To embed Google reviews on your website, you have four options: a no-code review widget (easiest), the free Google Maps embed (limited to about 3 reviews), the Google Places API (developer route, capped at 5 reviews per request), or a platform-specific plugin for WordPress, Shopify, or Wix. For most people a no-code widget is fastest. Google has no native review widget of its own.
Why put Google reviews on your website at all
Most reviews live on Google, but most business websites never show them. That is a missed trust signal at the exact moment a visitor is deciding whether to buy.
Bringing reviews onto your own pages turns passive social proof into an active one. The catch is that each method has real limits, and one of them (the star-rating trap covered below) surprises almost everyone.
The 4 ways to embed Google reviews, compared
Here is how the four methods stack up on cost, difficulty, and how many reviews they can actually show.
| Method | Cost | Difficulty | Reviews shown |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-code widget | Free tier / paid | Easiest | 20+ (cached) |
| Google Maps embed | Free | Easy | ~3, no text control |
| Google Places API | Free with limits | Developer | 5 per request |
| Platform plugin | Free tier / paid | Easy | Varies by app |
Only widgets and plugins that cache reviews escape Google's 5-review API ceiling. The Maps embed and a raw API build cannot show your full review history on one page.
Method 1: Use a no-code review widget (easiest)
This is the most popular route because it needs no code and no API key. Tools like Trustindex, EmbedSocial, Tagembed, and Shapo connect to your Google Business Profile and generate an embeddable widget in minutes.
Connect your Google Business Profile
Search for your business name inside the tool, select your listing, and authorize the connection. No copying place IDs or opening Google's developer console.
Select Google as the source, then Reviews
Make sure you pick 'Reviews' and not 'Posts' -- that pulls in the star ratings and written text you actually want to display.
Customize the layout
Pick a theme (light, dark, or custom), a grid or carousel layout, and a rating filter. Most tools let you match your brand colors.
Copy the embed code and paste it
Generate the code, choose your platform, then paste it into your site's HTML block. The widget syncs new reviews automatically.
The most-installed option, Widgets for Google Reviews by Trustindex, has 900,000+ WordPress installs and 40+ layouts with no API key needed. But the free tier shows a "Powered by Trustindex" badge, and EmbedSocial's forever-free plan caps at 10 reviews. Removing branding and unlocking more reviews is what you pay for.
Method 2: The free Google Maps embed
Google's only official free option is the Maps embed. It drops your business listing into an iframe that includes your location, directions, and a few reviews. It is genuinely free but genuinely limited.
What it does well
- ✓ 100% free, no account or API key
- ✓ Includes a live map and directions
- ✓ Always up to date, straight from Google
Where it falls short
- ✗ Shows only about 3 reviews
- ✗ No control over which reviews appear
- ✗ No branding, layout, or filter options
Use the Maps embed when you only need a map with a link back to your full Google listing. If you want to feature specific glowing reviews, skip it.
Method 3: The Google Places API (for developers)
If you have engineering resources, the Google Places API gives you full control over layout and behavior. You generate an API key, request your place details, and render the returned reviews yourself.
Free up to roughly 28,000 requests per month, then billed per request. Cache results so you do not re-hit the API on every page load.
The Places API returns a maximum of 5 reviews per request, and you cannot page past that. There is no official way to pull your full review history.
The API is best when you have a specific design requirement and accept the five-review limit. For most teams, a widget that caches reviews is less work and shows more of them.
Method 4: Platform plugins and where to paste the code
On a single platform, a native plugin or app is the cleanest path. And whichever method you use, the embed step is nearly identical -- you are just pasting a snippet into a different editor.
Paste the embed code into a Custom HTML block, or use an HTML element if you build with Elementor. Trustindex's plugin is the most-installed native option.
Click the + icon, then Embed, then Custom Embeds, then Embed HTML. Paste the code and resize. Wix sandboxes embeds, so iframe-friendly widgets work best.
Drag an Embed component from the Add panel onto the page, paste the code, and Save. Squarespace renders custom HTML in real time.
Most widget tools ship a native Shopify app that installs as a drag-and-drop theme section -- cleaner than pasting raw code into Liquid.
