MoneySuperMarket Review
FCA FRN: 303190 | Parent: MoneySuperMarket Group plc (LSE: MONY) | Products: Car, Home, Energy, Broadband, Credit Cards, Loans, Travel
| Dimension | Weight | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCA Authorisation | 25% | 20 | FCA FRN 303190; authorised insurance intermediary; listed group |
| Panel Breadth | 25% | 20 | Largest UK comparison site; 50+ car insurers; broadest financial products |
| Revenue Model Transparency | 25% | 17 | CPA model; commercial relationships with panel members disclosed |
| Consumer Protection | 15% | 12 | FCA ICOBS; Consumer Duty; MoneySavingExpert editorial independence |
| Independence | 10% | 7 | Listed group; no insurer ownership; MoneySavingExpert conflict managed |
Last reviewed: June 2026
TL;DR
MoneySuperMarket (FCA FRN 303190, LSE: MONY) is the UK's largest price comparison site by revenue, covering car, home, energy, broadband, credit cards and loans. Revenue model: cost-per-acquisition from panel partners. Listed company with published financials. Owns MoneySavingExpert since 2012.
About MoneySuperMarket
MoneySuperMarket Group plc (LSE: MONY, FCA FRN 303190) is the UK's largest price comparison site group by revenue, operating comparison services across car insurance, home insurance, energy switching, broadband, credit cards, loans, mortgages and travel insurance. MoneySuperMarket Group also owns MoneySavingExpert, acquired in 2012 for approximately 87 million pounds.
MoneySuperMarket was founded in 1993 initially as a mortgage comparison service before expanding into car insurance comparison in the late 1990s during the early growth phase of online insurance distribution in the UK. The group listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2014. As a listed company, MoneySuperMarket publishes annual reports and financial results, providing a level of transparency about its revenue and operating model that private comparison site operators do not match.
Revenue Model
MoneySuperMarket generates revenue primarily through cost-per-acquisition fees paid by insurance and financial product partners when consumers complete a purchase through the platform. In insurance, this means the insurer pays MoneySuperMarket for each car or home insurance policy sold. In credit products, lenders pay per approved application. The CPA fee structure creates a commercial incentive to drive completed sales, which broadly aligns with providing consumers with relevant results but does not directly incentivise ranking by product quality or claims performance.
MoneySuperMarket also generates revenue through display advertising, data services sold to financial partners, and its energy switching service. The group's annual report provides a breakdown of revenue by product category, which is publicly available given its listed company status.
MoneySavingExpert: Independence Within the Group
MoneySavingExpert (MSE) operates with editorial independence from MoneySuperMarket's commercial comparison site. MSE's content is produced by an independent editorial team and does not follow commercial instructions from MoneySuperMarket Group. However, both entities are part of the same listed group, and MSE traffic occasionally links to MoneySuperMarket comparison tools. Buyers who use MSE as a research source and MoneySuperMarket as a comparison tool are operating within the same corporate group, a structural relationship worth noting despite the editorial independence.
MoneySuperMarket and FCA Regulation
MoneySuperMarket.com Financial Group Limited holds FCA FRN 303190 and is authorised as an insurance intermediary. FCA ICOBS rules apply to the insurance comparison service. MoneySuperMarket's credit card and loan comparison is regulated under FCA consumer credit rules. The group's listed company status means it is also subject to FCA market conduct rules and UK Corporate Governance Code requirements.
Competitors
Using MoneySuperMarket for Car Insurance
MoneySuperMarket's car insurance comparison returns quotes from its 50+ insurer panel ranked by price (default). The results page displays the annual premium, Defaqto rating, excess amounts and key policy features. MoneySuperMarket also offers a callback service and policy management tools for policyholders who purchase through the platform.
As with all comparison sites, the panel is not exhaustive. Direct Line does not appear on MoneySuperMarket. For maximum market coverage, running MoneySuperMarket alongside GoCompare and obtaining a Direct Line quote directly gives the most comprehensive price comparison available in the UK car insurance market.
Disclaimer: Kael Tripton Ltd is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide financial advice. This article is editorial research only. Kael Tripton does not receive commission from any comparison site or insurer featured on this page. All information should be verified directly with the relevant platform before making any purchase decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MoneySuperMarket regulated by the FCA?
Yes. MoneySuperMarket.com Financial Group Limited holds FCA FRN 303190 and is authorised as an insurance intermediary. The group is also listed on the London Stock Exchange (MONY) and subject to market conduct and corporate governance rules.
Does MoneySuperMarket own MoneySavingExpert?
Yes. MoneySuperMarket Group acquired MoneySavingExpert in 2012 for approximately 87 million pounds. MoneySavingExpert operates with editorial independence from MoneySuperMarket's commercial comparison site, with a separate editorial team.
How does MoneySuperMarket make money?
MoneySuperMarket generates revenue through CPA fees paid by insurers and financial product partners when consumers complete a purchase through the platform. The group also generates revenue from display advertising, data services and energy switching.
Is MoneySuperMarket the largest comparison site in the UK?
MoneySuperMarket Group is the largest UK price comparison site group by revenue, based on published annual report figures. It operates across the broadest range of financial products among the four major car insurance comparison sites.
Does MoneySuperMarket include Direct Line?
No. Direct Line does not appear on MoneySuperMarket or any other comparison site. A separate direct quote from directline.com is required to include Direct Line in any price comparison.
Sources
- FCA Financial Services Register: register.fca.org.uk, FRN 303190
- MoneySuperMarket Group plc Annual Report: moneysupermarketgroup.com
- FCA ICOBS: handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/ICOBS
- London Stock Exchange: MONY listing