People use “testimonial” and “review” as if they meant the same thing, and the apps that handle them often blur the line too. They overlap, but they do different jobs, live in different places and come with different rules. Knowing which one you need saves you from paying for the wrong tool.
At a glance
| Review | Testimonial | |
|---|---|---|
| Who starts it | The customer, often after a prompt | The business asks for it |
| What it covers | One product, service or visit | The customer’s whole experience |
| Where it lives | Review sites, app stores, product pages | Your website, ads, sales material |
| Who controls it | Often the platform | You, with the customer’s permission |
| Star rating | Almost always | Sometimes |
| Critical ones | Expected, and must not be hidden | Rare, because you choose what to show |
What a review is
A review is a customer’s own verdict: a star rating and a few words, sometimes a photo or a video. Anyone who has bought from you can usually leave one, and many are posted on platforms you don’t run, such as Google, Trustpilot, Yelp or an app store.
Shoppers read reviews in bulk. They look at the average, the number of reviews and the worst ones, to judge whether a product is safe to buy. A page of only perfect reviews makes many people more suspicious, not less.
What a testimonial is
A testimonial is a story a business asks a customer for and then uses in its own marketing, with their permission. It is usually longer and more personal than a review: what the problem was, what changed, and who they would recommend you to.
Testimonials are read one at a time. One good video testimonial beside your pricing can do more than fifty short reviews, because it answers the question a visitor actually has.
Review apps vs testimonial apps
The software splits along the same line.
Review apps
- Review platforms, like Google Business Profile, Trustpilot and Yelp, host reviews on their own sites. You can invite customers and reply, but you don’t control what is shown.
- Ecommerce review apps, such as the many in the Shopify App Store, email buyers after delivery and show star ratings, photos and sometimes video reviews on your product pages.
- App store reviews are a different thing again. If you want more reviews for a mobile app, that is done through Apple’s and Google’s own rating prompts.
Testimonial apps
A testimonial app gives you a link to send to customers, collects video, audio or written testimonials through it, and lets you approve the ones to publish on your own site, often with a widget, a public testimonial page and clips for social media. Our comparison of testimonial apps covers the main ones.
Which do you need?
- A local business that wins customers from Google Maps needs Google reviews first. A testimonial app is a useful second step for your website.
- An online store with many products benefits from product reviews on every page, and from a few longer customer stories for the home page and ads.
- A SaaS company, agency, coach or consultant sells on trust in a smaller number of bigger decisions. Testimonials, and especially video, usually matter more than a star count.
Most businesses end up using both, for different pages.
The rules apply to both
The FTC rule covers reviews and testimonials alike. Neither may be fake, written by AI, or bought on the condition that it is positive. Rewards and other connections must be disclosed. For reviews in particular, if you present a set as your customers’ reviews, you can’t quietly leave out the negative ones because they are negative.
Testimonials have one extra need: permission. Because you choose them and use them in your marketing, keep a record of what each person agreed to. A testimonial release form explains what to include.
Where Akteora fits
Akteora is a testimonial app that also collects reviews you ask for. Customers open your link and leave a video, a voice note or a written testimonial in their browser, with an optional star rating, and nothing to install. You can show your average rating with the testimonials on your site, and collect video reviews for individual products by tagging them.
It does not post to Google, Trustpilot or app stores. If you already have reviews you have the right to reuse, you can import them. They are labelled with where they came from and never counted in your star rating. Start on the free plan.
Common questions
Is a testimonial the same as a review?
No. A review is a rating and opinion any customer can leave, usually on a platform. A testimonial is a story you ask a customer for and use in your own marketing with their permission. One recording can serve as both if the customer agrees.
Do I need a review app or a testimonial app?
A local business found through Google Maps needs Google reviews first. An online store needs product reviews on its product pages. SaaS companies, agencies, coaches and consultants usually get more from testimonials, especially video. Many businesses use both.
Can I use reviews as testimonials?
Only if you have the right to republish them, which usually means the customer’s permission or the platform’s terms allowing it. Label where each one came from and never change what it says.