Choisir.com Review

Based on checking the website, Choisir.com positions itself as a free online comparison platform aiming to help users reduce their daily expenses across various services like electricity, gas, internet, mobile plans, and even banking fees. While the premise of saving money through comparison is inherently appealing, a deeper dive reveals a significant red flag regarding its core offerings. The platform directly promotes and facilitates financial products such as credit and insurance, which, by their very nature in conventional finance, are deeply entwined with interest riba and excessive uncertainty gharar. This makes Choisir.com, despite its stated benefits of time-saving and cost reduction, an unsuitable choice for those seeking ethical financial practices.

Overall Review Summary:

• Purpose: Online comparison platform for various services.
• Key Offerings: Comparison of electricity, gas, internet, mobile, banking fees, credit, and insurance.
• Business Model: Free for users, compensated by partnered brands.
• Trust & Experience: States it’s a subsidiary of La Poste group, active since 2008, and claims to have helped over 30 million households.
• User Satisfaction: Reports a 4.5/5 average rating based on 1471 evaluations.
• Ethical Standing Islamic Perspective: Unacceptable due to promotion of riba-based credit and gharar-laden conventional insurance products.

The site highlights its commitment to being “A votre écoute” attentive to your needs, “Fiable et transparent” reliable and transparent, and “100% gratuit” 100% free, all of which sound commendable on the surface. They assert that their counselors are available to answer questions and assist with choices, and they work hard to keep offers and prices updated. However, the inclusion of credit and insurance comparison services directly contradicts principles that emphasize ethical financial transactions free from interest and excessive speculation. While comparing utility bills and mobile plans is generally permissible, the platform’s comprehensive approach includes these problematic categories, rendering it problematic as a whole. Engaging with platforms that promote riba and gharar can lead to severe long-term consequences and a deviation from beneficial practices.

Best Ethical Alternatives for Comparison and Financial Management:

When seeking to manage expenses and compare services, it’s crucial to select platforms and tools that align with ethical principles. Here are some top alternatives focusing on permissible services like utilities, mobile plans, and ethical financial management, avoiding riba and gharar:

• EnergySage

  • Key Features: Focuses specifically on solar energy and clean energy solutions, connecting consumers with pre-screened solar installers and clear, comparable quotes. Provides educational resources on solar technology and financial incentives.
  • Price: Free for users. compensated by installers.
  • Pros: Specializes in renewable energy, promotes sustainable living, transparent comparison of solar options, and strong educational content.
  • Cons: Limited to solar energy, not a broad utility comparison tool.

• BillShark

  • Key Features: Negotiates lower rates on existing monthly bills like internet, mobile, TV, and home security. They take a percentage of the savings.
  • Price: A percentage of savings typically 40% paid only if they successfully lower your bills.
  • Pros: Hands-off bill negotiation, no upfront fees, good for reducing recurring expenses on ethical services.
  • Cons: Not a comparison site for new services, only for existing ones. limited to specific bill categories.

• Mint Mobile

  • Key Features: Offers affordable, contract-free mobile phone plans with various data options. Users buy in bulk 3, 6, or 12 months for significant savings.
  • Price: Varies by data plan and duration e.g., ~$15-$30/month for annual plans.
  • Pros: Extremely cost-effective, transparent pricing, no long-term contracts, excellent for mobile plan savings.
  • Cons: Requires upfront payment for multiple months, operates on T-Mobile’s network, which might not be optimal everywhere.

• Wise formerly TransferWise

  • Key Features: Specializes in international money transfers with transparent, low fees and real exchange rates. Also offers multi-currency accounts and debit cards.
  • Price: Fees vary by currency and amount, but generally very competitive and transparent.
  • Pros: Excellent for ethical international transactions, transparent fees, avoids hidden markups, and supports honest financial interactions.
  • Cons: Not a comparison tool for local services, primarily focused on cross-border payments.

• Simplifi by Quicken

  • Key Features: Personal finance management tool that tracks spending, creates budgets, and monitors investments without involvement in interest-based financial products.
  • Price: Subscription-based e.g., ~$3-$4/month.
  • Pros: Comprehensive budgeting and spending tracking, no riba involvement, helps manage finances responsibly.
  • Cons: Subscription fee, requires manual input for some data if not linked directly to ethical accounts.

