Canonical segment URLs exist only for observed category/shape pairs.
Machine Relations Index
Observed shapes6 Published6 Collecting0 Release2026-10-16
Consumer Finance · Machine Relations Index category
Which sources AI engines cite for Consumer Finance questions
In the October 2026 release of the Machine Relations Index (mri_score_v2.1+2026-10-16+676547a595a3), these are the sources AI answer engines cited most often for each of the 6 Consumer Finance question shapes, each ranked on that shape's own observed runs. This category has 6 observed question-shape segments in the current public release. Each segment keeps its own observed-run denominator and dates; this page does not average rates across shapes. Observed runs are answer runs, not questions: every segment repeats a small set of distinct questions across engines and dates, so a run count is not a count of independent questions.
Top sources by question shape
The sources engines cite most, shape by shape
A rate is the share of the shape's observed answer runs that cited the source; rank is the source's place on that shape's full leaderboard.Best tools
Example pattern: best consumer finance tools. 220 observed runs across 10 dates.
| Rank | Source | Source role | Citation rate | Cited runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 of 313 | Forbes | Editorial publication | 35.00% | 77 of 220 |
| #2 of 313 | NerdWallet | Editorial publication | 31.82% | 70 of 220 |
| #3 of 313 | CNBC | Editorial publication | 29.09% | 64 of 220 |
| #4 of 313 | Bankrate.com | Other observed source | 20.45% | 45 of 220 |
| #5 of 313 | Kiplinger | Editorial publication | 20.00% | 44 of 220 |
How buyers choose
Example pattern: how to choose consumer finance tools. 220 observed runs across 10 dates.
| Rank | Source | Source role | Citation rate | Cited runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 of 253 | Bankrate.com | Other observed source | 26.36% | 58 of 220 |
| #2 of 253 | Chase.com | Other observed source | 25.00% | 55 of 220 |
| #3 of 253 | NerdWallet | Editorial publication | 19.55% | 43 of 220 |
| #4 of 253 | Experian.com | Vendor-owned source | 18.18% | 40 of 220 |
| #5 of 253 | YouTube | Search or media platform | 16.82% | 37 of 220 |
Is it worth it
Example pattern: is consumer finance software worth it. 220 observed runs across 10 dates.
| Rank | Source | Source role | Citation rate | Cited runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 of 360 | Community and social platform | 22.27% | 49 of 220 | |
| #2 of 360 | YouTube | Search or media platform | 16.82% | 37 of 220 |
| #3 of 360 | NerdWallet | Editorial publication | 14.09% | 31 of 220 |
| #4 of 360 | Forbes | Editorial publication | 13.64% | 30 of 220 |
| #5 of 360 | Fidelity.com | Other observed source | 11.36% | 25 of 220 |
Problem-first research
Example pattern: how to solve consumer finance problems. 220 observed runs across 10 dates.
| Rank | Source | Source role | Citation rate | Cited runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 of 297 | Experian.com | Vendor-owned source | 23.64% | 52 of 220 |
| #2 of 297 | NerdWallet | Editorial publication | 22.27% | 49 of 220 |
| #3 of 297 | YouTube | Search or media platform | 21.82% | 48 of 220 |
| #4 of 297 | Community and social platform | 12.73% | 28 of 220 | |
| #5 of 297 | Fidelity.com | Other observed source | 11.82% | 26 of 220 |
Top lists
Example pattern: top consumer finance platforms. 221 observed runs across 10 dates.
| Rank | Source | Source role | Citation rate | Cited runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 of 310 | NerdWallet | Editorial publication | 35.29% | 78 of 221 |
| #2 of 310 | Forbes | Editorial publication | 27.15% | 60 of 221 |
| #3 of 310 | Bankrate.com | Other observed source | 23.98% | 53 of 221 |
| #4 of 310 | Experian.com | Vendor-owned source | 20.81% | 46 of 221 |
| #5 of 310 | The Wall Street Journal | Editorial publication | 20.81% | 46 of 221 |
Comparisons
Example pattern: consumer finance platform A vs B. 227 observed runs across 10 dates.
| Rank | Source | Source role | Citation rate | Cited runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 of 225 | Acorns.com | Other observed source | 33.04% | 75 of 227 |
| #2 of 225 | Unbiased.com | Vendor-owned source | 30.84% | 70 of 227 |
| #3 of 225 | NerdWallet | Editorial publication | 26.43% | 60 of 227 |
| #4 of 225 | YouTube | Search or media platform | 25.11% | 57 of 227 |
| #5 of 225 | Community and social platform | 24.67% | 56 of 227 |
Published segments met the release evidence floor.
Collecting segments expose sample progress, not mature leaderboards.
mri_score_v2.1+2026-10-16+676547a595a3
Question shapes
Separate denominators by segment
| Question shape | State | Observed runs | Distinct questions | Run dates | Cited domain observations | Canonical segment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best tools | Published | 220 | 7 (5 paraphrase groups) | 10 | 313 | Open leaderboard |
| How buyers choose | Published | 220 | 7 (5 paraphrase groups) | 10 | 253 | Open leaderboard |
| Is it worth it | Published | 220 | 7 (5 paraphrase groups) | 10 | 360 | Open leaderboard |
| Problem-first research | Published | 220 | 7 (5 paraphrase groups) | 10 | 297 | Open leaderboard |
| Top lists | Published | 221 | 7 (5 paraphrase groups) | 10 | 310 | Open leaderboard |
| Comparisons | Published | 227 | 7 (5 paraphrase groups) | 10 | 225 | Open leaderboard |
Release and boundary
No pooled category score
Release mri_score_v2.1+2026-10-16+676547a595a3; methodology mri_score_v2.1; generated 2026-10-16; window 2026-05-10 to 2026-10-16; artifact 676547a595a3.
This page is a directory of observed segments. A domain's overall citation rate is not a category rate, and MRI does not publish an averaged category score in this slice.
Consumer Finance buyers on AuthorityTech’s publication intelligence is a downstream practitioner projection of these segments. It is not source evidence, citation provenance, or sameAs identity for the neutral dataset.