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Methodology
Reviewed by the SMMScout data team · updated 2026-08-14 · methodology · editorial policy · disclosure
The Scout Score exists so a ranking can be checked, not believed. Every panel page shows the inputs behind its number. This page shows the formula.
Updated August 14, 2026 · sources: WHOIS records (ICANN, WHOIS overview), live public catalogs, measured latency
The score, in one line
Background: domain ownership records are public infrastructure (Wikipedia, WHOIS), and platform rules shape what panels can sell (Wikipedia, social media).
Base = min(age / 10, 1) × 35 + min(services / 9,000, 1) × 30 + clamp(1 − (ms − 600) / 1,400, 0, 1) × 35
Scout Score = Base + (owner verified ? +25 : +0) · max 125 / 100
Inputs and weights
| Input | Weight | Source | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain longevity | 35 / 100 | WHOIS registration age | 10 years |
| Catalog scale | 30 / 100 | Live public service count | 9,000 |
| API performance | 35 / 100 | Measured API response latency | 600–2,000 ms |
| Owner verification | +25 bonus | Ownership proof: token file or DNS record | 0 or +25 |
Why these three
Longevity. A panel that has operated for years has survived platform purges, provider churn and payment crackdowns. A 12-year-old domain is not proof of quality, but a 4-week-old one is a reason to test small. The input caps at 10 years so older panels stop gaining points.
Scale. Catalog size is a proxy for provider depth: more services means more upstream suppliers and more platforms covered, which means resilience when one supplier drops. The cap at 9,000 keeps the input meaningful for mid-size panels too.
Performance. Response latency is measured directly against each panel's API from the same monitoring vantage point. Fast systems fail less often under order load. Latency at or below 600ms scores full points, at or above 2,000ms scores zero, linear between.
The verification bonus (+25)
An owner who proves control of the domain receives a one-time +25 bonus and a verified badge. The proof is public and checkable: a token file at https://[your-domain]/smmscout-verify.txt containing the code from the claim request, or a DNS TXT record smmscout-verify=CODE. No payment is involved at any step, which is the difference between verification and advertising.
For owner-verified panels, catalog size and API latency may be declared by the owner. Declared values are recorded with a date, labeled as owner-declared on the panel page, and subject to the same caps as measured values. A declared 9,000-service catalog scores exactly like a measured one; a declared figure that cannot be defended in a re-check costs the panel its verified status.
The bonus exists because a verified owner can fix data, answer flags and stand behind refill claims: it is a commitment signal, not a quality measurement. Verification is not retroactive; if the token is removed, the bonus is revoked on the next data pull. Start verification.
What verification is not: it is not a review, not a guarantee of delivery, and not a sponsored placement. It cannot be bought, and it does not clear red flags. A verified panel with flags keeps the flags.
Sponsored placements
Paid visibility is a separate system with a different label. Sponsored panels appear in a clearly marked strip or slot, carry a sponsored chip, and their placement never enters the formula. A sponsored panel with a low score still displays the low score. Advertising options.
The risk score (scam score)
Alongside the Scout Score (how good the panel looks), every panel carries a risk score (how much to be careful). It runs 0-100 and is computed from five public inputs, capped and published:
| Input | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Active flags | +30 critical · +15 warning · +5 info (cap 60) | Dated concerns from the flag system, by severity. |
| Domain age | +15 under 2y · +10 under 5y · +5 under 8y | Young panels vanish more often than old ones. |
| No public price floor | +10 | Hidden pricing is a classic deposit-and-vanish pattern. |
| Data pending | +15 | Unmeasured panels are listed, not endorsed. |
| Owner verification | -10 if verified, +5 if not | Proven ownership lowers the vanish risk materially. |
Bands: 0-19 low risk · 20-39 caution · 40-59 elevated · 60+ high risk. The risk score cannot be bought either; it is computed from the same dated data as everything else. Verified panels are never automatically low risk: a verified panel with critical flags still scores high.
What the score deliberately does not include
- Price. Rates move daily and are shown per panel instead, so price never pollutes the rank.
- Paid placements. There is no way to buy a higher score. Sponsored positions, when offered, are separate, labeled, and never touch the formula.
- Our own panels. Ezkify and Smmize are scored by this identical formula and are young domains, so they rank accordingly. That is the test of a methodology.
Score bands
| Band | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 105–125 | Excellent: strong base inputs plus owner verification. |
| 85–104 | Strong: at least two of the three base inputs clearly above market. |
| 68–84 | Solid: workable, verify the weak input before large deposits. |
| 50–67 | Watch: one input is materially weak; test small. |
| 0–49 | Verify carefully: young, thin or slow on the measured data. |
Refresh and history
Service counts and response latencies are re-measured on a rolling schedule and the directory refreshes with each pull. Domain ages update daily. Score history per panel is retained for future comparison pages.
Limits
The score measures what can be measured from outside. Delivery quality, refill behavior and support performance are not in the formula yet. That is why every panel page carries a human verdict alongside the number, and why a small test order remains the final arbiter.