• Truebill now Rocket Money

  • Key Features: Helps users track subscriptions, monitor spending, and negotiate bills. Can also help cancel unwanted subscriptions.
  • Price: Free basic version. premium features for a subscription.
  • Pros: Good for identifying and canceling unnecessary recurring expenses, useful for budgeting.
  • Cons: Some advanced features are behind a paywall, bill negotiation success varies.

• You Need A Budget YNAB

  • Key Features: A highly-regarded budgeting software based on the “zero-based budgeting” philosophy. Helps users assign every dollar a job, promoting conscious spending and saving.
  • Price: Subscription-based e.g., ~$14.99/month or ~$99/year.
  • Pros: Excellent for financial discipline, helps avoid debt, promotes savings and responsible spending, comprehensive budgeting tools.
  • Cons: Requires commitment to the budgeting philosophy, subscription fee.

Find detailed reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org, for software products you can also check Producthunt.

IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.

Choisir.com Review & First Look

Based on an initial review of the Choisir.com website, it presents itself as a user-friendly platform designed to empower French consumers to compare various household expenses and potentially reduce their monthly outgoings.

The site prominently features sections for electricity and gas, internet boxes, mobile plans, banking fees, credit, and insurance.

The primary value proposition is convenience and cost-saving, leveraging a comparison engine to sift through numerous offers that are otherwise difficult for an individual to navigate.

The design is clean, and the calls to action are clear, inviting users to “Comparez et maîtrisez vos dépenses dès aujourd’hui” Compare and control your expenses today.

Initial Impressions of User Interface and Navigation

The Choisir.com homepage is well-organized, with prominent links to its main comparison categories.

The language is direct and aims to resonate with common consumer pain points, such as the difficulty of understanding complex offers and the feeling of overpaying.

The site employs intuitive navigation menus, allowing users to quickly jump to the service they wish to compare.

Bold text highlights key benefits, such as “gagner un temps fou” save a crazy amount of time and “faire des économies” make savings. The visual appeal is standard for a comparison site, prioritizing functionality and information accessibility over elaborate aesthetics.

The placement of “Dernières actualités” Latest News and “Derniers articles” Latest Articles suggests an effort to provide value beyond just comparison, positioning the platform as a source of information and advice on related topics.

Stated Mission and Business Model

Choisir.com explicitly states its mission is to help users save time and money. Waluda.com Review

A crucial aspect of their business model, as clearly articulated, is that their service is “100% gratuit” for the user.

They explain that “Ce sont les marques qui nous rémunèrent, pas vous !” It’s the brands that pay us, not you!. This affiliate-based model is common in comparison platforms and, in principle, can be transparent.

They further bolster their credibility by mentioning their affiliation with the “groupe La Poste” La Poste group and their long history since 2008, having reportedly assisted over 30 million households.

These claims aim to instill a sense of trust and reliability, which is essential for a service dealing with personal finances.

Areas of Concern from an Ethical Standpoint

While the platform offers comparisons for legitimate services like electricity, gas, internet, and mobile plans, the prominent inclusion of “crédit” credit and “assurances” insurance immediately raises significant ethical concerns. In conventional finance, these categories are almost universally predicated on interest riba and involve elements of excessive uncertainty gharar. Comparing these services, even if the user doesn’t directly engage with them, still legitimizes and promotes financial practices that are considered impermissible. The website does not provide any disclaimers or alternative ethical financial options for these categories, implying a blanket endorsement of conventional, interest-based financing and insurance products. This fundamental aspect overshadows any potential benefits for other comparison services offered.

The Ethical Implications of Choisir.com’s Offerings

The core issue with Choisir.com, from an ethical standpoint, lies in its promotion of conventional credit and insurance products. These are not merely peripheral offerings.

They are explicitly listed as major categories alongside utilities and mobile plans.

This integration means that the platform, by its design and function, directs users towards financial mechanisms that fundamentally violate ethical principles regarding wealth and transactions.

