How ProviderScout Works

We built ProviderScout to help participants find NDIS providers easily and honestly. This page explains how the directory actually works — where the information comes from, how providers rank, how we make money, and what we promise to never do.

Why this page exists

Most directories don't publish their business model in plain English, and that's a problem. If you can't tell whether a listing is there because it's genuinely the best match or because someone paid for placement, you can't trust the directory. We think participants deserve better than that, so we've written down exactly how this works, what we do with your trust, and what we've committed to never do.

This page is the spine of the business. If anything on ProviderScout ever seems to contradict what's written here, that's a bug we want to hear about. Email us at hello@decisionlab.com.au.

Who we are

ProviderScout is a small family-run project based in Australia. It was built because our own family needed NDIS support and we found the process of finding providers genuinely hard — information was scattered across a dozen places, there was no easy way to compare, and no single source that felt honest about its own incentives. We built ProviderScout to be the thing we wished existed when we were going through it.

We are not affiliated with the NDIA, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, or any NDIS service provider. We don't run a plan management company, a support coordination service, or any other NDIS service. We don't take commissions on referrals. We don't sell participant data. We exist purely to make finding providers easier.

Where the provider information comes from

Provider listings are built from publicly available sources:

• Google Places data for business information, location, hours, and Google ratings
• OpenStreetMap (ODbL licensed) for additional business locations
• The public NDIS Provider Register for registration numbers and categories
• Information voluntarily submitted by providers when they claim their listing

When a provider claims their listing, they can update descriptions, services, availability, and contact details. We verify business identity using the Australian Business Register (ABN check) and NDIS Commission records before applying verification badges.

How providers rank in search results

Organic ranking (the main list of providers on any search or category page) is decided by a combination of signals, none of which include payment. In order of weight:

1. Relevance match — does the provider offer the service being searched, and how closely does it match the query?
2. Geographic proximity — for location searches, providers closer to the searched area rank higher
3. Listing completeness — providers who have claimed their listing and filled it out fully rank above stub listings
4. Verification status — providers with verified ABN and NDIS registration rank above unverified ones
5. Recency — providers whose listings have been updated recently rank above dormant ones
6. Engagement signals — how long participants spend on a listing and whether they return to it
7. Editorial signals — small ranking contribution from curated signals like independent plan manager recommendations (see "Editorial signals" below)

Payment does not affect organic ranking in any way. A provider who pays for enhanced features ranks in the same position they would have ranked without paying. A more detailed breakdown of the ranking algorithm is on our How we rank providers page.

How ProviderScout makes money

ProviderScout has to be financially sustainable or it can't exist. Our revenue comes from three sources, all of which are designed to preserve neutrality:

1. Display advertising

We display ads on content pages (guides, articles, blog posts) through reputable display ad networks. Ads are clearly distinguishable from content, and we don't allow advertisers to select which pages their ads appear on in a way that would compromise editorial decisions. Ads never appear on provider listing pages in a way that would confuse them with organic results.

2. Optional paid tiers for providers

Providers can optionally upgrade their listing with paid tiers:

• Free tier — claim your listing, add description, services, and contact details, display verification badges. No cost. Available to every provider.
• Enhanced ($29/month) — additional features on the provider's own listing page: more photos, accepting-clients indicator, telehealth badge, extended description, response to enquiries. These features appear on the provider's own page only. They do not affect where the provider ranks in search results.
• Premium ($99/month) — everything in Enhanced, plus inclusion in the Featured Providers carousel on relevant category and district pages (see below).

3. Featured Providers carousel

On district and category pages, a clearly-labelled "Featured Providers" carousel appears at the top of the page. Premium subscribers rotate through this carousel. The carousel is:

• Labelled "Featured Providers" with a clear visual indicator that it's paid placement
• Visually distinct from the organic results below it — different background, different layout
• Equal rotation — every Premium subscriber on a relevant page gets equal airtime as the carousel slides through all paying subscribers. No provider can pay more for a better slot or more time.
• Separate from organic ranking — being in the carousel does not affect a provider's position in the main search results below it. If a Featured provider would have ranked #1 organically anyway, they appear in position #1 organically regardless of the carousel.
• Topically relevant only — a Premium support coordinator doesn't appear in the carousel on physiotherapy category pages. Featured placement only happens where it's genuinely relevant to what the participant searched for.
• Opt-out available — Premium subscribers who want the other features but don't want featured placement can opt out of the carousel.

Editorial signals and curation

From time to time, ProviderScout may display editorial signals on listings — badges or notes indicating that a provider has been recognised by a third party we respect. Examples:

• Awards or recognition from independent industry bodies
• Curated lists published by trusted independent organisations (for example, providers recommended by an independent plan manager who doesn't also run the service being recommended)
• Features such as "Allied Health Awards 2024 Winner" based on independent recognition

Editorial signals are never for sale. A provider cannot pay to receive an editorial badge. Editorial signals are visually distinct from paid features (different colour, different placement, always include attribution to the source of the signal). Editorial partners cannot see or influence which other providers are listed and do not participate in ranking decisions for providers outside their curated list.

What we promise to never do

These are commitments we've made publicly so we're accountable to them. If ProviderScout ever does any of these things, we've broken our word and you should call us out:

• We will never take money to boost organic rankings. Payment unlocks features on a provider's own listing and inclusion in the clearly-labelled Featured Providers carousel. It never moves a provider higher in the organic results.
• We will never charge per-lead or connection fees. Providers are not charged when a participant contacts them. We don't want any incentive to push participants toward providers regardless of fit.
• We will never take commissions on referrals. If a participant hires a provider they found through ProviderScout, no money changes hands between the provider and us as a result. We don't want to be incentivised to favour providers who pay bigger commissions.
• We will never hide, shrink, or obscure paid placement labels. Sponsored content on ProviderScout will always be clearly marked in a way that a reasonable participant would notice at a glance.
• We will never become owned by or merge with an NDIS service provider. The moment the directory is owned by a provider, its neutrality is compromised. We have committed not to let that happen.
• We will never offer an "always visible" paid placement that breaks the equal rotation rule. Every Premium subscriber in the Featured Providers carousel gets equal airtime, regardless of how much they'd be willing to pay.
• We will never sell participant data. When participants use ProviderScout, their searches and contact information are not sold to providers, plan managers, advertisers, or anyone else.

How you can hold us accountable

Commitments are only real if they're checkable. A few things we do to make that possible:

• Public changelog. Every change to ProviderScout — new features, content updates, new partnerships, pricing changes — is published on our changelog.
• Published ranking algorithm. The factors that decide organic ranking are documented on the How we rank providers page. If we change the algorithm, the changelog reflects it.
• Annual transparency report. Each January, we publish a summary of the previous year: how many providers were listed, how many Premium subscribers, total revenue from each source, any changes to featured placement rules. This keeps us honest about gradual drift over time.
• Direct contact. If you notice something on ProviderScout that seems to contradict what's on this page, email hello@decisionlab.com.au. We read every message.

Questions or concerns

If you're a participant who thinks something on ProviderScout is misleading, unhelpful, or unfair — tell us. If you're a provider who thinks a listing is wrong or a ranking is unfair — tell us. We won't always agree, but we'll always take feedback seriously and explain our reasoning.

Contact: hello@decisionlab.com.au