Verified ratings belong on your own pages, not only on Google Maps. Pick a layout that fits the spot — badge, feed, carousel, or sticker — then drop in a single copy-paste snippet. The embed pulls live ratings from your Google Business Profile and you control how they look.
Ready to publish one? Create a Google reviews widget — it takes about 60 seconds.
The quick answer
Choose the layout for the page. These are the four formats this guide compares:
- Badge — stars and a review count for a header, footer, or sidebar.
- Slider — a moving strip of reviews above the fold.
- Feed — full quotes in a list or grid where people stop to read.
- Sticker — a corner badge that stays on screen without taking a section.
No API key. When you are ready to paste the layout, use the step-by-step embed guide. On WordPress, the WordPress guide covers the plugin too.
What each layout is for
Use a compact badge when you only need stars and a count. Use a feed or grid when visitors will read full quotes. Use a carousel when you want motion above the fold. Use a floating sticker when proof should stay visible without taking a whole section. Unlike a screenshot, the embed syncs from Google, so new reviews show up after the next scheduled sync.
Typical placements include:
- Homepage hero or header — a compact badge next to your logo or primary call-to-action
- Service and landing pages — a carousel or review feed near pricing or contact forms
- Footer or sticky corner — persistent social proof on every page without dominating the layout
Badge vs slider vs feed vs sticker
Not every page needs the same format. GR Widget includes 17 layouts in 6 groups — Badges & ratings, Carousels & sliders, Grids & lists, Review highlights, Stickers, and Collect reviews — all drawing from the same synced review pool. Browse them on the examples page.
Badges & ratings
Compact star rating plus review count. Ideal for headers, footers, and sidebars where space is limited. A badge answers “Are you reputable?” in under two seconds.
Grids & lists
List, grid, or masonry layouts that show full review text. Best for dedicated testimonial sections where visitors read before contacting you.
Carousels & sliders
Rotate through multiple reviews in a horizontal strip. Works well above the fold when you want motion without a wall of text.
Review highlights
Ribbon and snapshot layouts put one strong rating, or a short set of reviews, in a tight space.
Stickers
Corner badges that expand into a review panel on tap. Useful on mobile-heavy sites where a full feed would push primary content down.
Collect reviews
The Review request layout asks visitors to leave a Google review. It is included on every plan, including Free.
Compare capabilities on features, or weigh us against other tools in our Elfsight alternative comparison.
Which layout for which page
Match the layout to what the visitor is there to do:
- High-traffic homepage — badge or compact carousel near the primary CTA
- Service detail pages — feed or grid with 4–6 recent reviews
- E-commerce checkout — small badge only; avoid distracting from payment
- Agency client sites — multiple widgets per domain on Business and Agency plans
Compare pricing plans — the free tier includes 10 layouts; Site unlocks all 17 and filters; Business and Agency add Review structured data (JSON-LD). Daily review sync starts at Business.
Pasting the layout onto a page is the same on every site. Follow the step-by-step embed guide, and on WordPress the WordPress guide covers the plugin as well as that embed.
If the embed is blank, blocked, or still showing an old version, the step-by-step embed guide covers those fixes.
Why display Google reviews on your website?
Visitors trust peer recommendations more than branded copy. Showing Google reviews on your website closes the gap between discovery (search, ads, referrals) and conversion (calls, bookings, purchases). The benefits:
- Higher conversion — star ratings near a call-to-action reduce hesitation on high-intent pages
- Fresh social proof — automatic sync means your site reflects recent customer feedback, not a stale screenshot
- Brand control — match colours and fonts to your design system, and (on paid plans) filter by minimum stars
- Search-ready markup — Business and Agency add Review structured data (JSON-LD) so search engines can read your rating and reviews (Google alone decides whether stars ever appear in results, and it's never guaranteed)
Need help connecting the right listing first? Read our guide on how to set your Google location for reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free plan for these layouts?
Yes. GR Widget has a free plan with 10 core layouts and no credit card required — monthly review sync and unlimited views. Paid plans unlock all 17 layouts and review filters on Site and above. Review structured data (JSON-LD) is included on Business and Agency. Sync is bi-weekly on Site and daily on Business and Agency.
Can I add Google reviews to my website without a plugin?
Yes. The universal embed is just an async script tag and a placeholder div, so it works on any website — hand-coded HTML, a website builder, or a framework template — without installing anything. Plugins and apps exist for specific platforms, but they are optional convenience wrappers around the same hosted widget.
The step-by-step embed guide shows how to add it on any site.
Do I need a Google API key?
No. You search for your business by name in the GR Widget builder and we resolve your Google Place ID and sync reviews on our servers. You never paste a Google API key into your website, and there is no Google sign-in step.
Can I use the same widget on multiple pages?
Yes. Load the script tag once — in your site-wide header or footer template — then drop the widget placeholder div on as many pages as you like. Views are unlimited on both free and paid plans.
Does the embed work on mobile?
Yes. Every layout is responsive and scales to its container, so badges, feeds, carousels, and floating stickers render cleanly on phones and tablets. Floating stickers are a good fit for mobile-heavy sites because they show proof without pushing your primary content down the page.
How often do the Google reviews on my website update?
Reviews sync on GRWidget.com, not in your website's code. Free refreshes monthly, Site bi-weekly, and Business and Agency daily. A new Google review appears on your site after the next scheduled sync. In between, the widget keeps showing the last synced reviews.
Can I show Google reviews for multiple locations on one website?
Yes. Create one widget per location — each points at that location's Google Business Profile (Place ID) — then place the matching embed on the matching page. See our guide to setting your Google location for reviews to find the right listing.
Can I choose which Google reviews the widget shows?
Paid plans let you filter by a minimum star rating and cap how many reviews appear, so you can feature your strongest, most recent feedback. The free plan shows your most recent synced reviews. GR Widget never lets you edit or fabricate review text — everything comes straight from Google.
Does Google provide an official website embed?
No. Google offers review links and Google Maps embeds, but not a customisable reviews widget for arbitrary website pages. A third-party tool like GR Widget fills that gap with layouts, filters, automatic sync, and a simple embed code that works on any CMS or hand-coded site.
Get the widget
Pick your layout, then create your Google reviews widget with the GR Widget builder.
See a live carousel before you choose
You now know which widget type fits each page. GR Widget lets you connect your Google Business Profile and publish any of the free layouts with one embed.
No charge for 7 days. Cancel before then to avoid the first payment of $5.99/month for Site or $14.99/month for Business.