Understanding the Problem with Conventional Credit

Conventional credit, including personal loans, mortgages, and credit cards, is almost invariably based on interest riba. Riba is explicitly prohibited in ethical frameworks due to its exploitative nature and its tendency to create economic imbalances. It is seen as an unjust enrichment obtained without commensurate risk or effort. When Choisir.com offers tools to “compare credit,” it guides users to choose between different interest-bearing products.

• Debt Accumulation: The very nature of interest-based credit can lead to spiraling debt, making it difficult for individuals and families to achieve financial stability.
• Unjust Gains: Interest allows lenders to profit from the mere passage of time, rather than from productive enterprise or genuine risk-sharing. This is considered an unfair accumulation of wealth.
• Economic Inequality: Over time, riba exacerbates wealth disparity, concentrating wealth in the hands of those who lend and pushing borrowers into deeper financial distress.

The Issues with Conventional Insurance

Conventional insurance operates on principles that often involve excessive uncertainty gharar and elements of gambling. While the concept of mutual aid and risk-sharing is permissible, conventional insurance policies typically involve fixed premiums paid regardless of claims, and the payout is contingent on an uncertain event. This often leads to a contract where one party benefits significantly at the potential expense of the other, without a clear, mutual benefit based on shared risk and genuine cooperation. Fire-risk-assessment-network.com Review

• Gharar Excessive Uncertainty: The ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding the payout or loss of premiums in conventional insurance contracts make them problematic.
• Gambling Elements: The act of paying a premium for a potential payout on an uncertain event can resemble gambling, where money is exchanged with an unknown outcome.
• Lack of Mutual Aid: Unlike cooperative models where participants contribute to a common fund for mutual support, conventional insurance is often a commercial transaction driven by profit for the insurer.

The Impact on Financial Well-being

While Choisir.com aims to help users save money, the methods it promotes through credit and conventional insurance can lead to long-term financial detriment. Engaging with riba-based products can trap individuals in cycles of debt, diverting their hard-earned money towards interest payments rather than productive investments or essential needs. Similarly, conventional insurance, while offering protection, might not be the most ethically sound way to manage risk, and better, cooperative alternatives exist that foster mutual support rather than pure commercial gain. The pursuit of short-term savings on interest rates can obscure the fundamental ethical flaw of engaging with riba in the first place, leading to a less stable financial future.

Choisir.com: Pros & Cons from an Ethical Perspective

Given the primary ethical concern regarding Choisir.com’s promotion of interest-based credit and conventional insurance, a traditional “pros and cons” analysis becomes skewed.

From an ethical standpoint, the cons heavily outweigh any potential benefits, as the core problematic offerings fundamentally compromise the platform’s utility.

Cons of Using Choisir.com

• Promotion of Riba Interest: This is the foremost concern. Choisir.com directly facilitates comparison and engagement with credit products, which are inherently interest-based in conventional financial systems. This stands in direct opposition to ethical financial principles that strictly prohibit riba due to its exploitative nature and its role in fostering economic inequality.
• Involvement with Gharar Excessive Uncertainty in Insurance: The platform’s offering of insurance comparisons leads users toward conventional insurance models that contain elements of gharar excessive uncertainty or speculation. These contracts often involve an exchange where the outcome for one or both parties is unclear or dependent on unpredictable events, which is problematic.
• Legitimization of Unethical Financial Practices: By including credit and insurance as mainstream, comparable services without any ethical disclaimer or alternative, Choisir.com implicitly normalizes and encourages engagement with financial instruments that are ethically impermissible. This can lead users, particularly those unaware of the ethical implications, into transactions that go against their values.
• Potential for Debt Accumulation: While the site aims for savings, the very nature of promoting credit can lead to easier access to debt, potentially trapping individuals in cycles of financial obligation due to interest payments. This contradicts the principle of fostering financial independence and stability.
• Lack of Ethical Alternatives: The website makes no effort to present or direct users towards ethical financial alternatives for credit or insurance, such as murabaha cost-plus financing or takaful cooperative insurance, which operate on principles of risk-sharing and mutual assistance rather than interest and speculation.

