Yelp Statistics: Yelp Fast Facts & Trends (2026)

When was the last time you visited a new place without checking Yelp reviews first? Most people still rely on Yelp to find businesses they feel confident choosing. The latest statistics explain why.

With millions of active Yelp users, rising mobile habits, and evolving consumer behavior, Yelp continues to shape everyday decisions.

These trends reveal how users compare options, assess trust signals, and discover local businesses across categories in 2026.

Yelp Fast Facts

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in San Francisco, Yelp has over 20 years of operational data and credibility.

These statistics, gathered from the official Yelp page and reputable resources, offer a clear snapshot. They show how often people turn to Yelp when they need reliable information first.

• More than 308 million total Yelp reviews
• More than 76 million monthly Yelp users visit the site
• Over 7.7 million claimed business page listings
• Strong activity across major hubs like San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles
• High visibility for verified business information
• Available on iOS, Android, and Web

(Source: Yelp-Press)

These figures reflect strong consumer reliance on structured review platforms during high-intent search moments.

Think of Yelp as a map that fills in the details you cannot see at first glance. People skim photos, read experiences, and compare ratings because it helps them identify businesses without uncertainty.

These habits reflect genuine consumer behavior, where trust and transparency shape decisions.

Yelp User Statistics

Most people visit Yelp with a purpose. They are not browsing randomly. People browse because they want clarity before choosing a service, booking a table, or hiring someone new.

These Yelp stats (Source: Social Pilot) highlight how intentional users are. User patterns show:

• High engagement from mobile users, with 29 million Yelp app users and 80% visits from mobile searches and desktop usage accounting for the remaining 20%
• Frequent comparison of business ratings
• Reports show that a whopping 44% US consumers use online reviews for decision-making
• Steady daily Yelp searches
• Over 93% consumers read reviews before visiting local businesses
• Reviewers make up a smaller percentage than “lurkers”: users who read reviews and browse listings without posting new content
• Year-over-year user trends show stable overall traffic but growing activity in services searches. This stability reflects shifts toward short-form discovery platforms (like TikTok), while Yelp remains strong for high-intent searches.

A 2011 study by Michael Luca, a professor at Harvard Business School, shows that a one-star Yelp rating increase boosts restaurant revenue by 5–9% (Source: Harvard Magazine), showing reviews create transparency that sways decisions more than ads alone. This finding proves that online transparency influences decisions more than ads alone.

These patterns tell us that users rely on reviews and ratings to evaluate businesses before choosing. Yelp provides exactly that.

Yelp User Demographics (U.S.)

Who exactly uses Yelp in the U.S.?

These Yelp statistics show a mix of users who value detail and authenticity. A significant portion of Yelp users come from high-income households, and many have attended college. It shapes how they evaluate local businesses.

(Source: Yelp-Press)

Demographic notes:

• Strong use among ages 35-55+
• High reliance on structured online reviews
• Consistent high activity and growth in home services (Source: Contracting Business)

Careful reading of business ratings before choosing is consistent within this demographic as well.

People in these groups usually prefer informed decisions over guesses. Yelp helps them find great local businesses with the clarity and reassurance they want.

Yelp App Usage Statistics

When people pick up their mobile phones to search nearby, the Yelp App is often where they start.

These stats show how mobile behavior shapes quick decisions.

Yelp app insights from official Fast Facts (2025) and analyses from reputable sources include:

• Strong daily activity from mobile users
• Frequent viewing of photos and review star ratings
• Growing interest in tools like Yelp assistant
• High use of filters to find businesses close by
• iOS users historically show higher engagement than Android users
• Typical session durations last several minutes per search journey
• App store rankings remain consistently high in the Local category
• Nearly 2.5 million daily Yelp searches on the app and web.
• Yelp feeds search data to other platforms and supports local SEO because activity signals relevance for local search results.

(Source: Yelp-Press)

Imagine needing help urgently, whether for repairs, food, or finding reputable hair salons for a quick haircut. Most people want an option they can trust without scrolling endlessly.

Yelp makes that process easier by presenting organized information clearly.

Yelp Review Stats

Reviews form the backbone of Yelp’s ecosystem. They guide choices, reflect real experiences, and help users feel confident before trying something new.

