Every platform calculates a rating differently.
A 4.5 doesn’t mean the same thing on every platform. Some are a plain average of every review; others weight recent reviews more heavily, blend in a neutral baseline, or aren’t a star average at all. Here’s how the 40 platforms we cover actually work, side by side.
| Platform | Scale | How the score is calculated | Incentivized reviews | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 1–5 stars | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned since 2020 | Details |
| 1–5 stars | Simple average | Banned — Fake Engagement policy | Details | |
| Yelp | 1–5 stars (filtered) | Not a star average | Banned — solicitation itself is discouraged | Details |
| Yes/No recommendation | Not a star average | Banned — Community Feedback Policy | Details | |
| Tripadvisor | 1–5 bubbles | Simple average | Banned — actively investigated | Details |
| Reviews.io | 1–5 stars | Simple average | Banned on company reviews | Details |
| Sitejabber | 1–5 stars (weighted) | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned — proof of purchase required | Details |
| G2 | 1–5 stars | Simple average | Allowed via G2’s own disclosed, capped program | Details |
| Capterra | 1–5 stars | Simple average | Allowed via Vendor Portal, disclosed | Details |
| Glassdoor | 1–5 stars | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned — reviews are anonymous employees | Details |
| Booking.com | 1–10 score | Not a star average | Not applicable — guest-verified only | Details |
| BBB | A+–F letter grade | Not a star average | Not applicable — complaint-based | Details |
| Indeed | 1–5 stars (5 categories) | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned — FTC 2024 rule | Details |
| Healthgrades | 1–5 stars | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned | Details |
| Zillow | 1–5 stars | Simple average | Banned | Details |
| Thumbtack | 1–5 stars (blended sources) | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned | Details |
| Avvo | 1.0–10.0 (Rating) + 1–5 (reviews) | Not a star average | Not applicable — credential-based rating | Details |
| DealerRater | 1–5 stars | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned | Details |
| Houzz | 1–5 stars | Simple average | Allowed if disclosed in the review | Details |
| HomeAdvisor | 1–5 stars | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned | Details |
| FindLaw | 1–5 stars | Simple average | Banned | Details |
| WeddingWire | 1–5 stars (5 categories) | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned — no gifts for reviews | Details |
| CarGurus | 1–5 stars | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned | Details |
| RealSelf | 1–5 stars + Worth It % | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned | Details |
| RateMDs | 1–5 stars | Simple average | Banned | Details |
| Vitals | 1–5 stars (7 categories) | Weighted / algorithmic | No platform-specific ban published | Details |
| BuildZoom | 0–100+ Score (not stars) | Not a star average | Banned | Details |
| DesignRush | 1–5 stars (Bayesian) | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned outright | Details |
| Bark | 1–5 stars (blended sources) | Not a star average | Banned | Details |
| Hellopeter | 0–10 TrustIndex | Weighted / algorithmic | No explicit ban published | Details |
| Networx | 1–5 stars | Weighted / algorithmic | Unscreened submissions, no published incentive policy | Details |
| HomeStars | 0–100% Star Score | Not a star average | Banned | Details |
| HomeLight | 1–5 stars (undisclosed formula) | Not a star average | FTC guidance cited, no platform-specific ban | Details |
| Realtor.com | 1–5 RealRatings | Weighted / algorithmic | Not applicable — transaction-verified only | Details |
| RealEstateAgents.com | Review count only, no stars | Not a star average | Banned | Details |
| CustomerLobby | 1–5 stars (undisclosed formula) | Weighted / algorithmic | Not discouraged by the platform | Details |
| Rehab.com | Proprietary 3-factor score | Not a star average | Banned | Details |
| Yellow Pages | 1–5 stars | Simple average | No platform-specific ban confirmed | Details |
| Expedia | 1–10 score (doubled from guest 1–5) | Not a star average | Banned — guest-verified only | Details |
| Google Play | 1–5 stars | Weighted / algorithmic | Banned — Developer Policy | Details |
Trustpilot
Google
Yelp
Facebook
Tripadvisor
Reviews.io
Sitejabber
G2
Capterra
Glassdoor
Booking.com
BBB
Indeed
Healthgrades
Zillow
Thumbtack
Avvo
DealerRater
Houzz
HomeAdvisor
FindLaw
WeddingWire
CarGurus
RealSelf
RateMDs
Vitals
BuildZoom
DesignRush
Bark
Hellopeter
Networx
HomeStars
HomeLight
Realtor.com
RealEstateAgents.com
CustomerLobby
Rehab.com
Yellow Pages
Expedia
Google PlayWhy this matters for strategy
A "simple average" platform (Google, Trustpilot’s star display, Tripadvisor, Reviews.io, G2, Capterra) responds predictably to new reviews — you can estimate exactly how many 5-star reviews it takes to move the number, which is what our Rating Recovery calculator is built to estimate.
A weighted or algorithmic platform (Trustpilot’s underlying TrustScore, Sitejabber, Glassdoor) responds less predictably — recency, volume, and moderation all factor in, so the same 10 new reviews can move the number by a different amount depending on when and how consistently they come in.
And three platforms in this list don’t use a 1–5 star average at all: Facebook shows a binary Yes/No recommendation rate, Booking.com uses a 1–10 score built only from verified guest stays, and BBB’s headline number is a complaint-based letter grade that customer reviews don’t even factor into. Treating all twelve the same way is the most common mistake we see — see our platform-by-platform strategy for how each one actually differs.