Google Business Reviews Plugin is a free WordPress plugin that displays Google Business reviews on any WordPress site using the [google_reviews] shortcode. It caches reviews in a local database, refreshes them automatically via daily cron, and fully complies with Google Places API Terms of Service through a 30-day cleanup system.
Everything you need
A lightweight plugin with no external service dependencies, built to comply with Google’s terms from day one.
Universal shortcode
[google_reviews] works on any page, post or widget. No custom Gutenberg blocks or mandatory page builders.
3 layouts
Grid (1–4 columns), carousel with autoplay and navigation, or classic vertical list. Switch with a single attribute.
Database caching
Reviews are stored locally and refreshed on every sync. Instant loading without repeated API hits.
ToS compliant
Automatic 30-day cleanup (configurable 1–30). Reviews Google stops returning are deleted automatically.
Automatic sync
Daily cron plus manual “Sync Now” button. 1-hour throttle prevents accidental API calls.
Powerful filters
Minimum rating, text-only reviews, sort by date or score. All configurable per shortcode or globally.
Reviews manager
Hide or delete individual reviews from the admin without breaking sync. Handy for problematic reviews.
Localized times
“2 weeks ago”, “hace 2 semanas”, “il y a 2 semaines” — uses WordPress native translations.
Light + Dark
Two ready-to-use themes. CSS variables for easy customization from your own stylesheet.
Complies with Google Places API Terms
Most plugins that cache Google reviews unknowingly violate the Terms of Service: Google only allows cached review data to live for up to 30 days.
The Google Business Reviews Plugin ships with compliance built in:
- Every sync refreshes
last_seenon reviews Google still returns - A daily cron deletes reviews with
last_seenolder than the retention window - Retention configurable between 1 and 30 days (hard-capped at 30 in code)
gr_cleanup_retention_daysfilter for integrators who need finer control
Comparison
Google Business Reviews Plugin vs the most common alternatives.
| Feature | Google Maps iframe | Typical freemium plugins | Google Business Reviews Plugin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual customization | ✗ None | Limited / paid | ✓ Full |
| Works with any theme | It depends | Frequent conflicts | ✓ |
| More than 5 reviews | ✗ | Paid plans only | ✓ Accumulates in DB |
| Rating filters | ✗ | Premium | ✓ |
| ToS compliance (30 days) | ✓ Native | ✗ Usually violated | ✓ Explicit |
| External services | Google only | Vendor proxies | ✓ Your API, your data |
| Price | Free | €29–199/year | Free |
Shortcode
Copy, paste, and tweak the attributes to your needs.
Basic usage
[google_reviews]
Grid with attributes
3-column grid, 12 reviews, 4-star minimum.
[google_reviews layout="grid" columns="3" limit="12" min_rating="4"]
Carousel, text-only reviews
[google_reviews layout="carousel" require_text="yes" order="newest"]
List in dark theme
[google_reviews layout="list" theme="dark" limit="20"]
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about the Google Business Reviews Plugin.
What is the Google Business Reviews Plugin?
Google Business Reviews Plugin is a free WordPress plugin that displays Google Business reviews on any WordPress site using the [google_reviews] shortcode. It caches reviews in a local database, refreshes them via daily cron, and automatically deletes stale reviews after 30 days to comply with Google Places API Terms of Service.
Is the Google Business Reviews Plugin free?
Yes. The plugin is 100% free and licensed under GPL2. There are no paid tiers, no premium features locked behind upgrades, and no vendor subscriptions. You only need a Google Cloud API key with Places API enabled (which has a generous free tier from Google).
Does the Google Business Reviews Plugin comply with Google Places API Terms of Service?
Yes. Google Places API Terms of Service require cached review data to be refreshed or deleted within 30 days. The plugin refreshes last_seen on every sync for reviews Google still returns, and a daily cleanup cron deletes any review whose last_seen is older than the configured retention window (default 30 days, hard-capped at 30 in code).
Can the Google Business Reviews Plugin show more than 5 reviews?
Yes. The Google Places API only returns 5 reviews per call, but the plugin accumulates reviews in a local database over time by calling the API with both “newest” and “most_relevant” sort orders. As Google rotates which reviews it returns, your database grows up to the 30-day retention window.
Does the Google Business Reviews Plugin work with any WordPress theme?
Yes. The plugin ships with its own CSS and uses standard shortcode output, so it works with any properly-coded WordPress theme. The provided light and dark themes can be customized via CSS variables, or you can override templates/reviews.php from your theme.
How do I install the Google Business Reviews Plugin?
Request the ZIP via the download form, upload it to /wp-content/plugins/ (or install via WordPress admin), activate it, then go to Settings → Google Reviews and enter your Google API key and Place ID. Click Sync Now to fetch the first batch of reviews. Use [google_reviews] in any page, post, or widget.
📥 Free download
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Need help with installation?
If you’d rather delegate the setup or want a custom version, I can help.