Updated February 2026
5 Best Fake Review Checkers in 2026
The fake review detection landscape changed dramatically in 2025. Fakespot — the most popular tool — announced it's shutting down. ReviewMeta is frequently offline. Here's what actually works in 2026.
Quick Comparison
| # | Tool | Price | Status | AI-Powered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FakeScan | Free / $7.99 | ✅ Active | ✅ |
| 2 | Fakespot | Was Free | ❌ Shutting Down | Partial |
| 3 | ReviewMeta | Free | ⚠️ Unreliable | ❌ |
| 4 | The Review Index | Free | ✅ Active | Partial |
| 5 | RateBud | Free | ⚠️ New | Partial |
FakeScan
Best OverallPrice: Free (3/day) • $7.99/mo Pro
FakeScan uses AI to analyze Amazon product reviews by examining star distribution patterns, review text quality, timing anomalies, and more. Paste any Amazon URL and get a trust score in under 10 seconds. No extension to install, no account required.
Pros
- ✓ AI-powered analysis (not just pattern matching)
- ✓ No browser extension needed — works in any browser
- ✓ Trust Score 0-100 with detailed red flags
- ✓ Analyzes star distribution patterns
- ✓ Actively maintained and updated
- ✓ Beautiful, fast UI with instant results
Cons
- ✗ Amazon-only (for now)
- ✗ Free tier limited to 3 scans/day
Fakespot
Shutting Down July 2025Price: Was Free
Fakespot was the original fake review detection tool, founded in 2016. Mozilla acquired it in 2023 but announced its shutdown in 2025, leaving millions of users without protection. If you're looking for what to switch to, see our Fakespot Alternative guide.
Pros
- ✓ Was the most well-known fake review checker
- ✓ Had a browser extension
- ✓ Covered Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy
Cons
- ✗ Shutting down permanently (Mozilla killing it + Pocket)
- ✗ Extension no longer maintained
- ✗ No longer receives updates
- ✗ Was acquired by Mozilla in 2023, then abandoned
ReviewMeta
Unreliable / Often DownPrice: Free
ReviewMeta takes a statistical approach to fake review detection, adjusting the star rating by removing suspect reviews. However, as of 2026, the service is frequently down (returning 522 errors) and appears to be minimally maintained.
Pros
- ✓ Adjusts star ratings by filtering suspicious reviews
- ✓ Provides detailed breakdown of review analysis
- ✓ Browser extension available
Cons
- ✗ Frequently returns 522 errors (server issues)
- ✗ Last meaningful update was years ago
- ✗ Slow analysis speed
- ✗ Unclear if still actively maintained
The Review Index
Good but LimitedPrice: Free
The Review Index aggregates and summarizes product reviews from multiple sources. While useful for getting a quick overview, it doesn't specifically focus on detecting fake reviews — it's more of a review aggregator.
Pros
- ✓ Aggregates reviews from multiple sites
- ✓ Visual summary of pros/cons
- ✓ No extension needed
Cons
- ✗ Doesn't specifically detect fakes
- ✗ Focuses on review summarization, not fraud detection
- ✗ Limited to popular products
RateBud
New EntrantPrice: Free
RateBud is a newer entrant in the fake review detection space. While it offers a free tool and extension, it's still early stage and has been observed using fake testimonials on its own website — an ironic red flag for a tool meant to detect fakery.
Pros
- ✓ Free to use
- ✓ Has a browser extension
- ✓ Detects some review patterns
Cons
- ✗ Very new, unproven track record
- ✗ Uses fake testimonials on own website (ironic)
- ✗ Limited analysis depth
- ✗ Small user base
FAQ
Is Fakespot still working?
Fakespot announced it's shutting down in July 2025 after Mozilla decided to discontinue it along with Pocket. The extension is no longer being maintained. See our Fakespot alternative guide.
Is ReviewMeta still working?
ReviewMeta has been experiencing frequent outages (522 errors) throughout 2025-2026. While the site occasionally comes back online, it's unreliable for consistent use. See our ReviewMeta alternative guide.
How does AI fake review detection work?
AI-powered tools like FakeScan analyze multiple signals: star distribution patterns, review text quality, temporal clustering, reviewer behavior, and linguistic markers. This multi-factor approach is more accurate than simple statistical methods.
Can I check fake reviews for free?
Yes. FakeScan offers 3 free scans per day with no signup required. For unlimited scans, the Pro plan is $7.99/month.