# Why authorize with Google to show your reviews

When connecting your Google Business Profile, you can either sign in with Google or paste a direct link. This page explains the difference, what access we use, and what we never touch.

{% hint style="success" %}
**Short answer:** Signing in with Google lets us fetch up to **50 reviews** and enables AI reply feature. Using a link only shows up to **20 reviews** and has no reply functionality. Authorization is optional, choose what works for you.
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### Sign in with Google vs. paste a link <a href="#comparison" id="comparison"></a>

There are two ways to connect your business. Here's exactly what changes depending on which you choose:

|                         | Sign in with Google                         | Paste business link |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | ------------------- |
| Reviews displayed       | Up to 50                                    | Up to 20            |
| AI reply feature        | ✓Available                                  | ✗ Not available     |
| Post replies to Google  | ✓Available                                  | ✗ Not available     |
| Requires Google account | Yes, must be Business Profile owner/manager | No                  |

<figure><img src="/files/ZJC0isbLsWFREU4mWbfl" alt="Choosing between Sign in with Google and adding a business link"><figcaption><p>"Sign in with Google" feature in the Google reviews app</p></figcaption></figure>

### Why Google Reviews needs admin access?

When you sign in, Google shows a permission screen that may look broad. This is a limitation of **Google's own permissions model**, it does not support granular, read-only scopes for Business Profile data. It's all-or-nothing by Google's design, not ours.

In practice, Google Reviews only ever reads your business review data. Here is exactly what we do and don't do:

| ✓ WHAT WE ACCESS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | ✗ WHAT WE NEVER DO                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <p>✓Your <strong>business name</strong> and profile info</p><p>✓Your <strong>review list</strong>, star ratings, text, reviewer names</p><p>✓Your <strong>average rating</strong> and review count</p><p>✓<strong>Posting replies</strong> to reviews, only when you explicitly click "Post"<br>✓We use the API <strong>only</strong> to retrieve data</p> | <p>✗Edit or delete your business listing<br>✗Access your Gmail, Drive, Calendar, or other Google services<br>✗Post anything without your explicit confirmation<br>✗Store your Google account credentials<br>✗Share your data with third parties</p> |

<figure><img src="/files/iOlRoDPyJ9CgCFEFLPAj" alt="Google&#x27;s permission screen"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Using the app without signing in

Signing in is **completely optional**. If you prefer not to authorize, you can connect your business by pasting a direct link to your Google Business Profile. The app will work, you'll just have a smaller review limit and no reply features.

<figure><img src="/files/7m2x61SjoBfa2Z4amDXN" alt="google-reviews-search-bar"><figcaption><p>Search your Google place in the Google reviews app</p></figcaption></figure>

***

{% hint style="info" icon="comments" %}
**Questions about data access or need assistance? We're here to help:** [**support@reputon.com**](mailto:support@reputon.com) **or** [**live chat**](https://go.crisp.chat/chat/embed/?website_id=d24ef16e-6e05-49e9-bd59-a6f3bde0658a)
{% endhint %}


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