Trustpilot guideline: replying to reviews
Most negative reviews stay online, so the reply is the part a business controls. Trustpilot's guidelines limit what a reply may contain, and a reply that breaks them can be removed. For health brands, privacy law adds a second layer. We remove the reviews that break a rule. For the ones that stay, this page covers the reply.
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Short answer
Any business with a claimed Trustpilot profile can reply to its reviews. A reply must not contain personal information, threats or aggressive language. A business must never pressure a reviewer to edit or delete a review. Information you put in your own reply also stops being grounds for a personal information flag. Health brands have two more limits. A reply must not confirm that someone is a patient. It should not make health claims. Short, general replies that offer a private channel meet all of these.
Key facts
Trustpilot's Guidelines for Businesses say a business must never pressure, blackmail or threaten reviewers to write, edit or delete a review.
Trustpilot's reviewer guidelines say a reviewer may update a review when a problem is resolved, that they do not have to, and that a business should never pressure them to.
Trustpilot will not remove a review for information contained in the business's own reply to it.
HHS settled with a provider for $30,000 in 2023 after it disclosed patient information in replies to negative online reviews.
The FTC's health products guidance treats statements on the internet and in social media as advertising and asks for scientific evidence behind health claims.
Source: Health Products Compliance Guidance, Federal Trade Commission
The rule, in Trustpilot's words
The Guidelines for Businesses say a business must never "pressure, blackmail, or threaten reviewers to write, edit, or delete a review".
The Guidelines for Reviewers describe the other side. They recommend that a reviewer updates a review when their opinion changes or a problem is resolved. They add that the reviewer does not have to, and that "a business should never pressure you to do so".
The same guidelines note that Trustpilot will not remove a review for information "contained in the reply to your review". What you write in a reply becomes public information about your business.
What a reply should not contain
| In a reply | Why not |
|---|---|
| The reviewer's order details, address or phone number | Personal information, and for a health brand possibly health information |
| A staff member's name | It makes that name public on your profile |
| "Remove this or we will take legal action" | A threat. The FTC's rule also bans groundless legal threats |
| "We have refunded you, please update your review" | Pressure to edit, tied to a benefit |
| An argument about who is right | Trustpilot stays neutral in factual disputes, and readers rarely side with the business |
What a good reply contains
- An acknowledgement in general terms.
- Your policy in general terms.
- One private channel.
- Nothing else.
Our guide to the four parts of a good reply has templates you can use on any platform.
For health brands
A reply that confirms a person is a patient can disclose protected health information, even if the patient said it first. HHS settled a case in 2023 over replies to online reviews.
The FTC's Health Products Compliance Guidance treats statements on the internet and in social media as advertising. A reply that promises results is a health claim.
| Do not write | Write |
|---|---|
| "We see you started treatment on March 2." | "We cannot discuss any account here. Please contact our support team privately." |
| "Most patients see results in four weeks." | "Results differ from person to person." |
Where to go next
Our guide to replying to 1-star reviews without sharing health information has examples by complaint type. The main Trustpilot review removal page explains which reviews can be flagged, so you know which ones need a reply.
For help with your own profile, start with our Trustpilot review removal service. Our review removal pricing is per confirmed removal, with nothing up front.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Any business with a claimed profile can reply, on the free plan too. A reply is public and sits under the review.
Avoid it. Trustpilot will not remove a review for what your own reply says. So if you name someone in a reply, you can close the personal information route for that name.
Do not. Trustpilot says a business should never press a reviewer to update a review. Its enforcement policy treats a request for an edit after a fix as incentive misuse.
Primary sources used on this page
- Guidelines for Businesses. TrustpilotLast verified
- Guidelines for Reviewers. TrustpilotLast verified
- OCR agreement with a provider that disclosed patient information in response to negative online reviews. U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesLast verified
- Health Products Compliance Guidance. Federal Trade CommissionLast verified