Why the “Pros” Are Insufficient

While the website does offer comparison services for utilities electricity, gas, internet, and mobile plans, which are generally permissible, these positive aspects do not mitigate the fundamental ethical flaws.

• Time Savings and Convenience: Yes, comparing multiple offers on one platform saves time. However, this convenience is compromised if the platform also steers you towards impermissible financial products.
• Potential for Cost Savings on Utilities/Mobile: Users might find cheaper plans for energy or mobile services. But if a platform promotes ethical and unethical services indiscriminately, the benefit from one area cannot justify the harm from another.
• Free Service for users: The “free” aspect is based on an affiliate model, which is permissible in itself. However, if the affiliates are offering impermissible products, the entire chain becomes problematic.
• Transparency Claims: Choisir.com claims to be transparent and reliable. While they might be transparent about how they operate e.g., being paid by brands, they are not transparent about the ethical implications of the products they promote.

In conclusion, for those committed to ethical financial practices, the cons of Choisir.com, specifically its direct involvement with riba-based credit and gharar-laden conventional insurance, render it an unsuitable platform. The permissible services it offers do not outweigh the promotion of fundamentally problematic financial instruments.

Choisir.com Alternatives: Focusing on Ethical Comparison & Financial Tools

For individuals seeking to manage their expenses and financial well-being ethically, a broad comparison platform like Choisir.com falls short due to its inclusion of interest-based credit and conventional insurance. The alternatives must focus on services that are inherently permissible and promote responsible, non-exploitative financial practices. This means looking for platforms that either specialize in ethical services like utilities or consumer goods or offer tools for managing personal finances without recourse to riba or gharar.

Ethical Alternatives for Permissible Comparisons Utilities, Mobile, Consumer Goods

When it comes to comparing services like electricity, internet, or mobile plans, the focus should be on platforms that stick to these areas and avoid problematic financial products.

• Compare.com

  • Focus: Primarily focuses on car insurance comparison which can be problematic due to gharar. However, it highlights the need for due diligence when using any comparison site to ensure the underlying products align with ethical standards. For ethical utility comparison, this site does not fit directly.
  • Ethical Note: When considering insurance, alternatives like Takaful are required. For broad utility comparisons, direct provider websites or regulated national energy comparison sites like those often managed by government bodies might be safer.

• Government-Regulated Energy Comparison Sites:

  • Many countries or states have official, government-backed websites for comparing energy providers. These are often more reliable and focus purely on utility rates, devoid of problematic financial product integrations.
  • Example US: While there isn’t one universal US government site, individual states often have Public Utility Commissions PUC websites that offer tools or lists of approved providers. For example, the Public Utility Commission of Texas provides a Power to Choose tool.
  • Pros: Highly regulated, often unbiased, focus solely on energy rates.
  • Cons: Not a one-stop shop for all comparisons mobile, internet, etc., typically limited geographically.

• Direct Provider Websites and Independent Research: Wickedlimos.net.au Review

  • The most straightforward and often safest way to compare mobile, internet, or utility plans is to visit the websites of individual providers directly.
  • Method: Create a spreadsheet or use a note-taking app to list features, prices, and terms from different providers e.g., AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile for mobile. local internet providers. energy companies. This manual comparison ensures you understand all terms and avoids any problematic bundling or hidden affiliations.
  • Pros: Complete control over information gathering, no third-party biases, ensures full transparency of terms.
  • Cons: Time-consuming, requires diligence to compare apples-to-apples.

Ethical Alternatives for Personal Financial Management Budgeting, Debt Avoidance

To manage expenses effectively and avoid reliance on credit, robust budgeting and financial planning tools are essential.

*   Key Features: A highly-regarded budgeting software based on the "zero-based budgeting" philosophy. Helps users assign every dollar a job, promoting conscious spending, saving, and debt avoidance. It emphasizes living within your means and planning for future expenses.
*   Pros: Excellent for financial discipline, helps avoid debt by proactive planning, promotes savings and responsible spending, robust educational resources.
*   Cons: Subscription fee, requires consistent effort to maintain, not a comparison tool for services.

