How to choose trustworthy gateway

[rms]

Hello,

I have been studying cryptocurrencies in general for a while. Now, I am planning to go for some hands-on experience. 
I want to decide which gateway I should trust to open an account and start performing transactions.

I know that BitStamp, GateHub and many more are there in the market. But, which parameters/facts shall I use to make such a decision? Do we have any Ripple specific information for that? Or the decision must be made based on other factors (e.g., trends on social media)?

It will be great if I can get guidelines (if any) on how to choose and trust the gateway?

Thanks.

[Hodlezerper]

Check out how up and up they are in regards to their respective regulatory environments. 

Are they proactive or reactive?

How transparent are they? If they aren't is it because they're intentionally opaque or are they new and still have a lot to develop?

Ask people specifically if the systems work well for them. People tend to complain on forums rather than advertise, so seek people who use the services and ask their opinions.

See if they're connected to any other brands. Are other companies vouching for them by throwing their logos up and recommending their services?

Of course know the difference in exactly what they offer. Why is Gatehub different than Bitstamp? Learn how their liability works. Which party is the custodian of a given asset?

Check lawsuits, history, articles.