Google Review Policy Checker

Why this matters

Most businesses that break Google’s review rules don’t do it on purpose — they copy a tactic that sounds clever, like “leave us a 5-star review and get 10% off,” without realising it’s a policy violation. The consequences are real: Google can remove the affected reviews, and repeat or serious breaches can lead to a warning or suspension of your Business Profile. Losing hard-won reviews, or the profile itself, costs far more than the shortcut ever saved. This checker catches the common mistakes before they go out on a sign, a text or a receipt.

What the checker looks for

• • Review gating — asking only happy customers, or sending unhappy ones to a private form first.
• • Incentives — discounts, gifts, free items, loyalty points or prize draws in exchange for a review.
• • Rating-steering — asking specifically for “5 stars” instead of an honest rating.
• • Staff, owner and swapped reviews — reviews that aren’t from genuine customers.
• • Bought reviews and mass collection from a single device or network.
• • Reviews before the service is actually delivered.

How to read the result

Each issue is marked as a violation (a clear breach of policy you should fix before sending) or risky (against Google’s guidance or likely to be filtered). Every finding comes with a plain-language explanation, a specific fix and a link to Google’s own policy page so you can read the source. When anything is flagged, the tool also offers a compliant example you can copy and adapt — a neutral ask that invites honest feedback from everyone.

Ask the right way from the start

The safest approach is also the simplest: ask every customer, the same way, at the moment the job or visit is done, with a neutral invitation and a direct link. Our review request templates are all written to pass this checker, and the review link generator builds the one-tap link to include.

Limitations

This tool matches your text and scenario against Google’s published policies using a fixed set of rules. It can’t read intent, catch every possible phrasing, or predict what Google’s automated systems will filter. It is not legal advice. Use it to avoid the common, obvious mistakes — and when a situation is genuinely unclear, check Google’s policy pages directly or seek professional advice.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main Google review rules for businesses?

Don’t offer incentives for reviews; don’t “gate” by asking only happy customers or diverting unhappy ones; don’t post reviews of your own business or swap them with others; don’t buy reviews; and don’t tell people what rating to leave. You can and should ask every customer for an honest review.

What is review gating?

Review gating is filtering who you ask based on how satisfied they seem — for example, only inviting happy customers, or routing unhappy ones to a private feedback form before they can post publicly. Google prohibits it: everyone must be invited the same way to the same public review page.

Can I give a discount for a review?

No. Any incentive — a discount, gift card, free item, loyalty points or prize-draw entry — makes the review incentivised, which is against Google’s policy and can get reviews removed or the profile penalised. Thank customers, but never reward the review itself.

Does this checker guarantee my reviews won’t be filtered?

No. It checks your wording and scenario against Google’s public policies and flags common problems, but Google’s automated systems make their own decisions. Treat it as guidance to avoid obvious mistakes, not a guarantee, and not legal advice.

Is the tool free?

Yes — free, no account, no credit card. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you paste is uploaded.