Trustpilot is the world’s largest independent customer feedback platform, and trust has always been at the heart of what we do. That’s why we’ve renamed our Transparency Report to the Trust Report, to reflect the core principle that drives our work, and our vision to be the universal symbol of trust.
Our mission is to build trust between businesses and consumers by making Trustpilot visible at every consumer touchpoint. We call this Trustpilot everywhere, ensuring people can rely on trusted information whenever and wherever they make decisions. We help businesses build trust, grow, and improve by listening to and engaging with their customers. At the same time, we help consumers make confident and informed choices, where they can learn from the experiences of others.
Our unique approach goes far beyond simple review collection. We created a trustworthy environment where consumers and businesses can connect with confidence. As part of this, we are continuously improving to maintain the integrity of our platform.
This report outlines the principles, processes, and technologies used to safeguard and strengthen trust on our platform. Our work never stops as we evolve to navigate a rapidly changing world, especially as artificial intelligence reshapes how people engage with online content. In the age of AI, trust is more important than ever. That’s why we place it at the centre of every decision we make. From how we apply our policies and moderate content, to how we detect fake reviews and misuse of the platform, trust is our guiding principle.
This year’s report highlights several themes that underpin our work to improve trust between businesses and consumers
Our scale strengthens trust
The growing volume of reviews on our platform enables us to continually improve our processes, detect fake reviews more effectively, and improve integrity through our data. In 2024, more than 61 million reviews were written on Trustpilot for a 15% year-on-year increase.
AI to enhance, not erode trust
Our technology advances as we adopt new innovations and approaches leveraging AI. We have long used machine learning to moderate content, and in 2024, we began using generative AI to identify, at scale, policy violations. We believe AI can and must be used, in conjunction with humans, to enhance and improve trust, and we have been able to demonstrate that through more accurate decisions.
Shaping the standard for trust
We actively influence how trust is earned and maintained online. Through our engagement with regulators, governments, and industry, including our founding role in the Coalition for Trusted Reviews, we are helping to shape and define the benchmark for trusted reviews.
As the world’s largest independent review platform, we believe Trustpilot has a unique and vital role to play in enhancing how people and businesses connect online, which is increasingly important in the age of AI.
This report is a reflection of that role, and our continued commitment to earning the trust of all our stakeholders.
We hope you find it valuable.
Key takeaways for 2024
Our vision is to be the universal symbol of trust. Our commitment to transparency and integrity drives everything we do.
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301 Million total active reviews - 301m as of end of Dec 2024
- 23% increase YOY -
61 Million reviews written in 2024 - 15% increase YOY
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90% of detected fake reviews removed automatically - Detected reviews removed by automated technology using machine learning, neural networks and generative AI
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4.5 Million fake reviews removed in 2024 - 7% of total number of reviews posted last year
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Leading voice in shaping conversations around trust in reviews through engagement with policymakers and the Coalition for Trusted Reviews
Our trust principles
Neutral
We are a platform that allows consumers and businesses to help one another, but we are independent of both.
Open
Consumers can have the freedom to share their genuine experiences as and when they choose, and businesses can invite consumers to leave feedback, and respond at any time.
Fair
The guidelines that govern the platform are applied fairly to both consumers and businesses, regardless of whether they are a paying customer or not.
Transparent
We provide clear and consistent communication about what we do and why we do it.
Relevant
We are committed to being relevant and useful to consumers and businesses.
We added the new principle of ‘relevant’ in 2025 to reflect that as the world around us evolves and the scale of our operations increases, we’re committed to staying useful. Our content is assessed based on clear guidelines, and they ensure our platform remains a respectful and authentic space for consumers and businesses to engage.
Journey of a review
1. Consumer creates a user account
Every review written on Trustpilot is connected to a user profile. In signing up, consumers agree to adhere to our terms and guidelines.
2. Consumer writes a review
Businesses can invite reviews, or they can be organic when the consumer comes to Trustpilot unprompted. Reviews must be about a genuine experience.