Review trend reports from trusted sources (Yelp, Yelp-Press, Yelp-ir) show:

• Yelp has 308M+ cumulative reviews contributed as of the end of 2024, showing a large review volume.
• A mix of positive reviews and negative reviews
• Close attention to average business ratings
• Many people who check Yelp reviews across multiple listings
• Reviews that directly influence business growth
• The average number of reviews per business shows strong variance across categories
• Around 77% of reviews remain “recommended,” contributing to visible ratings
• Yelp receives millions of new reviews daily, contributing to ongoing review velocity

(Source: Yelp-Press)

Yelp filters millions of suspicious or fake reviews each year using automated and human moderation, according to SEC filings.

Reading experiences from others reduces uncertainty. Users want to avoid surprises, and detailed feedback gives them an honest preview. That honesty helps them find businesses that match what they need.

Yelp Reviewed Business Statistics by Category

People explore a wide range of business categories on Yelp, and the numbers show clear trends in where activity concentrates.

According to Yelp’s category distribution patterns: 

• Home & Local Services: roughly 21% of all reviewed businesses, making it the largest and fastest-growing segment, with approximately 11% year-over-year growth. 
• Restaurants & Food-related Businesses: 17% of total reviews, reflecting consistently high consumer engagement 
• Shopping & Retail Businesses: 15% of reviewed listings, driven by frequent purchase behaviour 
• Other Service-based Categories: collectively approximately 12% of reviews 
• Beauty & Fitness Businesses: this category, including hair salons and personal care services, represent close to 11% of reviewed businesses 
• Health-related Services: roughly 9%, showing steady but moderate review activity 
• Automotive Services: 6% of total reviews 
• Travel & Hotel Businesses: approximately 4% of reviews
• Arts, Entertainment & Events: also 4%, reflecting more occasional user engagement 
• Nightlife-related Businesses: account for just 2%, indicating lower post-2020 review velocity 

Users rely on these structured categories because they make it easier to compare business information, evaluate experiences, and find businesses with confidence.

(Source: Yelp-Press)

Yelp’s Impact on Local Businesses: A Statistical Overview

Yelp plays a measurable role in helping people locate businesses and the best deals, especially service providers.

As we covered, Harvard research found that each additional star can increase revenue by 5-9% (Source: HSB.edu), showing how influential Yelp reviews are in customer decisions.

Real examples back this up. Tokyo Cowboy generated $250,000 in revenue from roughly $7,000 in Yelp ads (Source: Embark Marketing Case Study), proving how visibility converts.

Data from consumer studies show that 70% (Source: Yelp) of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, which reinforces Yelp’s influence.

With millions of active Yelp users exploring local businesses, these statistics show how it consistently drives qualified traffic and real outcomes.

Yelp Growth Metrics

Yelp’s recent growth reflects steady performance rather than rapid acceleration.

YoY user engagement increased modestly, supported by rising mobile activity and continued interest in categories like home services. Financial filings show YoY revenue growth of 4%, indicating stable advertiser demand.

In terms of market expansion, Yelp added more claimed business pages, strengthening its presence in high-intent service sectors. Compared with broader competitors like Google, Yelp’s growth is smaller but more concentrated in decision-heavy categories.

This consistency signals reliability rather than volatility, and acknowledging slower expansion improves the transparency that users expect from trusted review platforms.

(Sources: Yelp-ir, SEC filing, BusinessWire)

Yelp Market Share

Yelp holds a meaningful position among online review platforms, even as larger competitors dominate overall share.

According to industry data in 2022 (Source: ReviewTracker), Yelp accounts for about 6% of all online review volume, compared with Google’s 73% share, with smaller shares held by Facebook and TripAdvisor.

Analysts note that Yelp’s strength lies in service categories where detailed reviews and structured business profiles matter most. While Google remains the primary destination for general search, Yelp often leads in local review depth, especially in home services, food, and beauty categories. These Yelp stats reflect Yelp’s durable presence as a trusted independent review source.

Yelp Financial Report

Yelp’s financial performance (Source: Yelp’s SEC filing report) shows consistency in revenue and profitability through 2025.

According to its Q3 2025 earnings release, Yelp reported net revenue of $376 million, a 4% year-over-year increase, and net income of $39 million, with a 10% net income margin.

(Source: Yelp-Press)

Yelp’s adjusted EBITDA was approximately $98 million, reflecting a 26% margin.

Researchers studying local review platforms observe that consistent user engagement and advertiser demand help maintain financial stability. These numbers demonstrate Yelp’s ability to generate profitable local advertising revenue.

This information is based on public filings and press releases and is not financial advice.

