Understanding How the Trustpilot TrustScore Works

For many customers, Trustpilot is one of the first places they check before making a purchase or committing to a service. A high TrustScore can instantly build trust and credibility, but achieving and maintaining that rating is not accidental. Trustpilot’s scoring system is carefully designed to reflect not just how many positive reviews a business has, but also how recent, consistent, and statistically reliable those reviews are.

Understanding how the TrustScore is calculated can help businesses make informed decisions about their review strategy and avoid pitfalls that could harm their online reputation.

What Exactly Is the TrustScore?

The TrustScore is a numerical value between 1.0 and 5.0 that Trustpilot assigns to a business profile. It’s then converted into a star rating, which is visible on the company’s Trustpilot page, in Google search snippets, and anywhere else the Trustpilot widget is displayed.

Unlike a basic average, the TrustScore is a dynamic calculation that changes based on the timing, frequency, and reliability of reviews. This means it’s possible for a business with thousands of reviews to see its score shift , up or down, if recent reviews start trending differently from its historical average.

The Key Factors That Influence Your TrustScore

1. Recency of Reviews

Recent reviews are given more weight than older ones. This ensures that the TrustScore reflects a business’s current performance, not just how it performed in the past. For example, if a company had a run of poor reviews two years ago but has improved dramatically since, those old reviews will have less impact over time.

2. Frequency of Reviews

The TrustScore is recalculated with every new review for businesses with fewer than 10,000 reviews, and daily for those with larger volumes. A steady flow of reviews is important; it keeps the score active and reflects ongoing customer experiences. Large gaps between reviews can lead to an outdated score that doesn’t accurately represent your current service quality.

3. Bayesian Averaging

To avoid extreme highs or lows based on only a handful of reviews, Trustpilot starts new businesses with a baseline equivalent to seven reviews at 3.5 stars. As more genuine reviews are added, the TrustScore adjusts and becomes more accurate. This statistical approach helps protect the reliability of the score, especially for smaller or newer businesses.

4. Review Volume and Diversity

The more verified and detailed reviews you have, the stronger your TrustScore foundation will be. This is especially important for industries where customers expect to see a broad sample of experiences before making a decision.

5. Response Behaviour and Engagement

While Trustpilot has stated that responding to reviews doesn’t directly affect the numerical calculation of the TrustScore, there’s a strong indirect benefit. Businesses that respond quickly and professionally to reviews, both positive and negative, tend to encourage more customers to leave feedback, and often see better ratings in the long term. Prompt engagement also signals to potential customers that you value their opinions.

How the TrustScore Becomes a Star Rating

The raw TrustScore number is rounded to the nearest half or whole star using standard rounding rules. For example:

  • 4.3 to 4.7 becomes 4.5 stars

  • 4.8 to 5.0 becomes 5 stars

This star rating is what most customers will notice first, especially when searching for your business online or comparing you to competitors.

Why Businesses Should Care About Their TrustScore

In today’s digital-first market, your TrustScore can influence whether a customer chooses you or a competitor. A strong score:

  • Builds immediate trust with potential customers

  • Increases click-through rates from Google and social media

  • Can positively impact conversion rates on your website

  • Encourages loyalty from existing customers

On the flip side, a low or inconsistent TrustScore can deter prospects before they’ve even had the chance to speak to you.

How to Improve and Maintain a High TrustScore

  1. Ask for reviews regularly – Don’t leave review collection to chance. Build it into your sales or post-service process so it happens automatically.

  2. Respond quickly to all reviews – Whether it’s a thank-you for positive feedback or a resolution for a negative comment, show you’re listening and taking action.

  3. Keep reviews recent – Aim for a consistent stream rather than occasional bursts. This strengthens recency weighting and keeps your profile looking active.

  4. Resolve issues before they lead to bad reviews – Proactive customer service can prevent negative ratings altogether.

  5. Monitor your score and trends – Regularly check your Trustpilot dashboard to spot patterns early and adjust your approach.

The Long-Term Value of a High TrustScore

A high TrustScore isn’t just a badge of honour; it’s a marketing asset. It can be showcased on your website, in sales proposals, and across advertising campaigns. When combined with other review platforms such as Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, or industry-specific review sites, it forms a powerful, multi-platform reputation that is hard for competitors to challenge.

For corporate clients, where contracts, partnerships, and brand reputation are on the line, maintaining a high TrustScore isn’t optional; it’s a strategic priority.