Scoring rubric

Scoring methodology

NutriScore is a 0-100 editorial score built from public evidence. It compares supplement labels, dose disclosure, testing posture, safety disclosures, certification signals, price context, and claim discipline. A higher score means the product gives buyers more useful evidence and fewer avoidable blind spots.

For research and educational purposes only. Not medical advice.

The three score dimensions

Safety

Safety looks at warning labels, contaminant disclosures, third-party testing posture, sport certification where relevant, stimulant or additive risk, and whether public evidence supports the safety story being sold.

Efficacy

Efficacy looks at whether the label discloses useful ingredient amounts, whether claimed benefits depend on hidden proprietary blends, whether doses are plausible for the category, and whether the formulation matches the product pitch.

Transparency

Transparency looks at label completeness, individual ingredient dosing, public COAs, certification lookup quality, pricing clarity, serving-size clarity, and whether marketing claims stay inside the available evidence.

What can move a score up

  • Individual ingredient doses instead of opaque blends.
  • Current public COAs with serving-size contaminant context.
  • Third-party certifications that can be verified in a public database.
  • Conservative claims that match the product label and evidence.
  • Clear price, serving count, subscription, and refund information.

What can move a score down

  • Proprietary blends that hide the amounts behind important claims.
  • Testing language that cannot be verified from a public source.
  • Weight-loss, detox, disease, or performance claims that outpace the evidence.
  • Missing safety context for contaminants, stimulants, allergens, or additives.
  • Pricing or subscription details that make the real cost hard to compare.

Limits of the score

NutriScore is not a medical suitability score and does not decide whether a supplement is appropriate for a specific person. Pregnancy, children, medication interactions, medical conditions, and sport eligibility require qualified professional guidance. For a plain English article version of this rubric, read how we score a greens powder.