What is Yelp?

Yelp is an online urban city guide that helps people find cool places to eat, shop, drink, relax and play, based on the informed opinions of a vibrant and active community of locals in the know. Yelp is the fun and easy way to find, review and talk about what's great — and not so great — in your world.

Is Yelp free?

Yes! Other than some of our advertising features, you can use the site for free.

Who uses Yelp?

You'll find a wide range of people on Yelp, including locals who are "in the know" about what's cool and happening in their city, visitors who want to get an insider's local perspective, and anyone trying to find a great local business.

What are "Yelp Ads"?

You may see "Yelp Ads" when you search for a business or land on a business profile page. These are advertisements that are paid for by local businesses. For more information, please visit the

Will Yelp remove or reorder bad reviews if a business pays for advertising?

No. You can't pay us to remove or reorder your bad reviews — it's just that simple. It's worth pointing out some additional checks and balances that we build into the system: among other things, we separate the revenue side of our business from the content side of our business, just as a newspaper might put a firewall between their advertising and reporting functions.

How do I become a Regular at a business?

You can become a Regular at a business by checking in there two or more times in the past few months. You can lose your Regular title if you stop checking in to the business.

What are Regular rankings and how do I move up in rank?

Regulars are ranked according to how many total check-ins they have at a business with more recent check-ins counting more. To move up in rank simply visit the business frequently and remember to check-in. The top Regular (the Regular ranked #1) gets to wear the crown as the Duke or Duchess of the business.