Some developers buy, swap or write their own reviews. Most reviews are genuine, but a few fake ones can lift a weak app above a good one.
Seven signs a review is fake
- A burst of reviews in a few days, after months of quiet.
- Praise with no detail. “Amazing app, best ever, five stars” says nothing about the app.
- The same phrases in several reviews, sometimes with the same mistakes.
- Reviewers with one review, or profiles that only ever give five stars.
- Features the app does not have, or a version that does not exist yet.
- Only extremes. Real ratings spread out; bought ones pile up at five, and attacks on a rival pile up at one.
- Talk of rewards, such as a gift card or a discount for a review.
Fake reviews are now illegal in more places
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission’s rule against fake reviews took effect in October 2024. It bans writing, buying or selling fake reviews and lets the FTC fine companies that break it. In the United Kingdom, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act made fake reviews a banned practice from April 2025.
What a verified review proves
Every review on Vayleer carries one of three labels.
| Label | What it proves | How it is earned |
|---|---|---|
| Verified customer | The reviewer is a customer of the developer | The developer sent them a one-time invitation, through Vayleer, to the email they use as a customer |
| Verified install | The reviewer installed the tool | They installed it through the personal link in their account, days before reviewing |
| Verified email | The reviewer owns the email address | They confirmed a code sent to it |
Rules developers cannot change
- Pay for reviews
- Edit or hide reviews
- Choose which invited reviews are published
- Review their own listings
- Reply to any review in public
- Invite their real customers
- Report a review that breaks the rules
Invited reviews are published whatever the rating, and each person can review a listing once. Read the full rules on how reviews are verified.
Reading reviews well
- Read the three star reviews first. They are the most likely to explain trade-offs.
- Look at the dates. Recent reviews describe the app as it is now.
- Check the developer’s replies: a calm, specific reply is a good sign.
- Compare two apps side by side before you decide, for example ReviewMankey vs SearchLift.
Questions people ask
How can you tell if an app review is fake?
Look for bursts of reviews in a short time, praise without detail, repeated phrases, one-review profiles and features the app does not have.
Is it illegal to buy app reviews?
In the United States the FTC’s rule against fake reviews took effect in October 2024, and in the United Kingdom fake reviews have been a banned practice since April 2025.
What does “verified” mean on a review here?
One of three labels: verified customer, verified install or verified email. How reviews are verified explains each one.
