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The Yelp for Business Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Yelp for Business in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Yelp for Business

The Insider’s Guide

Free Yelp business page, with paid ads and page upgrades

Yelp for Business, as pictured on business.yelp.com

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among local SEO tools, read from Yelp for Business’s own pages.

Made by Yelp Inc. · checked Oct 23, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.2GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Yelp for Business’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Yelp for Business’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 23, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.2

GPA, above 28 of the 61 other local SEO tools we grade

Yelp for Business is where a business claims and runs its free page on Yelp: its details and photos, replies to reviews and messages, quote requests and a count of page visits and leads. Paid options add Yelp Ads in the Sponsored Results above and below search results and on competitors' pages, and an Upgrade Package with a logo, slideshow, call-to-action button and no competitor ads. Pages are managed on the web or in the Yelp for Business app.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Yelp for Business, taken from its own pages and our grades.

  1. 1

    Best for running your business page on Yelp

    Yelp for Business is where you claim your free Yelp page, keep its details right, reply to reviews and answer quote requests, on the web or in the app.

  2. 2

    Paid plans start at $150 a month

    As its pricing page puts it: $150 per month and up for Yelp Ads.

  3. 3

    There is a free plan

    Yelp Business Page: claim or create a page, edit details, upload unlimited photos, reply to reviews and messages, take quote requests and track visits and leads.

  4. 4

    It runs on 3 platforms

    Web, iOS and Android.

  5. 5

    Free business page

    Claim an existing page or create one, then keep the phone number, address, website, hours and services current; most new pages are approved within 24 hours.

  6. 6

    Reviews and messages

    Reply to reviews in public and answer messages and requests for quotes, calls or consultations from people who found the page.

  7. 7

    Page activity

    Track page visits, leads and other customer activity from the web account or the Yelp for Business app on iOS and Android.

  8. 8

    A 2.2 GPA, above 28 of 61

    That is against the other local SEO tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Keep it

    To replace Yelp for Business you would be making listings sent to dozens of directories and map apps, which takes an agreement with each. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

Yelp for Business at a glance

Pricing
Free plan, from $150 per month and up for Yelp Ads
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
14-day free trial of the Upgrade Package
Runs on
Web, iOS, Android
Made by
Yelp Inc.
Category
Local SEO Tools
Our grade
2.2 GPA, fair

The report card

Best for running your business page on Yelp

Yelp for Business is where you claim your free Yelp page, keep its details right, reply to reviews and answer quote requests, on the web or in the app. The paid side costs a lot: ads are a budget from $150 a month, and the $180 Upgrade Package is what stops rivals' ads showing on your own page.

ToolGPA report cardYelp for BusinessGraded Oct 23, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyDThe page is free, but the paid parts are dear: the Upgrade Package is $180 a month, in this category's dearest tenth ($99 and up), and Yelp Ads are a budget from $150 a month. Both together start at $270.
Free plan and trialBThe free page has 20+ features: details, unlimited photos, review and message replies, quote requests and page activity. One business could live on it, but rivals' ads stay on your page unless you pay.
FeaturesCPage details, photos, review and message replies, quote and call requests and activity counts, with ads and upgrades on top. The gap: it covers the Yelp page only, with Google, Apple Maps and Bing claimed separately.
Ease of useCNo rating on record. You claim or create the page, which is usually approved within 24 hours, and log in at least every 90 days or it can show as unclaimed.
Platforms and integrationsBWeb, plus the Yelp for Business app on iPhone and Android, with no desktop app. No integrations are on record.
Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.2

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Yelp for Business is for

  • Fits if you run a restaurant or local service whose customers look you up on Yelp
  • Works for owners who want to answer reviews and quote requests from their phone

Who it is not for

  • Pricey if you want rivals' ads off your page, as that's in the $180-a-month Upgrade Package
  • Watch out: a claimed page can show as unclaimed again after 90 days without a login
  • Watch out: Yelp says its minimum ad budgets are subject to change
  • Pricey if you run a restaurant, as Guest Manager is from $129 a month yearly and Host AI from $249
  • Skip it if you need Google, Apple Maps or Bing listings too, as it manages the Yelp page only

Good to know

Good for

  • Restaurants and home or local services whose customers look them up on Yelp
  • Owners who want to answer reviews and quote requests from their phone
  • Businesses ready to pay for placement above Yelp search results

Worth knowing

  • A claimed page can be shown as unclaimed again if the owner has not logged in to Yelp for Business for 90 days.
  • Yelp says its minimum ad budgets are subject to change; self-serve ads have no term contract and can be cancelled at any time.
  • Restaurant tools are sold separately: Yelp Guest Manager from $129 a month billed annually ($159 monthly) and the Yelp Host AI phone service from $249 a month.
  • It manages the Yelp page only; listings on Google, Apple Maps and Bing are claimed separately.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$150

A month to start. There is a free plan too

Yelp for Business has a free plan. Paid plans start at $150 per month and up for Yelp Ads.

One business could live on it, but rivals' ads stay on your page unless you pay.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Yelp Business Page

    $0

    20+ free features: business details, photos, replies to reviews and messages, quote and call requests, and page activity.

