Editor’s note: This article was first published in May 2011 as news. Google Advisor has since been discontinued, so the prediction that Google would soon become the benchmark for financial comparisons did not come to pass.
Google is moving into the business of comparing financial products, such as the terms of credit cards, savings accounts and even some investment vehicles. Before long, Google might even compare investment funds to tell customers which one is most profitable.
For now, the financial product comparison page, Google Advisor, is only available in English, so it is aimed mainly at the US market, although Google plans to bring it to Spanish-speaking countries.
A very profitable line of business is currently opening up for startups focused on comparing products of all kinds.
First came sites comparing travel agency prices and insurance; later, some began comparing supermarket prices; and when it comes to comparing financial products, there are already hundreds of sites doing it. Even so, Google knows its brand has a good name, so it won’t take long to become the benchmark for this kind of market comparison.
Featured image: Images Money, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.