*   Key Features: Personal finance management tool for tracking spending, creating budgets, and monitoring investments. It focuses on helping users understand their financial picture without promoting interest-based products.
*   Pros: Comprehensive budgeting and spending tracking, no *riba* involvement, helps manage finances responsibly and ethically.
*   Cons: Subscription fee, requires some manual entry if not directly linked to accounts.

• PocketGuard
  • Key Features: Focuses on helping users “know what’s safe to spend.” It connects to bank accounts and tracks income, bills, and subscriptions to provide a clear picture of available funds, aiding in expenditure management and debt avoidance.
  • Pros: Simplifies budgeting, highlights “safe to spend” amount, identifies recurring bills.
  • Cons: Premium features require a subscription, might not be as in-depth for long-term financial planning as YNAB.

Ethical Alternatives for Risk Management Replacing Conventional Insurance

For managing risks that conventional insurance addresses, the concept of Takaful is the ethical alternative.

• Takaful Companies
  • Key Features: Takaful is a cooperative system of insurance based on ethical principles, where participants contribute to a common fund Tabarru’ and agree to jointly indemnify each other in case of loss. It avoids riba interest, gharar excessive uncertainty, and maysir gambling. Profits are shared among participants and shareholders, rather than solely for the insurer.
  • Price: Contributions vary based on the type of Takaful e.g., family Takaful, general Takaful.
  • Pros: Ethically compliant risk management, promotes mutual aid and cooperation, avoids problematic elements of conventional insurance.
  • Cons: Availability might be limited depending on geographic location, especially in non-majority ethical markets. You would need to search for Takaful providers in your specific region. Examples include Guidance Residential for ethical home financing that may include Takaful-compliant insurance, or specific Takaful operators if available in your country.

The key takeaway is to be highly discerning when choosing financial tools.

If a platform offers services that are fundamentally problematic from an ethical standpoint, it is best to avoid it entirely and seek out specialized, ethically aligned alternatives.

How to Avoid Unethical Financial Products

Avoiding unethical financial products, particularly those involving interest riba and excessive uncertainty gharar, is crucial for maintaining financial integrity. While Choisir.com actively promotes these, a deliberate approach to financial planning and selection of services can ensure adherence to ethical guidelines.

Understanding the Red Flags

The first step in avoidance is recognizing the characteristics of unethical financial products.

• Interest-Bearing Products: Any loan, savings account, bond, or investment that explicitly pays or charges interest riba is a red flag. This includes conventional mortgages, credit cards, personal loans, and certain types of fixed-income investments.
  • Example: A “0% APR for 12 months” credit card might seem appealing, but if it reverts to an interest rate afterward, or if the underlying credit system is designed around interest, it should be avoided. The core mechanism is the issue.
• Products with Excessive Uncertainty Gharar: These often appear in speculative investments or conventional insurance where the outcome is highly unpredictable, or the contract terms are ambiguous.
  • Example: Derivative trading without underlying assets, certain complex financial instruments, and typical commercial insurance policies fall into this category.
• Gambling or Speculative Elements: Any product that relies on pure chance or speculation for gain, rather than productive effort or genuine risk-sharing, is problematic.
  • Example: Lotteries, casino games, and certain forms of highly speculative trading.

Practical Steps for Ethical Financial Management

Once you can identify red flags, actively seek out and implement ethical alternatives.

