Frequently asked questions
How the directory works, and how businesses earn their place.
- How does Highly Rated Near Me choose which businesses to list?
- Every business is scored against a published five-pillar methodology — reputation and review quality, service-area expertise, licensing and compliance, digital presence, and cross-platform consistency. Listings are earned on merit, not bought.
- Can a business pay to be listed or ranked higher?
- Editorial rankings are merit-based and can't be bought. We do offer sponsored listings — paid placements that are clearly labeled as 'Sponsored' and kept separate from our editorial five-pillar scoring.
- How often are ratings updated?
- Ratings are re-evaluated on a rolling basis as reviews, licensing, and other signals change. Businesses that fall below the minimum threshold are removed.
- Which areas do you cover?
- Local service businesses across North America. Coverage is expanding city by city and category by category — locksmiths in Vancouver and employment lawyers in Philadelphia are live now, with more rolling out.
- I own a business — how do I get listed?
- Head to the List Your Business page. Submitting is free; we evaluate every business the same way regardless of whether they reach out to us.
Still have a question? Contact support or email info@highlyratednearme.com.