The short version: on Google and Trustpilot, no. Google says offering discounts or free goods in exchange for reviews is strictly prohibited, and Trustpilot doesn't allow incentivized reviews at all. The US FTC rule targets incentives tied to a particular sentiment, and the UK CMA treats reviews that hide an incentive as unfair in all circumstances. The platforms are stricter than the law.
'A discount off your next order if you leave a review' sounds harmless, especially if you never ask for five stars. It's a fair question to ask, and the answer depends on whose rules you read first. This is general information from the official pages, and those pages govern your own situation.
What each rulebook says about rewards for reviews
Google's Maps content policy lists offering incentives, such as payment, discounts, free goods or services, in exchange for posting a review, or for revising or removing a negative one, as prohibited. Google Business Profile Help goes further and calls it fake and misleading content.
Trustpilot's guidelines for businesses are just as clear. It encourages businesses to invite customers to review, but says invitations must be fair, neutral and unbiased, with no incentives offered. It states plainly that it doesn't allow incentivized reviews on Trustpilot.
The US FTC rule, 16 CFR 465.4, is worded differently. It makes it unfair or deceptive for a business to provide compensation or other incentives conditioned, expressly or by implication, on reviews expressing a particular sentiment, whether positive or negative.
In the UK, the CMA's unfair commercial practices guidance lists a consumer review that conceals the fact it's been incentivised among the practices that are unfair in all circumstances. Its reviews guidance also tells businesses not to offer money or gifts to customers to write positive reviews.
Google, Trustpilot, the FTC and the CMA compared
| Body | What it says | The detail people miss (as of Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Google, Maps content policy | Incentives in exchange for any review are prohibited | It also covers rewards for changing or removing a negative review |
| Google Business Profile Help | Incentivised reviews are fake and misleading content | Google suggests a review link or QR code as the way to ask |
| Trustpilot, business guidelines | Incentivized reviews aren't allowed | Invitations must be fair, neutral and unbiased |
| US, FTC rule 16 CFR 465.4 | Bans incentives conditioned on a particular sentiment | Negative sentiment counts too, not only positive |
| UK, CMA unfair commercial practices | Concealed incentivised reviews are unfair in all circumstances | Fake reviews sit on the same always-unfair list |
| UK, CMA reviews guidance | Don't offer money or gifts for positive reviews | You may be liable for a PR, marketing or SEO agency's actions |
The catch: the platforms and the law don't match
Here's the part almost nobody explains. The FTC rule is aimed at incentives tied to a particular sentiment. Google and Trustpilot don't make that distinction. On Google, an incentive in exchange for posting any review is prohibited. On Trustpilot, invitations must come with no incentives offered.
So even a reward that never mentions stars can break a platform's rules, whatever the law in your country says. That's why I tell clients to check the platform's rule before the law's. The platform is the one that removes your reviews, and its rule is the stricter of the two.
The UK adds another layer. Under the CMA guidance, the problem is a review that conceals its incentive, and that sits on the list of practices unfair in all circumstances alongside fake reviews.
Asking for reviews the safe way
- Pick the platforms you care about and read their review rules first, because they're stricter than the law.
- Remove any reward tied to leaving, changing or removing a review: discounts, freebies, prize draws or credit.
- Ask every customer the same way. Trustpilot says invitations must be fair, neutral and unbiased.
- On Google, send customers a review link or let them scan a QR code, which is the method Google itself suggests.
- Check any agency or freelancer handling reviews for you. The CMA says you may be liable for what they do.
- Keep a simple record of how and when you ask, so you can show your process is neutral.
If you'd like wording for the ask itself, my guide on how to ask for a review has examples, and my Google Business Profile checklist covers the rest of your listing.
What about asking only happy customers?
This is often called review gating, and none of the sources lists it by that name. Trustpilot's requirement that invitations be fair, neutral and unbiased is hard to square with inviting only the customers you expect to be pleased, though. The simplest way to stay inside every rule is to invite everyone and let the reviews fall where they fall.
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My verdict
Don't offer a discount, gift or prize for a review on Google or Trustpilot, even a neutral one. The platforms ban it outright, and a reward that slips past one rulebook usually trips another. Ask every customer, make it easy with a link or QR code, and let good service do the persuading.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I give a customer a discount for leaving a review?
Not on Google or Trustpilot. Google says incentives like free or discounted goods in exchange for reviews are strictly prohibited, and Trustpilot doesn't allow incentivized reviews.
Does Google allow incentivised reviews?
No. Google Business Profile Help calls them fake and misleading content, and its Maps policy also bans rewards for changing or removing a negative review.
Is it legal to offer a free gift for a review in the US?
The FTC rule bans incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment, positive or negative. Platform rules on Google and Trustpilot go further and ban incentives regardless.
Must I disclose that a review was incentivised?
In the UK, the CMA lists a consumer review that conceals it was incentivised as unfair in all circumstances.
Can I ask only happy customers for reviews?
Trustpilot says review invitations must be fair, neutral and unbiased, which is difficult to meet if you only invite customers you expect to be pleased.
What's the safest way to get more reviews?
Ask every customer the same way with no reward. Google suggests sending a review link or a QR code.
