Trustpilot vs Google Reviews: Where Should You Focus?

"Should I focus on Trustpilot or Google Reviews?" We hear this question all the time. The honest answer: it depends on your business type. But for most local businesses, the two platforms serve very different purposes, and you probably need both.

The Fundamental Difference

Google Reviews and Trustpilot serve different stages of the customer journey:

• Google Reviews are about discovery. When someone searches "plumber near me" or "best Italian restaurant Chicago," Google shows review ratings directly in search results. Your Google rating determines whether people find you in the first place.
• Trustpilot is about validation. When someone has already found your business and is deciding whether to trust you, they may check Trustpilot for more detailed, independent reviews. Trustpilot pages also rank well in branded searches.

Google Reviews: The Pros

• Massive reach. Google processes 8.5 billion searches per day. Your Google reviews are seen by every person who searches for your business or your category.
• Direct SEO impact. Google review count, rating, and response activity directly influence your local search ranking.
• Map pack visibility. For local businesses, appearing in the Google Maps "3-pack" is the most valuable real estate on the internet. Reviews are a major factor.
• Free and automatic. Every Google Business Profile has reviews enabled by default. No setup required.

Google Reviews: The Cons

• Limited moderation. Google is slow to remove fake or unfair reviews, and the appeals process is frustrating.
• No invitation system. You can share a review link, but Google doesn't provide a built-in way to invite customers to review.
• Owned by Google. Your review profile is on Google's platform, subject to their rules and algorithm changes.

Trustpilot: The Pros

• Independent credibility. Because Trustpilot is a third-party platform, reviews there feel more independent to consumers.
• Invitation system. Trustpilot lets you invite customers to leave reviews via email, which generates a steady flow of feedback.
• Rich snippets in Google. Trustpilot reviews can appear as star ratings in Google search results for your brand, adding credibility.
• Better fraud detection. Trustpilot's review verification system is generally stronger than Google's, reducing fake reviews.
• E-commerce focus. If you sell online, Trustpilot integrates with major e-commerce platforms and checkout flows.

Trustpilot: The Cons

• Costs money for full features. The free plan is limited. Business-level features (review invitations, widgets, analytics) require a paid subscription starting around $250/month.
• Less local impact. Trustpilot doesn't influence local search rankings the way Google Reviews do. For local businesses, this is a significant limitation.
• Smaller consumer awareness. While Trustpilot has 310+ million reviews, many US consumers still default to Google or Yelp for local business decisions.

Which Platform Should You Prioritize?

Prioritize Google If:

• You're a local business that relies on local search traffic (restaurants, contractors, healthcare, etc.)
• Most of your customers find you through Google Search or Maps
• You have limited time and can only focus on one platform

Prioritize Trustpilot If:

• You're an e-commerce or online service business
• Your customers are primarily finding you through direct brand searches
• You're competing in a market where Trustpilot ratings appear prominently in search results

Use Both If:

• You have the bandwidth to manage multiple platforms
• You're a larger business or have multiple locations
• Your competitors are active on both platforms

The Best Strategy: Don't Pick One

In an ideal world, you manage your presence on every platform where customers leave reviews. Google, Trustpilot, Yelp, Facebook, BBB — each one reaches a different audience and serves a different purpose.

The challenge is bandwidth. Manually monitoring and responding on five platforms is a full-time job. That's exactly why tools like Sentinel Audit exist — they aggregate reviews from all major platforms into a single dashboard with AI-powered response drafting. Manage Google, Trustpilot, Yelp, Facebook, and more without multiplying your workload.

Whatever you do, don't leave any platform unattended. An active Google profile paired with a neglected Trustpilot page sends mixed signals. Consistency across platforms builds the trust that turns searchers into customers.