Every review here is confirmed by email.
That one step is the difference between a rating you can trust and a number anyone could fake. Here's exactly how it works.
From written to verified in 2 minutes
Someone writes a review
A customer finds the business on OtterHonest and shares their experience — a rating, a title, and their feedback. No account needed.
We email them a confirmation link
Before anything is published, we send a one-time verification link to the email address they entered. The review sits in a pending state until then.
They click to confirm
Clicking the link proves the review comes from a real person with a working inbox — not a bot, a competitor, or a throwaway account.
The review goes live — and stays
Once confirmed, the review publishes on the business's profile. The business can respond, but cannot edit or delete it.
What email verification keeps out
Open platforms let anyone post about any business. That's how fake reviews spread. Verification closes the door.
Bot-generated reviews
Automated fake reviews can't click a real verification link at scale.
Competitor sabotage
Drive-by negative reviews from rivals need a real, verifiable email to land.
Review farms
Throwaway and recycled accounts are filtered out by the email-confirmation step.
Anonymous attacks
Every published review is tied to a confirmed identity, even though it's shown by name only.
Want the full argument? Read why verified reviews matter more than star ratings.
Honest by design, not by promise
You own your data
Businesses can export their reviews any time. Your reputation isn't locked inside someone else's platform.
Rankings are earned, never bought
Position is based on verified ratings alone. No business can pay to rank higher or bury a bad review.
Transparent, flat pricing
Collecting and responding to reviews is free forever. Pro is a flat €19/mo — no sales call, no custom quote.
Common questions
Does verification prove the reviewer was a customer?
It proves the review comes from a real person with a working email address, which eliminates bots, competitor spam, and throwaway accounts. It doesn't claim to verify a specific purchase — but combined with our flagging of suspicious patterns, it makes OtterHonest ratings far more trustworthy than open, unverified platforms.
Can a business delete a bad review?
No. Once a review is verified and published, the business cannot edit, hide, or remove it. They can respond publicly — which we encourage — but negative feedback stays visible. That permanence is what makes the ratings mean something.
Do I need an account to write a review?
No. Just find the business, write your review, and confirm it via the email link. The whole thing takes about two minutes.
Is it really free for businesses?
Yes — the core is free forever: a public profile, unlimited email-verified reviews, free responses, and basic analytics. An optional Pro plan (€19/mo) adds power features like white-label widgets and advanced analytics.
Reviews you can actually trust
Find a business and leave a verified review — or claim your free profile and start collecting them.