Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about BusinessRate scores, rankings, and how to use our platform to understand your business performance.

BusinessRate Score

The BusinessRate Score is a comprehensive 0-300 performance metric that goes beyond simple star ratings. It analyzes your business performance against local competitors using advanced Google review data, combining recent performance (90 days), historical reviews, and review quality. For a more in-depth look at how the BusinessRate Score works, visit our How It Works page.
The score combines three components: Recent Review Score (33% weight) analyzing the past 90 days, All-Time Review Score (60% weight) covering your complete history, and Review Quality Score (7% weight) evaluating depth and authenticity of reviews. For a more in-depth look at how the BusinessRate Score works, visit our How It Works page.
Scores range from 0-300. Generally, 240-300 is excellent, 180-239 is good, 120-179 is fair, and below 120 needs improvement. Your score is competitive within your local market and category, so context matters more than the absolute number. For a more in-depth look at how the BusinessRate Score works, visit our How It Works page.

BusinessRate Scores are updated once per month. This monthly update cycle ensures scores reflect meaningful changes in review patterns while providing stability for business planning and competitive analysis.

Rankings & Competition

Rankings compare businesses within the same category and geographic area. We only rank you against similar businesses in your local market, ensuring fair and relevant competition. Rankings update monthly as scores change. View current rankings for your area.

Local markets are defined by geographic boundaries such as city, county, or region, depending on your business type and service area. We ensure comparisons are made against businesses that actually compete for the same customers.

Yes! You can view rankings for your category and location to see how you compare against local competitors. This helps identify market leaders and opportunities for improvement. Explore rankings in your area.

Only businesses with sufficient Google review data are included in rankings. New businesses or those with very few reviews may not appear until they have enough data for accurate scoring.

Data & Reviews

All review data comes directly from Google Maps and Google My Business. We analyze publicly available information to calculate scores and provide insights, ensuring accuracy and reliability.

We analyze your complete review history available on Google. While the Recent Review Score focuses on the past 90 days, the All-Time Review Score includes every review your business has received since being listed on Google.

Currently, BusinessRate focuses exclusively on Google reviews as they represent the largest and most influential review platform for local businesses. Google reviews are what most customers see when discovering businesses.

We only use publicly available data from Google Maps. We don't access private business information or require access to your Google My Business account. All data processing follows strict privacy and security standards.

Using BusinessRate

Use our search feature to find your business by name, address, or category. If you have a postcard with an access code, you can enter that code directly for instant access to your business profile and scores. Start searching for your business here.

If your business has a Google My Business listing with reviews, it should appear in our system. If you can't find it, the business may be new, have very few reviews, or need time for our data to refresh.

No account is required to search and view basic information about businesses and rankings. You can explore BusinessRate scores and compare local businesses freely without registration.

Yes, basic access to BusinessRate scores and rankings is completely free. You can search for any business, view scores, and explore local market rankings without cost.

For Business Owners

Focus on providing excellent customer service to earn positive reviews. Encourage satisfied customers to leave Google reviews, respond professionally to all feedback, and maintain consistent quality over time. Recent performance has the biggest impact.

BusinessRate displays data from Google My Business. To update your business information, hours, or other details, you'll need to make changes through your Google My Business account, which will then be reflected in BusinessRate.

Scores change monthly as new data is processed, including new reviews you receive or changes in competitors' performance. Since scores are relative to your local market, improvements or declines by competitors can affect your ranking even if your own reviews stay consistent.

BusinessRate provides comprehensive insights into your review performance, competitive positioning, and market trends. Additional detailed analytics and reporting features may be available for business owners.

Still Have Questions?

Can't find what you're looking for? Get in touch with us and we'll help you understand how BusinessRate can benefit your business.

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