• Prioritize Debt-Free Living: The most effective way to avoid riba is to avoid conventional debt.
  • Strategy: Build a strong savings habit. Use budgeting tools like You Need A Budget YNAB or Simplifi by Quicken to track spending, set financial goals, and save for major purchases rather than borrowing.
  • Data Point: According to a 2023 study by Northwestern Mutual, the average American carries $30,000 in personal debt, excluding mortgages. This highlights the widespread reliance on interest-based credit, which can be avoided through disciplined saving.
• Seek Halal Financing Alternatives: For large purchases like homes or cars, conventional loans are not an option.
  • Alternative: Look for institutions offering murabaha cost-plus financing, ijarah leasing, or musharakah partnership models. These structures avoid interest by involving asset ownership or profit-sharing.
  • Example: Guidance Residential offers ethical home financing in the US based on murabaha.
• Embrace Takaful for Risk Management: Replace conventional insurance with Takaful.
  • Understanding Takaful: This cooperative system involves participants contributing to a fund for mutual assistance, sharing risks and losses. It’s built on transparency and mutual benefit, avoiding gharar and riba.
  • Action: Research and identify Takaful providers in your region for needs like auto, home, or health protection.
• Invest Ethically: If investing, choose avenues that align with ethical principles.
  • Considerations: Avoid companies involved in industries like alcohol, gambling, conventional banking, or entertainment that promotes unethical content.
  • Options: Invest in halal-certified funds, real estate without interest-based financing, or businesses engaged in permissible activities.
• Vet Comparison Platforms Carefully: When using comparison websites for utilities, mobile plans, or other services, always scrutinize their offerings.
  • Checklist: Does the platform include “credit” or “insurance” comparisons? If so, does it explicitly distinguish between conventional and ethical options? If not, it’s best to avoid or use them only for the permissible sections, exercising extreme caution. A safer approach is to use direct provider websites or government-regulated comparison tools for permissible services.
  • Resource: Regularly consult reputable sources on ethical finance to stay informed about permissible and impermissible practices. Websites of ethical financial scholars and institutions are invaluable.

By consciously applying these steps, individuals can navigate the financial world while adhering to ethical principles, fostering personal financial well-being free from the pitfalls of interest and excessive uncertainty.

Choisir.com Pricing Structure

Choisir.com is explicit about its pricing model: it’s 100% free for the end-user. The website states, “Notre service ne vous coûte absolument rien, ce sont les marques qui nous rémunèrent, pas vous !” Our service costs you absolutely nothing, it’s the brands that pay us, not you!. This indicates an affiliate marketing business model.

Understanding the Affiliate Model

In an affiliate model, Choisir.com earns revenue through commissions from the service providers brands whose offers they display and recommend. Here’s how it generally works: Ohiopro.com Review

• Referral Fees: When a user clicks on an offer from Choisir.com and subsequently subscribes to a service e.g., an electricity plan, an internet package, a credit product, or an insurance policy with one of their partner brands, Choisir.com receives a referral fee or commission from that brand.
• Lead Generation: In some cases, the commission might be based on lead generation, meaning Choisir.com gets paid simply for directing a potential customer to the partner’s site, regardless of whether a purchase is completed.
• No Direct User Payment: The user never pays Choisir.com directly for using its comparison services. This model is common across various online comparison platforms, from travel to shopping.

Implications of the “Free” Model

While “free” sounds appealing, it comes with certain implications, especially from an ethical standpoint:

• Bias Towards Affiliates: The primary implication is that Choisir.com has a financial incentive to promote its partner brands. While they claim to be “Fiable et transparent” and “travaillons dur pour mettre à jour toutes les offres et tous les prix pour vous permettre de faire les meilleurs choix,” their revenue stream is directly tied to conversions with specific companies. This raises questions about potential bias in the presentation of offers, favoring those with whom they have established lucrative affiliate agreements. It’s a common criticism of any affiliate-based comparison site.
• Ethical Conflict: For the ethically conscious user, this model becomes problematic when the “brands” Choisir.com partners with offer impermissible products like interest-based credit or conventional insurance. By facilitating these transactions, Choisir.com becomes an intermediary in a transaction that is ethically problematic. Even though the user isn’t paying Choisir.com directly, the platform is profiting from facilitating access to impermissible financial instruments.
• No Hidden Fees from Choisir.com: From a purely financial perspective, users will not find any hidden charges from Choisir.com itself. Any costs incurred will be from the service provider chosen through the comparison. However, as noted, the cost of an interest-bearing loan, for example, extends beyond its principal, incurring riba.

In summary, Choisir.com’s pricing model is straightforward: free for the user, compensated by partner brands.

While this is a common commercial practice, its application to ethically problematic financial products like credit and conventional insurance is the main point of concern, as it means the platform profits from enabling access to these impermissible transactions.