3. Reviews are assessed by detection systems
All reviews submitted to Trustpilot are assessed by our automated detection systems against millions of data points to search for fake reviews, and they’re checked for compliance against our policies and guidelines. If our systems identify suspicious characteristics in the review, or it breaches our guidelines, it doesn’t appear on our platform.
4. Reviews are posted on Trustpilot
If the review is given the all clear it is posted to the platform. Consumers and businesses can report reviews that they believe may violate guidelines or which have been missed by our detection systems. Our Content Integrity and Fraud & Investigations teams will review these and take appropriate action.
5. Ongoing safeguarding
Where we identify attempts to misuse the platform we take enforcement action. This includes placing prominent notifications on business profile pages to inform the community we are investigating or have taken action against a business, including legal action.
Review submissions
Our mission is to build trust between businesses and consumers by making Trustpilot visible at every consumer touchpoint, Trustpilot everywhere. We are constantly growing, and there are now +300 million active reviews on our platform, with 61 million written in 2024 alone.
Consumers wrote their first review in 2024
13% increase YOY
Businesses reviewed for the first time in 2024
35% increase YOY
Businesses reviewed in 2024
17% increase YOY
We are a truly global business with reviews being submitted of businesses of all sizes from industries across the economy, in more than 100 countries. Our top five sectors - measured in volume of reviews - all saw increases in 2024.
16% increase YOY
4% increase YOY
25% increase YOY
9% increase YOY
26% increase YOY
Safeguarding trust
We are an open platform, which means everyone can leave a review of any business, assuming it’s based on a genuine experience and it meets our guidelines. Our approach gives businesses and consumers access to valuable insights they might not get elsewhere, but we recognise this comes with an important responsibility to safeguard the platform. The benefit is that consumers have the freedom to share their experiences with businesses at any time, resulting in a broad and holistic range of feedback across any point in a consumer’s journey.
Unfortunately, this also means our platform may be misused by bad actors who try to take advantage of our open nature. We strive to find the balance between this open approach and protecting our content.
In 2024, of the 4.5 million detected fake reviews we removed from the platform, 90% were automatically detected by our fake review detection models. The remaining fake reviews were identified after being flagged by users or caught by our teams via manual investigations, and we continuously improve as we grow. Our approach spans a range of safeguarding techniques to protect Trustpilot, our technology, community, and people.
Technology
Our technology is constantly evolving to protect the integrity of our platform, and throughout 2024, we introduced a series of new safeguarding measures using AI to tackle fake reviews and guideline violations. Every single review submitted to Trustpilot (almost 200,000 per day) is checked by our automated detection technology before being visible on the platform. These systems include a mixture of machine learning, neural networks, and graph-based models that identify patterns associated with suspicious behaviours. In 2024, we added automated guideline violation software using generative AI to support our moderation of content.
Throughout last year, we also increased our efforts to target review sellers by introducing new detection software that looks for evidence that a review has been purchased, and predicts whether the relationship between a review and a business is likely to be genuine. In addition to that, we’re continuing to improve our ability to detect new fraudulent patterns and prevent fake reviews from reaching the platform by building automated detection systems based on new and emerging patterns detected.
This year, we’re building on our efforts to identify content that breaches our guidelines. We detect many of these even before they’re posted on the platform, which reduces the chance of harmful or illegal content from appearing on the site. Looking further into the future, we’re working to proactively identify and give prominence to more useful, relevant, and trusted content.
90% of detected fake reviews (4m) removed by automated technology
in 2024, a 53% increase YOY
Community
Businesses and consumers in our community can flag or report reviews if they think they breach our guidelines. In 2024, we introduced new measures to ensure more genuine reviews remain online by reducing the burden on consumers to provide evidence that their review is real. We made this change after receiving feedback that some businesses were abusing our reporting tools to suppress negative feedback.
