About this plugin
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
org build includes only the free functionality listed here. 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.
com/maps/documentation/places/web-service/overview
com/maps-platform/terms
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.
com/privacy/
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