Choisir.com vs. Ethical Comparison Principles

When we put Choisir.com head-to-head with a framework of ethical comparison principles, particularly those rooted in an ethical financial perspective, a clear divergence emerges. The ethical principles emphasize avoidance of interest riba, excessive uncertainty gharar, and transactions with elements of gambling maysir, promoting transparency, fairness, and mutual benefit.

Comparison Points:

1. Financial Product Inclusion:

• Choisir.com: Actively includes and promotes comparison for “crédit” credit/loans and “assurances” conventional insurance. These are foundational elements of the platform’s offering alongside utilities.
• Ethical Principles: Strongly discourage or prohibit engagement with interest-based loans and conventional insurance due to riba and gharar. Ethical comparison would explicitly exclude these categories or offer only compliant alternatives e.g., murabaha financing, takaful insurance.

2. Transparency and Business Model:

• Choisir.com: Transparent about being free for users and compensated by brands affiliate model. Claims to be “Fiable et transparent” regarding offer updates.
• Ethical Principles: Transparency is highly valued. The affiliate model itself is not inherently unethical, provided the products being promoted are permissible. The ethical concern arises when the affiliate revenue is generated from problematic financial products, making the transparency of the business model insufficient if the underlying products are unethical.

3. User Benefit vs. Ethical Compliance:

• Choisir.com: Focuses on helping users save time and money on various services, presenting this as a direct benefit to “augmenter leur pouvoir d’achat.”
• Ethical Principles: While saving money is generally good, it cannot come at the expense of ethical compliance. Short-term monetary savings from riba-based credit, for example, are outweighed by the long-term ethical implications and potential for financial instability due to accumulating interest. True benefit is holistic, encompassing both financial well-being and ethical adherence.

4. Scope of Comparison:

• Choisir.com: Broad scope covering utilities electricity, gas, internet, mobile, banking fees, credit, and insurance.
• Ethical Principles: The scope must be limited to permissible services. Comparing utility plans or mobile providers is generally acceptable. However, comparing financial products like credit and conventional insurance immediately flags the platform as incompatible with ethical guidelines. An ethically aligned platform would either specialize in permissible comparisons or provide clear, compliant alternatives for problematic categories.

5. Credibility and Trust:

• Choisir.com: Highlights its affiliation with “groupe La Poste” and its long operational history since 2008, having served over 30 million households, to build trust.
• Ethical Principles: While institutional affiliation and longevity can signify operational reliability, they do not automatically confer ethical approval. For a platform to be deemed trustworthy from an ethical standpoint, its entire range of services and underlying financial mechanisms must align with ethical guidelines, irrespective of its parent company or track record in conventional finance.

Conclusion of Comparison:

Choisir.com, while appearing robust and user-friendly for general comparison, fundamentally diverges from ethical comparison principles due to its integral promotion of interest-based credit and conventional insurance. Guestpost.uk Review

An ethical approach would prioritize the permissibility of the underlying financial products above convenience or potential cost savings from impermissible means.

Therefore, for those committed to ethical financial dealings, Choisir.com is not an appropriate tool.

Users should instead seek out platforms or methods that specifically cater to ethical financial practices or limit comparisons to only permissible categories.

FAQ

What is Choisir.com?

Choisir.com is an online comparison platform based in France that helps users compare various daily expenses and services, including electricity, gas, internet, mobile plans, banking fees, credit, and insurance.

Its stated goal is to help users save time and money by finding better deals.

Is Choisir.com free to use?

Yes, Choisir.com is free for the end-user.

The website clearly states that it is compensated by the brands service providers it partners with, earning commissions or referral fees when users click on offers and subscribe to services.

What types of services can you compare on Choisir.com?

On Choisir.com, you can compare various services such as electricity and gas suppliers, internet box providers, mobile phone plans, banking fees, credit offers loans, and conventional insurance policies.

How does Choisir.com make money if it’s free for users?

Choisir.com operates on an affiliate marketing model.

It earns revenue through commissions or referral fees paid by the service providers brands when users are directed from Choisir.com’s platform to their websites and subsequently sign up for a service. Voxfree.com Review

Is Choisir.com affiliated with La Poste?

Yes, Choisir.com states on its homepage that it is a subsidiary of the “groupe La Poste” La Poste group, which is the national postal service of France.

