WORDPRESS PLUGIN · FREE · GPLv2
Put Real Google Reviews Where Decisions Happen
Your latest Google reviews, always fresh and ready to build trust.
Desk9 Reviews for Google connects your WordPress site to the official Google Places API and keeps the latest reviews Google provides ready to display. Choose from sixteen layouts, match them to your website, and add them anywhere with a Gutenberg block or shortcode. No copying reviews by hand. No OAuth flow. No Business Profile verification.
Free & GPLv2 · Official Google Places API · Sixteen layouts · No OAuth or telemetry · Tested up to WordPress 7.1
The problem: your strongest proof stays on Google
A potential customer lands on your website and sees your services, prices and promises. The evidence that other people already trust you is sitting somewhere else. Visitors have to leave your site, search for your business on Google and browse the reviews themselves. Many will never take those extra steps.
The solution: connect once and keep reviews visible
Desk9 Reviews for Google retrieves your public rating and the latest reviews provided by Google through the official Places API. The data is stored locally in WordPress, refreshed automatically and displayed directly where visitors make their decision.
No OAuth or verification
Add a Google Places API key, search for the business by name and connect it. The listing does not have to belong to your Google account, and there is no OAuth consent screen or Business Profile approval process.
Sixteen layouts, one system
Switch from a compact inline rating to a complete review showcase without reconnecting the business or duplicating content. Every layout uses the same locally stored review data.
Fast on the frontend
Google API requests happen on the server during synchronization. Your public pages read the locally stored data instead of contacting the Places API whenever somebody visits your website.
Plugin features
Everything you need to turn authentic Google feedback into visible trust across your WordPress website.
Automatic review synchronization
The plugin checks for updated review data every hour and performs a complete daily reconciliation. Reviews are ordered by their original publication time, so the newest review returned by Google appears first. A manual synchronization is available whenever you need it.
Eight compact rating layouts
Display your average rating, stars and review count as Inline Text, a Rating Badge, Rating Bar, Notification Bar, Trust Strip, Rating Divider, Freshly Reviewed chip or Image Halo. From a full-width trust bar to a tiny “★ 4.9” beside a button, there is a layout for every part of the page.
Eight complete review layouts
Show individual customer comments as a responsive Review Grid, Review Carousel, Review Showcase, Quote Spotlight, Card Deck, Sidebar Widget, Review Ticker or Sticky Trust Pill.
Gutenberg block and shortcode
Add the dynamic “Desk9 Reviews” block in the WordPress editor or use [rdgfg_rating_display] inside a page builder, widget, template or classic editor. Both methods use the same server-side renderer and global styling settings.
Floating ratings and review panels
Pin the Rating Bar or Notification Bar to the top or bottom of the screen. Rating Badge, Freshly Reviewed and Sticky Trust Pill can sit in any top or bottom corner, with an optional close button for visitors.
Five presets plus custom styling
Choose Inherit Theme, Clean, Soft, Outline or Dark for a ready-made appearance. The Custom preset unlocks individual controls for colours, borders, shadows and corner radius.
Light, dark or automatic
Every layout can use a light colour scheme, a dark scheme or automatically follow the visitor’s system setting. The same review element can sit comfortably on light and dark theme backgrounds.
Layout gallery with live preview
Browse all sixteen layouts, switch between device sizes and adjust colours, spacing or content options without repeatedly saving and reloading a page. The preview updates immediately while you work.
Real reviews stay real
Reviews are displayed as Google provides them. The plugin does not let you rewrite comments, create artificial reviews or remove individual reviews based on their rating. Your social proof stays authentic.
Privacy-first and translation-ready
No cookies, analytics, telemetry or external fonts. The layouts target WCAG 2.1 AA, all interface strings are translatable, and the plugin is compatible with WPML and Polylang.
What people use it for
Local businesses and trades
Place a compact rating beside the contact button, show recent customer feedback on a service page or keep a review badge visible while visitors compare providers.
Practices and healthcare
Build trust before an appointment request with a calm rating summary, selected quotation or responsive grid of authentic patient feedback.
Restaurants and hotels
Show current guest experiences beside booking information, menus or rooms without maintaining a separate testimonial section by hand.
Agencies and freelancers
Highlight a convincing client statement, add a Trust Strip to a landing page or place the complete Review Showcase beneath your portfolio.
Live in three steps
- Enable the Places API (New) in a Google Cloud project with billing and create an API key. Restrict the key to your server’s IP address.
- Open Desk9 Reviews → Connection & Sync, add the API key and search for the business you want to connect.
- Choose a design under Display & Styling, then add the Desk9 Reviews block or
[rdgfg_rating_display]shortcode to a page.