When a review is flagged, we run it through detection software that looks at a variety of different data points related to the review and the reviewer. If it looks suspicious, we’ll remove it. If a business or consumer disagrees with our decision, they can let us know, and our content integrity specialists will review the case. In addition, we have a ‘whistleblower’ function where anyone can report suspicious behaviour or content to us. This is investigated, and we take action in accordance with our policies.
* A review can be reported multiple times for different reasons
People
Our Content Integrity and Fraud Investigation specialists work in tandem with our technology and community to protect the platform and enforce our guidelines. They identify new and emerging patterns of behaviour that bad actors use to manipulate our systems. This helps us maintain the integrity of our platform and protect our community of users.
In 2024, we changed the structure of our teams to ensure improved coverage is in place to root out guideline violations and remove fake reviews. In practice, this means using artificial intelligence, as well as our people, to make decisions, while ensuring humans remain a core part of our processes to handle escalations, appeals, and quality assurance.
Fake reviews
We define fake reviews as reviews which don’t reflect genuine service or buying experiences with a business. They’re often written in an attempt to mislead and manipulate what other consumers think about that business, either positively or negatively.
The number of detected fake reviews removed as a proportion of the total amount submitted in 2024 was 7.4%, and in 2023 it was 6.1%. The increase demonstrates that our automated detection systems are improving and becoming increasingly more effective as a greater number of reviews are submitted every year.
Reviews removed by reason
As in previous years, the biggest number of reviews removed in 2024 were identified as fabricated by our automated detection systems.
Fake reviews removed by star rating in 2024
In line with past years, the vast majority of fake reviews that are removed are positive.
Taking action
Our guidelines ensure that everyone understands how to use the platform in a way that aligns with our Trust principles. When our guidelines are breached, we take action in line with our Action We Take policy. Our Content Integrity, Fraud & Investigations, and Legal Teams work collectively, as part of the Trust team, to safeguard the integrity of our platform. In 2024, we saw increases in some enforcement actions as a result of the higher volume of reviews being submitted to the platform, and due to ongoing improvements in the detection of guideline violations through enhanced processes and increased automation.
Warnings
Educational messages and warnings are sent to a business when we detect misuse of the platform, for instance, when we identify suspected fake reviews, or misuse by a business of our reporting functionality.
Educational notifications issued in 2024 - 17 thousand - 5% increase YOY
Warnings issued in 2024 - 19 thousand - 28% increase YOY
Formal notices
If a business has received a warning and shows no signs of stopping its misuse, we will follow up with a formal notice, requesting that they immediately stop the offending actions.
Cease and desist letters issued in 2024 - 5 thousand - 12% increase YOY
Public consumer warnings
If warnings, formal cease and desist letters, and downgrading of functionality are ignored, and a business continues to breach our guidelines, we will place a publicly visible Consumer Warning on its profile page. If that happens, its TrustScore isn’t visible, and the profile is closed to new reviews.
Consumer warnings active in 2024 - 9 thousand - 24% increase YOY
Public consumer alerts
We use public Consumer Alerts when there hasn’t necessarily been misuse, but we think there is information users should be made aware of to support their decision-making. In 2023, there was a spike in the number of consumer alerts for high risk industries, including Crypto businesses. Last year, that figure fell back to expected levels, which explains the year-on-year reduction.
Consumers alerts added in 2024 - 11 thousand - 69% decrease YOY
Removing bad-fit businesses
There are some businesses we do not allow on Trustpilot. These “bad-fit” businesses are those that don’t align with our ethics as a business, such as businesses that offer illegal products or services. Information on this can be found in our Action We Take policy, and we remove and block these types of businesses from Trustpilot. In 2022 and 2023, we improved our processes and this new system was applied to all previous businesses, which meant significantly more were taken down. In 2024, the numbers returned to normal, hence the reduction YOY.
Bad-fit businesses removed in 2024 - 4 thousand - 24% decrease YOY
Legal action
We take legal action against businesses that repeatedly post fake reviews or try to manipulate their TrustScore. We increasingly take action against websites that sell fake reviews. Since 2022, we have successfully taken action against 11 businesses who have breached our guidelines.