This affiliation is presented to enhance its credibility and trustworthiness.

Since when has Choisir.com been operating?

Choisir.com mentions that it has been operating since 2008, indicating over a decade of experience in the comparison market.

It claims to have helped over 30 million households since its inception.

What is the reported user satisfaction for Choisir.com?

Choisir.com displays a user satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5, based on 1471 evaluations, suggesting a generally positive reception from its users.

Does Choisir.com compare ethical financial products?

No, Choisir.com compares conventional financial products, specifically “crédit” loans and “assurances” insurance. These conventional offerings typically involve interest riba and excessive uncertainty gharar, which are considered impermissible in ethical finance. The platform does not offer ethical alternatives.

Why is comparing “crédit” loans on Choisir.com problematic?

Comparing “crédit” on Choisir.com is problematic because conventional loans are based on interest riba, which is strictly prohibited in ethical financial principles due to its exploitative nature and its role in fostering economic inequality. The platform does not distinguish between interest-based and ethical financing.

Why is comparing “assurances” insurance on Choisir.com problematic?

Comparing “assurances” on Choisir.com is problematic because conventional insurance often involves elements of excessive uncertainty gharar and speculation maysir, which are impermissible. It operates differently from ethical cooperative models like Takaful.

Can I trust the comparisons on Choisir.com?

While Choisir.com claims to work hard to update offers and prices, its financial incentive being paid by partner brands may introduce a bias towards promoted offers.

More importantly, from an ethical standpoint, trusting the platform for financial products like credit and conventional insurance is ill-advised due to the underlying problematic nature of these products. Nowescape.com Review

Does Choisir.com offer comparisons for only French providers?

Based on the language used on the homepage “Électricité et gaz comparer,” “Box Internet comparer,” etc. and its affiliation with a French group La Poste, Choisir.com primarily focuses on service providers and offers available within France.

Are there any alternatives to Choisir.com for ethical financial management?

Yes, for ethical financial management, alternatives include budgeting tools like You Need A Budget YNAB or Simplifi by Quicken, ethical financing providers like Guidance Residential for home financing, and Takaful companies for cooperative risk management.

How can I find ethical alternatives for utility comparisons?

For ethical utility comparisons, it is best to directly visit the websites of individual utility providers electricity, gas, internet, mobile or use government-regulated comparison tools in your region, as these typically focus solely on service rates without involving problematic financial products.

Does Choisir.com help with finding ethical investment opportunities?

No, Choisir.com focuses on comparing consumer services and conventional financial products like credit and insurance.

It does not offer tools or comparisons for ethical investment opportunities.

How to manage expenses without relying on credit or loans?

To manage expenses without relying on credit or loans, focus on disciplined budgeting, saving diligently for purchases, and living within your means.

Tools like YNAB or Simplifi can help track spending and build savings effectively.

What is Takaful and how does it differ from conventional insurance?

Takaful is a cooperative system of insurance based on ethical principles, where participants contribute to a common fund for mutual assistance in times of loss. It differs from conventional insurance by avoiding interest riba, excessive uncertainty gharar, and gambling maysir, focusing instead on risk-sharing and mutual aid.

Does Choisir.com provide information on saving for energy efficiency?

Yes, Choisir.com features articles on energy-related topics such as recycling photovoltaic panels, electric car autonomy, solar trackers, and energy renovation aid e.g., Prime énergie EDF. These articles aim to inform users about energy savings and sustainable practices.

Is Choisir.com suitable for someone seeking to avoid interest-based transactions?

No, Choisir.com is not suitable for someone seeking to avoid interest-based transactions because it prominently features and facilitates comparisons for “crédit” loans, which are conventionally interest-based. Tools.ietf.org Review

Using the platform for these categories would involve engaging with impermissible financial products.

Are there any government-backed comparison sites that are more ethical than Choisir.com?

While direct government sites generally don’t offer ethical certifications, many public utility commissions or energy regulators in various countries provide official, unbiased comparison tools for energy providers e.g., the Public Utility Commission of Texas’s Power to Choose tool. These are often limited to utility rates and do not include problematic financial products, making them safer for permissible comparisons.