Reply to a Google review in 2 minutes
"Someone's left a stinker of a review and I don't know what to say without making it worse."
Last checked: 16 October 2026
Short answer
Our pick: ChatGPT (free plan). Paste in the review and get a calm, personal reply. Then post it free from your Google Business Profile.
Best free option: Google Business Profile. Google Business Profile is free, and you can reply to your Google reviews from it.
Time to first reply: about 2 minutes once you're set up.
Copy this prompt
Write a reply to this [Google/Facebook] review for [business name]. Thank them by first name, mention one specific detail from their review, keep it under 80 words and sound like a real person, not a corporation. If the review is negative: apologise once, don't argue, and invite them to contact [email/phone] so we can put it right. Review: [paste review]
UK note: keep replies truthful. Never write, buy or swap fake reviews, and don't hide incentives. Since 6 April 2025 these are banned under the DMCC Act 2024 (GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-businesses-need-to-know-about-unfair-commercial-practices/what-businesses-need-to-know-about-unfair-commercial-practices, checked 16 Oct 2026, re-checked 05:40 BST). Don't paste the customer's phone number or email into the chat.
Worked example result (dummy data). Illustrative example: written by us, not a recorded AI output
Bloom & Stem, a florist in Harrogate, gets 1 star from Priya S.: "Mother's Day bouquet arrived at 6pm, wilted. Useless."
Priya, we're really sorry. A late, tired bouquet on Mother's Day isn't good enough. Please call us on [phone] or email [email] so we can put this right. – Jo at Bloom & Stem
A 5-star review ("Gorgeous peonies for my mum's 70th!") gets a warm thank-you that mentions the peonies and the birthday.
Your first 10 minutes
Open ChatGPT
Use the app or chatgpt.com with a free account.
You should see an empty chat.
Paste the prompt
Fill in your business name and contact details.
Paste the review
Copy the review text from Google or Facebook.
You should see a short draft reply.
Check every fact, date and number
AI doesn't know what actually happened. Make sure names, dates, times and prices match reality, and remove anything you wouldn't say.
Post the reply
Open your Google Business Profile (search for your business name while signed in to Google), find the review and use its reply option. Paste and post.
You should see your reply under the review.
What you'll get / limits
A polite, personal reply in a couple of minutes. It can't verify what happened or fix the underlying problem: that's still your call.
Cost
- ChatGPT: free plan £0; Go £6.99/month; Plus £19.99/month (UK App Store in-app prices; web may differ). Checked 16 Oct 2026: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/chatgpt/id6448311069
- Google Business Profile: free. Checked 16 Oct 2026: https://support.google.com/business/answer/2911778?hl=en
Compare
| Tool | Price (checked 16 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| Claude | Free plan; Pro £20/month or £199.99/year (UK in-app; web may differ) |
| Birdeye | Price on request from sales (https://birdeye.com/uk/pricing/) |
| Podium | Paid plans; price on request from sales (https://www.podium.com/pricing) |
Birdeye and Podium are only worth it for high review volumes or several locations.
What to do next
- Next: plan a month of social posts → /use-cases/social-posts
- Get the free starter kit → /starter-kit
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask customers for reviews?
Yes, but ask everyone, not just the happy ones. Encouraging only satisfied customers counts as cherry-picking (CMA208, para 4.5). Where a platform allows incentivised reviews, they "must be clearly identifiable as incentivised" (para 3.5). Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67eeb64fe9c76fa33048c790/CMA208_-_Fake_reviews_guidance.pdf, checked 16 Oct 2026, re-checked 05:40 BST.
Is it OK to use AI for replies?
Yes, as long as the reply is accurate and you check it before posting.
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