source
- What it costs you
- Free to read The reviews are free to read.
- How they make money
- Affiliate commissions on product links plus display advertising; the site's own best-barbells article states "We receive free products and receive commissions through our links."
- What they do
- Staff-tested equipment roundups covering barbells, treadmills, squat racks, bumper plates, and cardio machines, plus supplement reviews, training guides, and competition news for strength sports. Products are scored on a 1-5 scale across criteria including workout performance, durability, knurling, and price.
- What to watch for
- Does not disclose whether free-product receipt or affiliate commission rates vary by vendor, meaning readers cannot verify whether high-commission or high-gifting brands receive more favorable placement. The editorial firewall between affiliate revenue and rankings is stated but not independently audited.
- Composite score
- 3.00 / 5.00 → grade B-
How the grade was reached
Does the site take money from the very entities it ranks? Pay-for-placement, vendor-funded data, and affiliate commissions all pull this down. The less the ranking can be bought, the higher the score.
What is the ranking actually built on? Hands-on testing scores highest, then verified first-hand reviews, then opinion or popularity surveys and self-reported figures, then pay-to-rank, which scores lowest.
Is the methodology published, specific, and reproducible? Can a reader see how a given rank was reached, or is it a black box?
Are commercial relationships, sponsorships, and affiliate arrangements disclosed clearly and near the rankings themselves, rather than buried?
How hard is it to game? Controls against fake reviews, solicited reviews, and vendor gaming raise this; an open box anyone can stuff lowers it.
Evidence
- The best-barbells roundup states at the top: 'We receive free products and receive commissions through our links,' confirming affiliate revenue and vendor-supplied test units. Source: BarBend – Best Barbells article →
- BarBend describes its testing team as including certified personal trainers (NASM-CPT), USAW coaches, CrossFit coaches, and competitive athletes who score products on a 1-5 rubric across workout performance, durability, knurling, spin, and price. Source: BarBend – Best Barbells article →
- The about page states BarBend is an independent Nashville-based media site with 70+ experts and contributors, and is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting. Source: BarBend – About page →