Affiliate Disclosure & Transparency Policy

At Switch & Solder, we believe that building a custom mechanical keyboard should be an exciting, rewarding craft grounded in honest guidance. In compliance with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, this page outlines how we generate revenue, the affiliate programs we participate in, and why our commercial partnerships will never compromise our hands-on testing standards.

How Affiliate Partnerships Work

Running teardowns, acoustic frequency analyses, and firmware flash tests requires specialized tools, workshop space, and hundreds of hours of bench testing. To keep our guides freely accessible without paywalls or intrusive banner ads, Switch & Solder participates in various affiliate marketing programs.

When you click on certain product recommendations across our site and make a purchase, we may receive a small referral commission from the merchant at zero additional cost to you. The price you pay remains identical whether you follow our links or navigate directly to the retailer on your own.

Our Unwavering Editorial Independence

Affiliate commissions never determine which barebones kits, PCBs, plates, or soldering stations we recommend. Our editorial team operates with total autonomy, evaluating hardware solely on build quality, acoustic profile, firmware flexibility, and value for money.

• Marcus Vance (Hardware & Acoustics Lead Editor): Evaluates gasket isolation, top-mount rigidity, acoustic resonance, and plate metallurgy. If a kit produces hollow case ping or exhibits inconsistent flex, Marcus documents it plainly, regardless of commission rates.
• Elena Rostova (Value & Entry-Level Kit Editor): Stresses beginner-friendly DIY kits, budget hotswap boards, and essential starter tooling. Elena never promotes high-margin budget kits if their socket durability or stabilizer tolerances fail basic assembly standards.
• Liam O'Connor (Customization & Firmware Specialist): Tests QMK, VIA, and ZMK configurability across traditional and split Alice layouts. If an ergonomic kit suffers from flaky matrix routing or proprietary firmware bloat, it does not earn our badge.

Affiliate Programs We Use

Switch & Solder works with select enthusiast vendors, electronics suppliers, and major retail platforms that stock custom mechanical keyboard kits, switches, stabilizers, and soldering gear. These include the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program as well as specialized keyboard component storefronts and PCB fabricators.

We do not accept paid placements to inflate review scores, nor do we guarantee positive coverage to manufacturers who send review samples. If a sample kit fails our bench tests, we report those shortcomings directly to our readers.

Our Promise to the Enthusiast Community

Every solder joint, tape mod test, and plate swap documented on Switch & Solder is conducted with one goal in mind: helping you build a keyboard you genuinely love using every day. If you ever have questions about our testing methodology or commercial disclosures, our team is always accessible through our dedicated Contact page.