In November 2024, we won a legal case against a series of websites that were selling hundreds of fake reviews. The UK High Court agreed that the review sellers: TPR, SMM Service Buy, and SMM 420, were unlawfully inducing businesses who use our platform to breach our terms of use. They used fake reviews to deceive readers into thinking they were authorised by Trustpilot when they weren’t, and were infringing on our trademarks.
Shaping the standard for trust
Throughout 2024, we’ve consistently engaged with lawmakers and regulators around the world. We’ve played a pivotal role in the development of the Coalition for Trusted Reviews, a cross-industry body committed to safeguarding and promoting trustworthy reviews worldwide.
In the US, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published its new rule on The Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials. It aims to enhance trust in reviews, and prevents companies from using bogus consumer reviews to promote their products and services. Given our long-standing work to fight fake reviews, Trustpilot already has safeguards in place to prevent many of the activities that are prohibited by the rule, and we know that these actions are beneficial and valuable in enhancing trust in reviews.
We engaged the FTC throughout the rulemaking process, and are pleased that they responded positively and constructively to much of our input, citing Trustpilot multiple times in the publication of the final rule. We are supportive of the rule and look forward to continuing to work with the FTC in this space.
In the UK, the Government passed the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA), which includes provisions on fake reviews. It aims to enhance transparency and trust in online reviews, ensuring consumers can make informed decisions based on authentic feedback. We engaged the UK Government on this legislation over several years, meeting with ministers and officials, providing extensive input to ensure the law was as effective as possible. We also worked with parliamentarians through the passage of the bill to raise limitations of the draft law, resulting in amendments being tabled and Trustpilot’s views being referenced in parliamentary debate. As a result, we believe the final law is well placed to deliver on its goal.
Following the passage of the law, we have been supporting the work of the Competition & Markets Authority as it develops guidance to accompany the application of the law, which came into force in April 2025.
Meanwhile, the EU has been reviewing existing rules for reviews as part of the Fitness Check of EU consumer law on digital fitness. Trustpilot supported this process, contributing our experience and reflections on the effectiveness of existing rules. The European Commission has also been exploring a code of conduct for accommodation reviews. Whilst Trustpilot hosts reviews for businesses across the economy, we have also contributed to the development of the code to share our expertise and insights as a review platform.
We are one of the founding members of the Coalition for Trusted Reviews. This cross-industry, collaborative body was established in 2023 and is committed to promoting and safeguarding consumer reviews worldwide. Alongside other leading platforms, including Amazon, Booking.com, Expedia Group, Glassdoor, and Tripadvisor, we took a number of steps towards improvement in 2024. This included the Coalition publishing industry best practices for trusted reviews, launching a new website, and hosting a successful conference in London, which brought together industry, policymakers, and wider interest groups. We are dedicated to upholding the highest possible standards of integrity and instilling confidence in consumers who use online reviews.
Conclusion
We are living through a period of rapid change, where artificial intelligence is transforming how people access, interpret, and act on information. In this environment, trust is no longer optional. It is essential. Our vision to be the universal symbol of trust has never been more urgent, or more relevant.
Our Trust Report sets out the steps we are taking to ensure the businesses people engage with, and the reviews they read on Trustpilot, are authentic, useful, and worthy of their trust. From advancing our AI-powered detection systems to strengthening platform integrity, and shaping global standards for review transparency, we are actively building a more trustworthy digital future.
The online review industry faces real and complex challenges. But with scale, technology, and responsibility on our side, we believe trust can continue to thrive.
We remain committed to placing trust at the centre of everything we do, for consumers, for businesses, and for society at large.
We're committed to Transparency
2024 Edition
Read the 2024 edition of our Trust report
2022 Edition
Read the 2022 edition of our Trust Report.
2021 Edition
Read the 2021 edition of our Trust Report.
Transparency Reporting
Monthly Active Recipients | Read our 2025 DSA report