{"id":3175,"date":"2025-05-25T13:10:56","date_gmt":"2025-05-25T13:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/?p=3175"},"modified":"2025-11-19T10:31:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T10:31:52","slug":"is-trustpilot-legit-or-scam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/is-trustpilot-legit-or-scam\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Trustpilot Legit? What Every Business Should Know Before Using Trustpilot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trustpilot is one of the most well-known platforms for collecting customer reviews. For many businesses, it promises increased trust, credibility, and visibility. But recent feedback from founders, marketers, and small business owners paints a more cautionary picture. If you&#8217;re wondering <em>is Trustpilot legit<\/em>, the answer is complex: <strong>Trustpilot is a real and widely used review platform, but many business users have raised concerns about its pricing, review moderation, and ownership policies.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article explores what every business should know before committing to Trustpilot\u2014and why some are looking elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-trustpilot-legit-for-businesses\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Trustpilot_Legit_for_Businesses\"><\/span>Is Trustpilot Legit for Businesses?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Trustpilot offers a legitimate service, the business model behind it has drawn criticism. From long-term contracts and limited free plans to review ownership issues and moderation concerns, there are real risks for businesses that aren\u2019t fully aware of how the platform works. Here\u2019s what you should watch out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-high-costs-and-long-contracts\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_High_Costs_and_Long_Contracts\"><\/span>1. High Costs and Long Contracts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trustpilot\u2019s paid plans are expensive and inflexible for most small and mid-sized businesses. The standard plan starts at $259\/month, with enterprise tiers costing over $1,000\/month. All plans require a 12-month commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"reddit-embed-bq\" data-embed-height=\"280\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/ecommerce\/comments\/1axxb21\/comment\/krsd5ce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Comment<\/a><br> by<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/user\/pinakinz1c\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">u\/pinakinz1c<\/a> from discussion<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/ecommerce\/comments\/1axxb21\/trustpilot_requesting_reviews_be_taken_down_on\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><br> in<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/ecommerce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ecommerce<\/a><\/blockquote><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.reddit.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond the price tag, many businesses report aggressive sales tactics and a lack of transparency. There have been multiple stories of merchants being automatically locked into another full year because they missed the 30-day cancellation window by just a few days. One founder on X wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Trustpilot just tried to extort us. We&#8217;ve used them for years to collect real, honest reviews from our AppSumo customers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Trustpilot just tried to extort us.<br><br>We\u2019ve used them for years to collect real, honest reviews from our AppSumo customers.<br><br>Sent them free traffic. Never paid for fake reviews. Just wanted transparency.<br><br>Now they\u2019re threatening legal action us unless we pay.<br><br>Apparently, showing\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tXxPZQi6zU\">pic.twitter.com\/tXxPZQi6zU<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Noah Kagan (@noahkagan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/noahkagan\/status\/1920850977504014528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">May 9, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This kind of feedback isn\u2019t rare\u2014and it underscores the importance of reading the fine print before committing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-the-free-plan-isn-t-really-free\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_The_Free_Plan_Isnt_Really_Free\"><\/span>2. The Free Plan Isn\u2019t Really Free<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Trustpilot advertises a free plan, its limitations are severe:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can\u2019t showcase Trustpilot reviews on your website or in your marketing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can\u2019t send more than 50 review invitations per month.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019re not technically allowed to direct customers to your Trustpilot profile.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some users have reported being penalized for displaying Trustpilot reviews without a paid subscription. This highlights a deeper issue many businesses overlook:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"who-really-owns-the-reviews-you-collect\">Who Really Owns the Reviews You Collect?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what most businesses don\u2019t realize: <strong>the reviews your customers take time to write about your business don\u2019t legally belong to you \u2013 they belong to Trustpilot.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under their terms of service, every review (and your replies) becomes part of Trustpilot\u2019s intellectual property. Unless you&#8217;re on a paid plan, you are not permitted to reuse that content. Merchants on the free tier have been banned for embedding just a few five-star quotes on their website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"reddit-embed-bq\" data-embed-height=\"472\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/smallbusinessuk\/comments\/1jixdna\/comment\/mjjojyo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Comment<\/a><br> by<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/user\/Tintedlemon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">u\/Tintedlemon<\/a> from discussion<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/smallbusinessuk\/comments\/1jixdna\/anyone_pay_for_trustpilot_why\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><br> in<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/smallbusinessuk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">smallbusinessuk<\/a><\/blockquote><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.reddit.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The takeaway?<\/strong> You could spend months gathering powerful social proof\u2014only to discover you can\u2019t use it unless you keep paying to access it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-review-ownership-matters-and-how-shapo-handles-it\">Why Review Ownership Matters (And How Shapo Handles It)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At <a href=\"https:\/\/shapo.io\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/shapo.io\">Shapo<\/a>, we take a different approach: every testimonial collected through our platform\u2014whether text, image, or video\u2014<strong>belongs to you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can use your reviews wherever you want: on your website, social media, email marketing, or sales decks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You don\u2019t need a special license or upgrade just to share the praise your customers have already given you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can request a CSV export of your reviews by contacting our support team. And yes, a <strong>one-click export feature is in our product roadmap<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We believe your social proof should be your asset, not locked behind a paywall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-concerns-about-moderation-and-fairness\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Concerns_About_Moderation_and_Fairness\"><\/span>3. Concerns About Moderation and Fairness<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trustpilot claims to moderate reviews to ensure authenticity, but businesses often report inconsistent or biased enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some say paying subscribers have an easier time flagging and removing negative reviews.