Our Methodology

Understanding the data behind the Public-Record Provider Score (PPS).

What is the PPS?

Selecting a funeral provider is a decision often made under emotional duress. To bring clarity to this process, we developed the Public-Record Provider Score (PPS). This data-driven score (ranging from 0 to 100) helps families quickly compare the publicly available information of different providers.

Important: The PPS reflects the completeness and characteristics of publicly available information. It does not measure the quality of care, legal compliance, pricing accuracy, or a provider’s suitability for a particular family. It is an objective metric meant to aid your research, not a definitive recommendation.

How We Calculate the Score

Our scoring model synthesizes thousands of public data points. Each location starts with a base score and is evaluated across four core categories, which are weighted and combined to produce a final score out of 100.

40%Pricing Transparency

We heavily weight providers who publish their full General Price List (GPL) online. Facilities that make pricing readily accessible to families before an in-person visit score highest in this category.

30%Community Sentiment

We aggregate publicly available reviews and community feedback. Our model evaluates review volume and sentiment trends to gauge general community reception.

20%Service Breadth

Points are awarded for publicly listed amenities and services, such as having an on-site crematory, live-streaming capabilities, or specific grief support programs.

10%Licensing & Standing

We cross-reference listings against state registries. Verified, active business standing and publicly documented family-ownership status contribute to this category.

Calculation Details & Data Gaps

Missing Pricing (GPL) DataIf a provider does not publish their General Price List online, they receive a zero for the 40% Pricing Transparency category, significantly lowering their overall PPS. They are also marked as having "limited data."
No Community ReviewsNew or unreviewed businesses are assigned a neutral baseline for the Sentiment category (neither penalized nor rewarded) so they are not unfairly disadvantaged compared to older establishments.
Unavailable Public RecordsIf a state does not publish online licensing records in a comparable format, all providers in that state receive a neutral baseline for the Licensing category to ensure fairness across state lines.
Pay-to-Play PolicyNo. A provider cannot pay for inclusion, change their PPS score, receive a verified badge, or gain preferential search placement. The directory is entirely algorithmically generated from public data.

What We Do Not Score

Because the PPS is strictly based on public records and online data, it cannot measure subjective or personal factors. We do not score or evaluate:

Religious or Cultural Fit: Every family has unique traditions. We list available amenities but cannot score how well a facility aligns with specific religious customs.
Aesthetic Appeal: The physical beauty of a chapel or facility is subjective and not factored into our data.
Individual Staff Interactions: Our score measures aggregate trends, but the specific funeral director assigned to your family makes a massive difference that an algorithm cannot predict.

Data Refresh Cycle

Our database is continuously evolving. We perform a comprehensive data refresh and algorithmic recalculation every 90 days. If a facility recently updated their pricing or added an on-site crematory, it may take up to one quarter for their PPS score to reflect those changes.

Last Global Data Refresh: August 1, 2026