The star-rating trap most guides skip
Here is the part almost every "embed Google reviews" tutorial leaves out. Embedding reviews will not earn you star ratings in Google search results -- and no widget can change that.
In September 2019, Google stopped showing review rich results (the star snippets) for LocalBusiness and Organization schema when the business controls the reviews about itself. Google calls these "self-serving" reviews. Per BrightLocal, this applies even when you embed a third-party widget, because the reviews still live on your own page.
Google's Rich Results Test will say your review markup is valid and eligible. It is misleading -- Google has not displayed the stars for self-serving business reviews since 2019, by policy. There is no penalty for keeping the reviews on your site; they simply will not produce star snippets. Only product, software, book, movie, course, and recipe schema (or genuinely independent aggregators) still qualify.
Google reviews are borrowed proof -- pair them with proof you own
Google reviews are valuable, but they are not yours. They live on Google's servers, cap at 5 per API request, and cannot produce star snippets on your own pages. First-party testimonials -- collected and hosted by you -- fill those gaps.
Embedded Google reviews
Great for baseline local trust and reviews buyers already search. But you cannot edit, curate freely, collect new ones on demand, or capture video -- and they will not earn you star rich results.
First-party testimonials
You own the data, choose which to feature, request them at the right moment, and display unlimited text and video on any page -- with no API cap and no third-party badge.
The strongest pages show both: Google reviews for credibility, plus a curated wall of testimonials you control. Notably, testing shows that displaying all 4-5 star reviews and responding professionally to criticism converts better (39%) than showing 100% five-star reviews (35%). Curated does not mean cherry-picked to perfection.
That is where ProofDeck fits. You can import Google reviews and collect your own text and video testimonials in one place, then embed a single widget you fully own -- no 5-review cap, no per-request billing, no borrowed branding. The free plan covers your first testimonials with no credit card.
Stay compliant and test on mobile
Displaying real reviews is fully allowed. The rules are simple: use official methods and do not tamper.
- ●Use official methods. The Places API or approved widgets only. Scraping reviews can get your API access revoked.
- ●Keep attribution intact. Do not edit review text, and include "Powered by Google" where required.
- ●Never incentivize 5-star reviews. Paying for or gating reviews violates Google's terms and FTC rules.
- ●Test on mobile first. Most visitors are on phones. A widget that breaks on small screens undermines the trust you are building.
Which method should you choose?
The right method depends on your resources and how much control you need. Match your situation to the pick below.
Frequently asked questions
Can I embed Google reviews on my website for free?
Yes. Three free routes exist: the Google Maps embed (shows your listing with roughly 3 reviews and no customization), the Google Places API (free up to about 28,000 requests per month but capped at 5 reviews per request and requires code), and the free tier of a review widget like Trustindex or EmbedSocial (which shows a small 'Powered by' badge until you upgrade). For a no-code, fully branded display you usually need a paid plan.
Does Google have an official review widget?
No. Google does not offer a native, embeddable reviews widget. The only official free option is the Google Maps embed, which shows your business listing and a handful of reviews inside a map iframe. To display individual review text in a customizable layout, you need the Google Places API or a third-party widget.
How many Google reviews can I display on my website?
It depends on the method. The Google Places API returns a maximum of 5 reviews per request, and the Maps embed shows roughly 3. Third-party widgets get around this by caching reviews, so they can display 20 or more at a time with a 'load more' button. If you need your full review history on-page, a widget or a first-party testimonial tool is the only practical option.
Will embedding Google reviews get me star ratings in search results?
No. Since September 2019, Google has not shown review rich results (star snippets) for reviews a business publishes about itself, which it calls 'self-serving.' This applies even when you embed a third-party widget, because the reviews still live on your own page. The Rich Results Test may say your markup is valid, but the stars will not appear by policy.
Is it against Google's terms to embed Google reviews?
No, as long as you use official methods (the Places API or an approved widget), keep attribution intact, and do not modify review text. Scraping reviews, editing their wording, or offering incentives for 5-star reviews violates Google's terms and can result in API access being revoked. Displaying real reviews with proper attribution is fully compliant.
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