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Others report that genuine positive reviews were removed without explanation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are stories of <a href=\"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/respond-negative-reviews-best-practices\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2446\">negative reviews<\/a> written by people who never interacted with the business, and Trustpilot refusing to take them down.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Entrepreneur Pieter Levels summarized what many business owners feel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Trustpilot is a pay-to-play racket and should be investigated by the FTC. Everyone in the startup chat groups already knows this.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Trustpilot is a pay-to-play racket and should be investigated by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FTC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@FTC<\/a> <br><br>Everyone in the startup chat groups already know this btw, we know if you pay your scores go up<br><br>Half of us don&#39;t wanna pay so we don&#39;t have good ratings<br><br>Explanation how it works in reply <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nUfWguqgXc\">https:\/\/t.co\/nUfWguqgXc<\/a><\/p>&mdash; @levelsio (@levelsio) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/levelsio\/status\/1921272201954648460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">May 10, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether or not you agree with that assessment, the perception of unfairness can\u2019t be ignored\u2014especially when it involves your business reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-better-alternatives-are-out-there\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Better_Alternatives_Are_Out_There\"><\/span>4. Better Alternatives Are Out There<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re looking for more control, flexibility, and affordability, you might consider these alternatives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/how-to-embed-google-reviews-on-website\/\">Google Reviews<\/a><\/strong>: Free, widely recognized, and shows up directly in search results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reviews.io<\/strong>: Flexible pricing and strong integrations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stamped, Yotpo, Shapo<\/strong>: Each offers more transparent review collection and display features.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your reviews should serve your growth\u2014not someone else&#8217;s bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pros-cons-of-using-trustpilot\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pros_Cons_of_Using_Trustpilot\"><\/span>Pros &amp; Cons of Using Trustpilot<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Recognized <a href=\"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/branding-statistics\/\">brand<\/a> name<\/td><td>High pricing, 12-month contracts<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/how-to-embed-google-reviews-on-website\/\">Google<\/a> integration<\/td><td>You don&#8217;t own your reviews<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Review collection tools<\/td><td>Review moderation perceived as unfair<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Custom TrustScore badge<\/td><td>Limited free plan and strict usage restrictions<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faq-is-trustpilot-legit\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ_Is_Trustpilot_Legit\"><\/span>FAQ: Is Trustpilot Legit?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1748178483676\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Trustpilot_a_scam\"><\/span><strong>Is Trustpilot a scam?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>No, Trustpilot is a legitimate company. However, some of its practices\u2014such as strict review ownership and aggressive contract enforcement\u2014have led to negative perceptions.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1748178500078\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_trust_Trustpilot_reviews\"><\/span><strong>Can you trust Trustpilot reviews?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Trustpilot implements moderation processes, but businesses claim the system favors paying clients and occasionally removes authentic reviews.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1748178510190\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_risks_of_using_Trustpilot_for_my_business\"><\/span><strong>What are the risks of using Trustpilot for my business?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Long contracts, limited content rights, and unpredictable moderation can make it risky for small businesses without legal or financial leeway.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final-thoughts\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span>Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trustpilot might still work for certain companies, especially larger brands with the budget to take full advantage of the platform. But for many smaller businesses, the cost, restrictions, and ownership issues are major red flags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&#8217;re just getting started with review collection\u2014or you\u2019re looking to build long-term trust with customers\u2014it pays to ask one simple question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do I want to rent my reputation, or own it?<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trustpilot is one of the most well-known platforms for collecting customer reviews. For many businesses, it promises increased trust, credibility, and visibility. But recent feedback from founders, marketers, and small business owners paints a more cautionary picture. If you&#8217;re wondering is Trustpilot legit, the answer is complex: Trustpilot is a real and widely used review &#8230; <a title=\"Is Trustpilot Legit? What Every Business Should Know Before Using Trustpilot\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/is-trustpilot-legit-or-scam\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Is Trustpilot Legit? What Every Business Should Know Before Using Trustpilot\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_gspb_post_css":"","_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"acf":{"cta_button_text":"","cta_button_url":"https:\/\/app.shapo.io\/signup","hero_excerpt":"","hero_image_right":3187,"schema":""},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Is-Trustpilot-legit-or-is-Trustpilot-a-scam.webp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3175"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3175\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3706,"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3175\/revisions\/3706"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shapo.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}