Ranking
Methodology

How we score seed banks — and why commission rates don't affect placement.

The Core Principle

Rankings are based on what growers actually care about — not how much a bank pays us. NASC holds #1 with the lowest-value affiliate arrangement we have because their community trust is the highest. Herbies is #6 with no affiliate relationship at all.

Scoring Weights

Community Trust30%

Trustpilot (volume-weighted), Reddit sentiment (r/microgrowery, r/Autoflowers), forum discussions. Heaviest-weighted — community consensus is the best signal.

Shipping Reliability25%

Speed, domestic vs international, customs exposure, consistency. US-based banks get a structural advantage — no customs = no seizure risk.

Genetics Quality20%

Breeder relationships, catalog depth, seed quality consistency, whether genetics are sourced direct from breeder or repackaged.

Customer Service15%

Response time, resolution quality, germination guarantee terms, and how problems are actually handled.

Value & Pricing10%

Price per seed vs genetics quality, discount programs, payment flexibility, loyalty systems.

Affiliate Relationships

We disclose all affiliate relationships. Commission income funds site research but does not influence rankings. Banks without affiliate relationships (Herbies, Seedsman) are ranked on merit alone. See our full disclosure →

See Rankings Affiliate Disclosure

Research principles for the 2026 refresh

SeedBankCompare now treats each bank page as a living research record. We distinguish what a bank says about itself from what can be observed in its catalog and policies, and we date time-sensitive observations rather than presenting them as permanent facts.

Our commercial stack is intentionally narrow: ILGM, Multiverse Beans and North Atlantic Seed Co. are the approved affiliate relationships. Other banks can still appear as independent listings or comparison references when they add useful context.