How TrueReview Certification works
The only certification that proves a business’s reviews are authentic – built by GatherUp and The Transparency Company, an independent review authenticity watchdog organization.
The TrueReview Certification Framework
The certification process includes analyzing data points across the review itself, the reviewers who wrote them, and a business’s review footprint to evaluate the level of suspicious or inauthentic review activity.
The Review Itself
We analyze the content of every individual review, including:
The Reviewer
We analyze every reviewer's behavior over time to identify patterns inconsistent with legitimate human behavior, including:
The Business
We analyze patterns across a business's entire review footprint instead of individual reviews in isolation, including:
The TrueReview Certification Process
We have made the process simple for businesses without compromising the rigor of the audit. From application to certification takes 5 business days.
Step 01
Application
A business submits their name, contact, and review platform profile URLs.
Step 02
Analysis
Our system reviews publicly available review data and completes our detection framework.
Step 03
Verification
Two checks ensure the business is who they say they are and is committed to honest practices.
- The business confirms they operate the business (method TBD).
- The business signs an agreement to never manipulate reputation, in line with regulations.
Step 04
Decision
One of three outcomes:
Certified
Business is listed in the directory, receives a badge, login/set up info, and a detail page goes live.
Not certified
Business receives a category-level explanation, guidance on remediation, and login/set up info. They can meet with someone to review the analysis.
Under review
Edge cases flagged for manual audit by TrueReview specialists.
Step 05
Daily Re-Certification
Every certified business is re-evaluated daily. If manipulation is detected at any point, certification is revoked immediately and the business is notified. They can remediate and reapply.
The TrueReview Certification cost
Businesses pay a $5 processing fee to apply for certification. If they are certified, they pay an annual $20 fee for access to the directory and the TrueReview Certification badge.
Step 01 · Application
Certification processing fee
Paid at application. Funds the audit and analysis of the business’s public review data — regardless of outcome.
Step 02 · If certified
Annual certification fee
Only paid by businesses that pass the audit. Activates directory login credentials, listing publication, and access to the TrueReview Certification badge.
Why we charge
The fee funds the work, not the outcome
Certification requires real infrastructure: review monitoring, analysis, daily re-evaluation, data storage, audit trails, and badge/directory maintenance. The fee funds the certification process and ongoing monitoring; it does not buy a positive outcome.
Charging this nominal fee allows us to sustain the required infrastructure while staying independent and free of any external influences.
What this means in practice
Businesses pay to undergo the certification process, be evaluated, and for ongoing monitoring, not to be certified. Passing the evaluation process and completing attestation is the only way to earn TrueReview Certification.
The fee pays for
- Continuous review monitoring
- Data storage
- Daily re-evaluation
- Audit trails
- Badge & directory maintenance
The fee does not buy
- A guaranteed outcome
- A higher score
- Preferential placement
- Override of certification decisions
- Removal of negative findings
Ethics & Independence Policy
Money does not influence certification.
Our loyalty is to the truth, and our mission to elevate honest businesses in the online marketplace.
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Origin & funding
TrueReview Certification was created and funded by The Transparency Company, an online review watchdog organization that operates in partnership with GatherUp.
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Firewall
The certification standard is binary, applied consistently, and not adjusted. Certification decisions are independent from commercial relationships. A dedicated team handles all audits, evaluations, monitoring, and certifications. That team operates behind a firewall from the commercial team, which has no visibility into or influence over certification outcomes.
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No guarantees
We don't guarantee certification for any reason. If a business fails the audit, no amount of money changes that outcome.
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Failed assessments stay private
We do not publish failed assessments or scores for non-certified businesses.
Frequently asked questions
Details on safety, revocation, and appeals.
Our methodology is currently focused on Google, where the majority of local business reviews exist and the largest surface area for review manipulation exists. We plan to expand sources rapidly.
Our methodology identifies coordinated attacks, sometimes called review bombing, as well as manipulated positive reviews. If we detect a malicious fake negative review campaign against your business, it will not negatively impact your certification status.
From application to decision takes 5 business days or less.
Every certified business is monitored daily. Every new review and reviewer is analyzed. Further audits are triggered whenever our system detects anomalous activity.
Yes. If a certified business begins engaging in manipulative or deceptive review practices, certification and the TrueReview Certified directory listing is suspended, pending investigation. If confirmed, certification is permanently revoked and the business is permanently removed from the TrueReview Certified directory.
Businesses that fail an audit have the ability to remediate any issues, submit information to address any concerns (including evidence of legitimate customer interactions), and meet with a TrueReview Certification Specialist to review next steps. Once a business remediates issues, they may reapply.
Why we built it
The story behind the TrueReview Certificate. Learn why an independent signal for review authenticity matters now.
Why we built it