Revenue
The tools stay free. Advertisers pay for the person who just did the math.
Rateboard is built as a traffic business: search demand already exists (“mortgage rates today,” “paycheck calculator 2026,” “gas prices”). Listings update on a desk cycle so those queries keep ranking. Money comes from labeled ads and lead-gen — not from charging readers.
01
Display next to the math
Standard IAB units on the homepage, rate boards, and calculator rails. Finance CPM is among the highest on the open web because the visitor already typed “mortgage calculator” or “gas prices today.” Connect Google AdSense or a managed network (Ezoic, Media.net, Raptive) once traffic is steady. Typical finance display: roughly $8–25 CPM; mortgage and credit-card keywords can run much higher on a CPC basis.
02
Native sponsored listings
Paid rows inside the savings, CD, and mortgage tables — always marked Sponsored, never mixed into Freddie Mac or FDIC averages. This is how Bankrate-style desks charge $20–$80+ per funded account or per application start. Advertisers buy position against a specific product (12-month CD, 30-year purchase).
03
Calculator lead-gen
After someone computes a $2,400 mortgage payment, a “compare quotes” unit is the highest-intent click on the site. Mortgage, refinance, auto, and personal-loan affiliates pay per lead. Credit-card and deposit affiliates pay per approved account. Those slots already exist on every calculator as labeled ads.
04
Email / rate alerts (later)
A “ping me if the 30-year drops 25 bp” list is a second product. Newsletter sponsorships on a rates digest are sold independently of on-page ads. Not built as accounts in this version — the desk stays free and signup-free until you want that list.
Example rate card
Illustrative starter prices for a new desk — not a live insertion order. Replace these with whatever network or direct deals you actually close. Figures are in the range independent finance publishers quote for calculator traffic.
| Unit | Asking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage leaderboard | $18 CPM | Run of desk, weekday weighted |
| Calculator rail (mortgage / paycheck) | $32 CPM or $45 CPL | Highest intent |
| Sponsored rate row / week | $1,200 | Labeled, one product, one category |
| Category takeover (gas or mortgage) | $4,500 / week | Includes rail + native |
What you do next
- Leave the calculators and listings public. That is the SEO surface.
- Apply for AdSense or a premium ad network once you have consistent visits.
- Join mortgage, deposit, and credit-card affiliate programs; swap the example ads for live tags.
- Sell sponsored rows directly to online banks and lenders — higher margin than display.