Title: ReviewStars
Author: designplug
Published: <strong>June 3, 2026</strong>
Last modified: June 3, 2026

---

Search plugins

![](https://ps.w.org/reviewstars/assets/banner-772x250.png?rev=3559352)

![](https://ps.w.org/reviewstars/assets/icon-256x256.png?rev=3559352)

# ReviewStars

 By [designplug](https://profiles.wordpress.org/designplug/)

[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/reviewstars.2.0.2.zip)

 * [Details](https://wordpress.org/plugins/reviewstars/#description)
 * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/plugins/reviewstars/#reviews)
 *  [Installation](https://wordpress.org/plugins/reviewstars/#installation)
 * [Development](https://wordpress.org/plugins/reviewstars/#developers)

 [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/reviewstars/)

## Description

ReviewStars displays a Google Places star rating and total review count via a shortcode:`[
reviewstars]`.

It is built as a design tool: you can style the output in the admin and use Preview
Mode to design without an API key or Place ID, which is useful for staging sites,
page builders, and client approval.

### Free build features

 * Shortcode: `[reviewstars]`
 * Google Places rating and review count using your own API key
 * Caching via WordPress transients
 * Configurable front-end auto-refresh
 * Preview Mode with custom preview rating and review count
 * On-click behavior: open your Google listing or “Write a review”
 * Optional language parameter for the Google Places API
 * Style controls for spacing, typography, review count background, Google icon 
   placement, and separators

The WordPress.org build includes only the free functionality listed here. Additional
paid functionality is delivered in a separate plugin package outside WordPress.org
and is not included in this package.

#### Style editor

Control spacing, typography and icon placement without custom CSS:

 * Toggle: show/hide review count and review text
 * Stars font size
 * Review text font size and font weight
 * Optional review text color
 * Number spacing: padding, margin, and vertical adjustment
 * Number typography: font size, font weight, and optional color
 * Optional number background: solid or gradient background, padding, radius, and
   border width
 * Google icon: show/hide, position, gap, icon size, and separator styling

### External Services

This plugin connects to the following third-party services:

1) **Google Places API (Google Maps Platform)**
 Used to retrieve the rating and
review count for the configured Place ID. Requests are made when the shortcode is
rendered, when the admin “Test API settings” button is used, and when live refresh
is enabled. Service: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/web-
service/overview Terms: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms Privacy: https://
policies.google.com/privacy

2) **Freemius SDK (optional)**
 The plugin bundles the Freemius SDK for optional
account, opt-in, and commercial upgrade flows. The free plugin functionality works
without opting in to Freemius. If you opt in or use Freemius account features, data
may be processed by Freemius according to their policies. Privacy: https://freemius.
com/privacy/ Terms: https://freemius.com/terms/

### Shortcodes

    ```
    [reviewstars]
    ```

Optional attributes:

 * `refresh_ms="300000"` – override refresh interval in milliseconds
 * `preview="1"` – force preview output without API calls
 * `rating="4.8"` – preview rating
 * `reviews="1250"` – preview review count

## Screenshots

 * [[
 * ReviewStars settings: API, Preview Mode, and click behavior.
 * [[
 * Style editor controls for typography, spacing, number background, and icon placement.
 * [[
 * Front-end output example.

## Installation

 1. Upload the plugin folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`.
 2. Activate “ReviewStars” through the Plugins menu.
 3. Go to Settings -> ReviewStars.
 4. Enter your Google Places API key and default Place ID, or enable Preview Mode.
 5. Add shortcode: `[reviewstars]`

## FAQ

### Where do I get a Google Places API key?

Create one in Google Cloud Console and enable the Places API.

### Does this plugin store reviews?

No. It retrieves and displays the rating and total review count.

### Does this plugin send data to the plugin author?

No. ReviewStars does not send data to the plugin author’s servers.

### Is the WordPress.org build complete?

Yes. The WordPress.org build contains the complete free plugin described above. 
Paid functionality is delivered separately and is not included in this package.

### Why is there a Preview Mode?

So you can design the output without needing an API key or Place ID.

### How can I support development?

You can support via the Donate link at the top of this page.

## Reviews

There are no reviews for this plugin.

## Contributors & Developers

“ReviewStars” is open source software. The following people have contributed to 
this plugin.

Contributors

 *   [ designplug ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/designplug/)
 *   [ Freemius ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/freemius/)

[Translate “ReviewStars” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/reviewstars)

### Interested in development?

[Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/reviewstars/), check
out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/reviewstars/), or subscribe
to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/reviewstars/) by
[RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/reviewstars/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).

## Changelog

#### 2.0.2

 * Reworked the Freemius build split so the WordPress.org/free package contains 
   only free, fully functional code.
 * Moved paid-package runtime code and paid-package assets into files excluded from
   the generated free build.
 * Removed disabled paid-feature controls and dormant paid-feature JavaScript from
   the public/free package.
 * Clarified external service documentation and free-build behavior.

#### 2.0.1

 * Initial public release.
 * Added style editor to customize spacing, typography, and icon layout.
 * Added preview mode to render output without an API key or Place ID.
 * Added click actions for opening the Google listing or write-review screen.
 * Added number background styling controls.
 * Improved caching controls using WordPress transients and configurable cache duration.
 * Improved admin UX with live preview updates and reset controls.
 * General performance and compatibility improvements.

## Meta

 *  Version **2.0.2**
 *  Last updated **3 days ago**
 *  Active installations **Fewer than 10**
 *  WordPress version ** 5.8 or higher **
 *  Tested up to **7.0**
 *  PHP version ** 7.4 or higher **
 * Tags
 * [badge](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/badge/)[Google Reviews](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/google-reviews/)
   [rating](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/rating/)[shortcode](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/shortcode/)
   [stars](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tags/stars/)
 *  [Advanced View](https://wordpress.org/plugins/reviewstars/advanced/)

## Ratings

No reviews have been submitted yet.

[Your review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/reviewstars/reviews/#new-post)

[See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/reviewstars/reviews/)

## Contributors

 *   [ designplug ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/designplug/)
 *   [ Freemius ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/freemius/)

## Support

Got something to say? Need help?

 [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/reviewstars/)

## Donate

Would you like to support the advancement of this plugin?

 [ Donate to this plugin ](https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/DesignPlugNL)