How we rate
We score every vendor against the same eight criteria, weighted the same way, whether that vendor ends up ranked first or last. Nobody pays for a placement or a score. Here's exactly how it works, and where it's still limited.
The eight criteria
| Criterion | Weight | What we look for |
|---|---|---|
| Product & testing documentation | 25% | Named third-party lab, per-batch or per-product report references, linked evidence rather than a bare claim. |
| Business transparency | 15% | Registration details, physical address, and whether the vendor discloses relationships to other storefronts it operates. |
| Shipping & delivery | 15% | Stated courier, delivery timeframe, and whether shipping costs are published upfront. |
| Pricing transparency | 10% | Whether prices are published at all, and how specific they are. |
| Assortment / range | 10% | Breadth of the product catalog. |
| Refunds & guarantees | 10% | Whether a written policy exists and how specific it is. |
| Reputation & independent reviews | 10% | Independent review volume and content (Trustpilot, HelloPeter, forums) — deliberately weighted low, because this signal is thin for every vendor in this market, not just weaker ones. |
| Site & support experience | 5% | Whether the site itself is complete, functional and easy to use. |
Composite score out of 100, shown on the site as a score out of 10.
What "verified" means here — and what it doesn't
For each vendor we fetch and read their own official site directly, quote their own wording, and check it against what's published elsewhere about them (other SA peptide review sites, forums, business registries where accessible). Where a vendor links out to a lab report, we try to follow that link ourselves.
We are not a lab, and we don't independently re-test any vendor's products. "Documentation" scoring rewards a vendor for publishing specific, checkable claims — a named lab, a report link, an exact policy — over a vague one. It does not mean we personally confirmed the contents of any lab report. Where we tried to follow a report link and couldn't (for example, a verification portal that blocks automated requests), we say so on that vendor's review rather than presenting the claim as independently confirmed.
Why scores are low across the board right now
As of this review round, our thirteen verified vendors score between 2.2 and 7.6 out of 10. That's not a curve we're grading on — it reflects a market where third-party lab verification, published registration details and written refund policies are the exception rather than the norm. We'd rather show that plainly than compress the range to make every vendor look more comparable than the evidence supports.
Scope: who's rated, who isn't (yet)
We only publish a score for a vendor once we've read their own site directly and can cite specific claims. Several other names came up during research but aren't scored yet — see the bottom of the vendor comparison for the current list and why each is pending.
Regulatory context
South Africa's medicines regulator, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), requires any product intended to treat, prevent or alter a bodily function to be registered before it can be sold in South Africa. SAHPRA has publicly stated that the growing sale of unregistered peptide products — including compounds like BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin — through online platforms, social media, gyms and informal suppliers is happening without that approval, and has warned of risks including infection from injectable use, hormonal disruption, drug interactions and counterfeit products.
Two of the compounds we cover in our guides section, semaglutide and tirzepatide, are registered medicines in some markets when dispensed by prescription through a licensed pharmacy — a materially different product, legally and practically, from an unregulated vial sold online. Retatrutide has no regulatory approval anywhere, for any use. We do not treat any vendor's compliance framing as a substitute for this regulatory reality, and nothing on this site is medical advice or an endorsement of using any of these products outside a registered medicine and a prescription.
No paid placements
We may earn a commission if you buy through a link on this site — see our affiliate disclosure for exactly how that works. It never affects a score or a ranking position; scores are set before any commercial relationship is considered.
Corrections
If a vendor believes something on this site is inaccurate or out of date, contact us with the specific claim and a source, and we'll review it.