Review software checks for small UK shops

What to take away

Consider customer review software such as Trustpilot, Reviews.io, Feefo, Judge.me and Loox for a small UK shop.
Ask for a GBP quote that states whether VAT is included and whether you get a compliant VAT invoice.
Check UK support hours before an annual deal, because weekend trading can expose slow replies.
Free plans often cap invites or remove photo reviews, so match the cap to your monthly orders.
You remain the data controller for reviewer names, emails and photos.

What small UK shops actually need

An independent shop rarely needs an enterprise review suite. It needs customer review software that offers a simple way to ask every buyer for feedback at the right moment.

Photos and short videos help more than another block of copy. Tools that only collect star ratings leave that material uncollected.

Admin time decides whether reviews go live. If publishing takes four clicks and a spreadsheet export, it will wait until a quiet week.

Review software options for small UK shops

The table below names real tools and the points to check before you buy.

Review tools compared

Trustpilot

What it does: Public profile, invites, widgets
Pricing and VAT: Quote based, ask GBP
UK support: UK office, hours vary
Suits: Recognisable profile

Reviews.io

What it does: Company and product reviews
Pricing and VAT: Ask GBP quote and VAT
UK support: UK-based team
Suits: Google stars

Feefo

What it does: Verified buyer reviews
Pricing and VAT: Quote based, ask GBP
UK support: UK-based team
Suits: Trusted review brand

Judge.me

What it does: Shopify review requests
Pricing and VAT: Free plan; paid via Shopify
UK support: Check reply hours
Suits: Budget Shopify stores

Loox

What it does: Photo and video reviews
Pricing and VAT: From $9.99 per month
UK support: Check reply hours
Suits: Visual product shops

Google Business Profile

What it does: Free local reviews
Pricing and VAT: Free, no invoice
UK support: Help centre only
Suits: Counter or workshop

What it does

Trustpilot: Public profile, invites and widgets
Reviews.io: Company and product reviews, plus Google Seller Ratings
Feefo: Verified buyer reviews, invites and reporting
Judge.me: Shopify app for review requests, photo reviews and Q&A
Loox: Shopify app focused on photo and video reviews
Google Business Profile: Free local reviews and replies

Pricing and VAT point

Trustpilot: Paid plans are quote based, so ask for GBP and a VAT invoice sample
Reviews.io: UK-based provider, so ask for a GBP quote and VAT invoice
Feefo: Quote based, so request GBP pricing and a VAT invoice sample
Judge.me: Free plan exists; paid tiers bill through Shopify, often in USD
Loox: Paid plans start at around $9.99 per month via Shopify
Google Business Profile: No invoice, because it is free

UK support point

Trustpilot: UK office exists, but support hours vary by plan
Reviews.io: UK-based team
Feefo: UK-based team
Judge.me: Check reply hours in the app
Loox: Check reply hours in the app
Google Business Profile: Help centre rather than account management

Suits

Trustpilot: Shops that want a profile shoppers recognise
Reviews.io: UK ecommerce shops that want Google stars
Feefo: Shops that need a trusted review brand
Judge.me: Budget Shopify stores
Loox: Visual product shops
Google Business Profile: Shops with a counter or workshop

If you are choosing between the two best known names, the difference is where the reviews sit. A Trustpilot profile is a separate public page about your business that you invite customers to review. Google reviews sit on your Google Business Profile, so they suit a shop with a counter or workshop that people find through local search, and they cost nothing.

Trustpilot alternatives deserve a trial rather than a dismissal. The public profile carries recognition, but a store's own review pages keep the traffic and the customer data.

Getting a quote in pounds, plus VAT

Most app stores quote in US dollars. That makes a like-for-like comparison awkward once card fees and VAT are added. Ask for a written GBP quote that states whether VAT is included.

Judge.me lists a free plan for basic review requests. Its paid plan adds extra features such as coupons and custom widgets, and Shopify handles the billing. Check whether your Shopify invoice shows VAT in pounds.

Loox has no free plan. Public app listings show paid plans starting at around $9.99 per month. Shopify bills the app, so confirm the GBP amount and VAT treatment.

Reviews.io and Feefo are UK-based. Ask for a GBP proposal and a sample VAT invoice. That lets your bookkeeper check the GB VAT number.

Trustpilot is also quote based. Ask for a written GBP quote, the contract length and the notice period. Annual billing may cut the monthly rate, but it locks in the tool.

For a fuller breakdown of what UK retailers pay at each tier, see customer review software pricing UK.

UK support, invoices and data rules

Support hours matter more than the feature list for a shop with one administrator. A team answering between 9am and 5pm UK time will fix a broken widget before Friday trading, not after it.

Invoices need to satisfy your bookkeeper. A VAT invoice showing a GB VAT number lets you reclaim input VAT if you are VAT registered. Ask for a sample before signing.

Incentives are allowed, but the CAP advertising codes require that a review quote used in advertising is genuine and representative of typical results. The rule to cite is in section 3 of the CAP Code, on testimonials: marketers must hold documentary evidence that a testimonial or endorsement used in a marketing communication is genuine, and hold contact details for the person who gives it. Keep the order record behind any review you quote in an advert.

Reviewer names, emails and photos are personal data. The ICO's UK GDPR guidance sets out the controller duties that stay with your shop.

Before signing an annual deal, check the supplier's registration on Companies House, and ask what happens to your reviews if you leave.

Choosing review software for a small UK shop

Four steps to choose

List three weekly review tasks
Request GBP quote with VAT stated
Send a support question before buying
Read exit terms and export rights

Count your monthly orders and match them to each plan's invite cap, so the free or entry plan does not stop asking halfway through the month.
Shortlist two tools from the table that fit your platforma Shopify app such as Judge.me or Loox if you trade on Shopify, or Reviews.io, Feefo or Trustpilot if you want a review brand of its own.
Get a written GBP quote and a sample VAT invoice from each, with the contract length and notice period.
Run a two-week trialsend real invites, publish the first reviews, and send one support question to see when the reply comes.

Common questions

Can a small UK shop run on a free review plan?

Yes, if volumes are low. Judge.me has a free Shopify plan, and Google Business Profile is free for local reviews. Check caps and reply rights before you rely on either.

Do I pay VAT on review software from an overseas supplier?

VAT treatment depends on where the supplier belongs. HMRC's VAT Notice 741A, Place of supply of services, explains that where the reverse charge applies, you, the customer, act as if you were both the supplier and the recipient of the service, and it applies if the supplier belongs outside the UK even when it has a UK VAT registration number. Ask the supplier for a written answer on where it belongs and pass it to your accountant.

Can I move away from Trustpilot without losing reviews?

Reviews left on a public profile generally stay with that platform, while reviews collected on your own store are usually yours to export. Check the contract and the export format before you switch.

How long should I keep records that a review is genuine?

Keep the order reference and the consent record for as long as you rely on the review, then follow your own retention policy. The ICO's storage limitation guidance is the place to check.