Yelp Revenue Breakdown

Yelp’s revenue mix reflects how advertisers engage with users actively searching for local services. These Yelp statistics show the structure of its earnings.

Breakdown highlights:

• Service-based advertising remains the largest contributor, with service ads up year over year.
• Consistent performance from advertising revenue tied to high-intent searches
• Strong adoption of Yelp ads among small and mid-sized businesses
• Higher conversions when users visit a Yelp page with detailed profiles
• Users come to Yelp ready to find businesses, increasing advertiser value
• Smaller contributions come from transactional upgrades and subscription tools over time

Marketing analysts note advertisers invest more on platforms where users search with clear intent, such as Yelp.

Yelp’s Revenue Statistics by Country

Yelp’s revenue is overwhelmingly generated in the United States, reflecting its core user base and advertising market.

Experts observing review platforms find that strong local search adoption drives revenue concentration in the U.S. Yelp’s revenue patterns align with this trend, with minimal contribution from other regions.

Yelp Expenditure Statistics

Yelp’s spending gives you a quick look at where the platform quietly sharpens its tools. Public filings don’t list every dollar by category, but the big picture is clear: Yelp keeps investing in the parts that keep local discovery trustworthy. This finding is clear with Yelp’s 2023-2024 financial reports (Source: Yelp-ir).

Key expenditure areas:

• Sales & marketing spend: $556.6M annually (44% of 2023 total expenses), directly supporting 512,000 paying advertising locations with stable advertiser demand.
• R&D: $332.6M yearly, funding AI-powered review moderation, filtering 24% of suspicious content, and enhanced business discovery algorithms.
• Operational costs: $114.2M cost of revenue + $212.4M G&A, maintaining 7.74M active business pages for 76M monthly users across platforms.

Yelp’s revenue grew 4% year over year, so its spending leans towards refinement instead of risky expansion. Connecting investment to product stability boosts Yelp’s expertise and long-term credibility.

Yelp Employee Statistics

Behind every accurate business page and every filtered negative review, there’s a team keeping things clean.

A 2025 report (Source: Unify) shows that Yelp’s workforce is of roughly 4,440 employees, with an 8.6% year-over-year increase in headcount, showing they’re slowly scaling instead of shrinking. Most roles operate in a remote-first setup.

Notable workforce insights:

• 4,440+ total employees
• Remote-first structure with key hubs like San Francisco
• 8.6% hiring growth, indicating expansion
• Teams dedicated to business information accuracy and cumulative reviews

Official workforce data shows Yelp isn’t a “set-and-forget” platform. It’s maintained by trained people, boosting its authority.

Emerging Trends & What’s Changing

Local search is evolving fast, and Yelp has to move with it.

Users behave differently today: they scroll more quickly, trust more selectively, and compare more carefully. Yelp is adapting with a mix of AI improvements and trust-focused features.

Current trends include:

• AI review moderation, filtering millions of low-quality submissions (Source: Yelp Trust)
• Social discovery competition driven by TikTok and Instagram
• 80+% of consumers read reviews before visiting a business, reshaping trust (Source: Yelp Business)
• Rising use of visual content, with more photos and videos influencing choices (Source: Yelp Engineering)

Data points reflect current behavior, while forward-looking ideas here are analysis.

Yelp Miscellaneous Stats & Facts

Here are a few lesser-known facts that shaped Yelp’s early growth.

Key highlights:

• Yelp raised $5 million in early funding from Bessemer Venture Partners, the same firm behind LinkedIn and Pinterest (Source: Bessemer Venture Partners)
• Google offered to acquire Yelp for around $500 million in 2009, but Yelp declined and expanded independently (Source: Fortune)
• Yelp reached 1 million reviews by 2007, long before most competitors scaled reviews (Source: Yelp Press)
• Jeremy Stoppelman, Yelp’s co-founder, was PayPal’s VP of Engineering before launching Yelp (Source: His LinkedIn)
• Early adoption surged from email-based recommendations, not the app (Source: Wikipedia)

Together, these milestones show how Yelp evolved through bold decisions, early backing from serious players, and a long trail of real user behavior that shaped the platform we rely on today.

Michele Klawitter

Michele Klawitter is a ghostwriter, health advocate, former real estate agent, Paso Fino horse enthusiast, and professional thriver. For over five years, she’s been writing SEO content both humans and search engines love. She knows what it’s like to need real answers, not just optimized fluff.