The first synchronization imports the business rating, review count and the reviews currently returned by Google. For reliable automatic updates on low-traffic websites, configure a real server cron job that regularly calls wp-cron.php.
Technical details
| Version | 1.0.0 |
| WordPress | 6.5 or higher |
| Tested up to | 7.1 |
| PHP | 7.4 or higher |
| API | Google Places API (New) |
| Layouts | 16 |
| Reviews | Up to 5 per business |
| Shortcode | [rdgfg_rating_display] |
| License | GPLv2 or later |
Screenshots
Honest about what the Google API can do
Desk9 Reviews for Google deliberately uses the Places API instead of the OAuth-based Google Business Profile API. That makes setup much simpler: no verification, OAuth consent screen, Client Secret or Business Profile approval is required.
It also creates a clear limitation. Google currently returns a maximum of five reviews per business through the Places API. The plugin sorts the reviews it receives by their original publication time, but it cannot retrieve your complete review history. Displaying every review would require a different API and an OAuth authorization flow.
The plugin supports one business per WordPress installation. It is designed for individual practices, restaurants, local businesses, agencies, retailers and freelancers rather than multi-location review directories. Reviews are shown as Google provides them and cannot be rewritten or individually hidden.
Frequently asked questions
How do I display Google reviews in WordPress?
Install Desk9 Reviews for Google, add a Google Places API key under Desk9 Reviews → Connection & Sync and search for the business by name. Once connected, add the Desk9 Reviews block or [rdgfg_rating_display] shortcode to any page and choose one of the sixteen layouts.
Do I need a Google API key?
Yes. You need an API key from a Google Cloud project with billing enabled and the Places API (New) activated. There is no OAuth flow, Client Secret or Business Profile approval. For security, restrict the key to your WordPress server’s IP address.
Does the Google business listing have to belong to me?
No. The plugin can connect to any public Google business listing. You do not have to own, manage or verify the listing.
How many Google reviews can I display?
The Google Places API returns a maximum of five reviews per business. The plugin stores and displays the reviews included in that API response. Retrieving a complete review archive would require the OAuth-based Google Business Profile API, which this plugin intentionally does not use.
Are the reviews updated automatically?
Yes. The plugin checks for updated data every hour and performs a full daily reconciliation. You can also start a manual synchronization under Connection & Sync. A real server cron job is recommended for reliable updates on low-traffic websites.
Can I hide negative reviews or edit review text?
No. Layouts that display several reviews show the authentic reviews provided by Google. Individual reviews cannot be edited, rewritten or removed based on their rating. Quote Spotlight displays one selected review because that layout is specifically designed to highlight a single quotation.
Does it slow down my website?
No Google Places request is made whenever somebody opens the page. The API synchronization runs separately on the server, while the frontend reads a small locally stored data set. All sixteen layouts use one shared rendering system.
Does the plugin set cookies or track visitors?
No. It sets no cookies, contains no analytics or telemetry, loads no external fonts and sends no information to Desk9 Design or Melonlabs.
Are reviewer profile images displayed?
Only when you explicitly enable them. When reviewer images are active, the browser may load those image files from a Google domain. Leave the option disabled if you want to avoid that external frontend request.
Can I change the colours without writing CSS?
Yes. Choose one of the five design presets or select Custom to configure colours, borders, corner radius and shadows individually. Every layout also supports a light, dark or automatic colour scheme.
Does it work with WPML and Polylang?
Yes. The plugin is translation-ready and compatible with WPML and Polylang. Dates and rating numbers follow the active locale, while customer review text remains in the language in which it was originally written.
Is Desk9 Reviews for Google free?
Yes. It is published in the official WordPress plugin directory under GPLv2 or later, with no paid tier and no subscription.
Changelog
1.0.0
- Initial public release with sixteen layouts from one shared rendering engine.
- Eight compact rating layouts and eight layouts for complete customer reviews.
- Five design presets plus a fully configurable Custom preset.
- Light, dark and automatic colour schemes for every layout.
- Live layout gallery with responsive device preview and instant styling feedback.
- Dynamic Gutenberg block and
[rdgfg_rating_display]shortcode. - Server-side synchronization through the Google Places API with locally stored review data.
- Floating bars, badges, review chips and expandable review panels with optional close buttons.
- Configurable Google Maps links, calls to action, review dates and reviewer images.
- Accessible output, translation support and compatibility with WPML and Polylang.
- No cookies, analytics, telemetry or external fonts.
Put your best reviews in view
Real Google reviews, sixteen flexible layouts and automatic updates from one focused WordPress plugin.
Version 1.0.0 · GPLv2 or later · Desk9 Design