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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteCNET says it earns money from advertising, licensing and affiliate commissions, while also offering partner-supported coverage, paid placements and advertiser-controlled branded content. The label on a page matters: it tells readers whether an advertiser may earn a more visible placement, has paid for a deal to be considered, or controls the content itself.
Where does CNET’s revenue come from?
CNET says it does not charge readers a subscription fee. Its public revenue explanation names advertising, licensing and affiliate commissions, and describes additional commercial formats including partner-supported journalism, featured placements, partner offers and paid branded content. CNET does not publish a standalone revenue total or a percentage breakdown by source, so it is not possible to say which stream contributes the most.
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Advertising
CNET says selling advertising space helps fund its free-to-read journalism. Ads are distinct from editorial recommendations, even when they appear on the same site.
Licensing
CNET lists licensing as a revenue source, but its public explanation does not quantify licensing income or specify the terms of individual deals. CNET Group also promotes editorial award licensing as a commercial service; that group-level offering does not establish CNET’s own licensing revenue.
Does CNET make money from affiliate links?
It may. When a reader follows a commercial link in a review, best-list article or deal story and makes a purchase, CNET may receive a commission. CNET’s disclosure says: “If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.” A commission is possible, not guaranteed for every link or purchase.
CNET says its product and service selections for evaluation and recommendation are independent of those commercial relationships. Its Editorial Process page says: “We are editorially independent. No company or source is permitted to view, edit or comment on any part of a story before it is published.” These are CNET’s stated policies, not an independently verified guarantee about every individual decision.
What do CNET’s content labels mean?
“Sponsored” is not a catch-all for every commercial relationship CNET describes. The relevant distinctions are who pays, whether that party controls or approves the content, and whether the item is an independent recommendation or a paid placement.
| Format or label | What the relationship means | Advertiser control or purchase condition |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliate disclosure | A link may earn CNET a commission if a reader buys through it. | Commission depends on a qualifying purchase; CNET says recommendations remain editorially independent. |
| “Made Possible By” | A partner supports coverage in a category or package to help fund broader independent journalism. | CNET says the partner does not get editorial control, prepublication approval or a chance to view the content before publication. |
| “Featured Deal” or “sponsored” placement | A product may receive a paid, more visible position, or a sponsored placement may appear outside the editorial list. | CNET says featured products have already been independently recommended; a disclosure is intended to distinguish paid placement from editorial endorsement. |
| “Partner Offer” | An advertiser pays for a deal to be considered by editorial staff. | Staff vet the deal and decide whether it meets their standards; payment does not guarantee a recommendation. |
| Advertisement, Ad Content, Sponsored Ad or Special Advertising Content from a brand | Paid branded content produced through CNET’s BrandX studio. | The advertiser pays for creative control, including product inclusion, point of view and design, and has final prepublication approval. CNET says BrandX content carries a BrandX byline. |
CNET says affiliate disclosures appear before or within sight of the first affiliate link. Its revenue explanation also says labels such as “sponsored” or “featured deal” include a “What is This?” explanation. For partner-supported coverage, CNET says it places a clear disclosure near the content.
Are CNET reviews paid for by advertisers?
CNET says products and services are selected independently for evaluation and recommendation, and that no company or source may review or comment on a story before publication. It says paid travel is disclosed and does not affect coverage. These statements describe CNET’s published editorial policy; they should not be confused with the separate BrandX format, where advertisers pay for creative control and final approval.
To interpret a page, look for the exact label and ask what it describes: a possible commission on a purchase, support for independent coverage, a paid placement, payment for consideration of a deal, or advertiser-controlled content.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What do Ziff Davis financial figures tell us?
Ziff Davis’s 2024 annual report reports the following amounts for its broader Technology & Shopping segment, which includes multiple businesses:
| Technology & Shopping segment revenue category | 2024 amount reported by Ziff Davis |
|---|---|
| Advertising and performance marketing | $345.655 million |
| Subscription and licensing | $7.158 million |
| Total segment revenue | $361.882 million |
These are segment figures, not CNET revenue. The filing describes activity across Ziff Davis businesses, including advertising, performance marketing, lead generation, merchant referrals and commissions, subscriptions and licensing. It does not provide a standalone CNET total or show CNET’s share of any category. CNET Group’s marketing of services such as branded content, experiential campaigns, audience data and affiliate commerce likewise describes group offerings, not a breakdown of CNET’s own revenue.
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