  • Yelp Ads

    $150

    per month and up, as an ad budget

    Ads in Sponsored Results and on competitors' pages, targeted by location and keyword. The ads page puts the minimum at $5 a day on average.

  • Upgrade Package

    $180

    per month

    Business Highlights, logo, photo slideshow, call-to-action button, posts, a portfolio where eligible, and no competitor ads on your page.

  • Yelp Ads & Upgrade Package

    $270

    per month and up

    Both together, plus the option to show a Verified License on the page.

The free plan

Yelp Business Page: claim or create a page, edit details, upload unlimited photos, reply to reviews and messages, take quote requests and track visits and leads.

Trying it first

14-day free trial of the Upgrade Package

Read from business.yelp.com on Oct 23, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

3

Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android

Free Yelp business page, with paid ads and page upgrades. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: reports, local listings.

Page details, photos, review and message replies, quote and call requests and activity counts, with ads and upgrades on top.
From our grade for features
Free business page
Claim an existing page or create one, then keep the phone number, address, website, hours and services current; most new pages are approved within 24 hours.
Reviews and messages
Reply to reviews in public and answer messages and requests for quotes, calls or consultations from people who found the page.
Page activity
Track page visits, leads and other customer activity from the web account or the Yelp for Business app on iOS and Android.
Yelp Ads
Pay for placement in Sponsored Results and on rival pages, choose whether the ad button calls, messages, opens the website or gives directions, and pause or cancel at any time.
Upgrade Package
Up to seven page features depending on eligibility, including badges, a logo, a chosen photo order, a call-to-action button and removal of competitor ads.
Multi-location pages
Each page can be claimed and managed on its own; businesses with 11 or more locations get custom solutions and a dedicated team for bulk updates.

Where it runs

  • Web
  • iOS
  • Android

What it works with

Its own pages name no integrations.

Yelp for Business is made by Yelp Inc.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

28/61

Other local SEO tools it is graded above

Yelp for Business's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 28 of the 61 other local SEO tools we grade, and level with 14.

It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 56 of 61) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).

Its paid plans start at $150 a month, against a middle price of $30.50 for the category: 45 of the 47 others that charge start lower.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 10 tools score higher and cost less.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 62 local SEO tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Yelp for Business’s own letter is outlined.

  • DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 61
  • BFree plan and trialAbove 56 of 61
  • CFeaturesAbove 2 of 61
  • CEase of useAbove 1 of 61
  • BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 13 of 61

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 51 local SEO tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Yelp for Business is the marked dot.

C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$1$5$20$50$200$500$2kMore for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessYelp for BusinessWhitesparkGoogle Business Profi…BrightLocalLocalo

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

To replace Yelp for Business you would be making listings sent to dozens of directories and map apps, which takes an agreement with each. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

It costs $1,800 a year.

What you could make

  • Reports: an app builder makes this well.

What you could not

  • Listings sent to dozens of directories and map apps, which takes an agreement with each.
  • A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.

What this rests on. Yelp for Business’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

Google Business Profile, Bing Places for Business, Apple Business, Birdeye and BrightLocal

The 5 tools Yelp for Business is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

12

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Yelp for Business free?

Yelp for Business has a free plan. Yelp Business Page: claim or create a page, edit details, upload unlimited photos, reply to reviews and messages, take quote requests and track visits and leads.

How much does Yelp for Business cost?

Yelp for Business lists 4 plans. Yelp Business Page: $0.

What platforms does Yelp for Business work on?

Yelp for Business is available on Web, iOS and Android.

Does Yelp for Business have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Yelp for Business is listed for Web, iOS and Android.

Does Yelp for Business have a macOS app?

No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 23, 2026. Yelp for Business is listed for Web, iOS and Android.

Is Yelp for Business open source?

Yelp for Business is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 23, 2026.

Does Yelp for Business have a free trial?

Yes. 14-day free trial of the Upgrade Package.

Who makes Yelp for Business?

Yelp for Business is made by Yelp Inc.

What are the alternatives to Yelp for Business?

The closest alternatives to Yelp for Business in our directory are Google Business Profile, Bing Places for Business, Apple Business, Birdeye and BrightLocal.

How does Yelp for Business compare with other local SEO tools?

Yelp for Business's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 28 of the 61 other local SEO tools we grade, and level with 14.

Is Yelp for Business good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Yelp for Business D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $150 a month, against a middle price of $30.50 for the category: 45 of the 47 others that charge start lower.

Could I make my own version of Yelp for Business?

To replace Yelp for Business you would be making listings sent to dozens of directories and map apps, which takes an agreement with each.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Yelp for Business’s own pages on Oct 23, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 23, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Yelp's own pages on 23 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Yelp Inc. Prices change, so check business.yelp.com before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

3,189

Tools graded, in 94 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 3,189

    tools graded

  • 94

    categories

  • 426

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Yelp for Business: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 23, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/yelp-for-business

Know someone choosing between local SEO tools?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/yelp-for-business/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded local SEO tools after Yelp for Business, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Yelp for Business’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Yelp for Business is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Yelp Inc. Prices and plans change: check business.yelp.com before you buy.