Trustpilot, the consumer review platform, reported a sharp rise in profits and a surge in its share price after a year of strong growth driven by increased exposure through artificial intelligence (AI)-powered search. Shares jumped as much as 28 per cent following results that exceeded market expectations, reflecting investor optimism about the company’s adaptation to changing online discovery trends.
For the year ending December, Trustpilot posted pre-tax profits of $14.1 million, up from $5.2 million the previous year. Revenue increased 24 per cent year-on-year, supported by growth across the UK, Europe and the United States. Average annual contract value also rose 16 per cent, reflecting the company’s success in moving upmarket and monetising its platform more effectively.
Central to this performance has been Trustpilot’s growing presence within AI-driven search environments. The company reported that click-throughs from AI platforms increased more than fifteenfold over the past year, highlighting the rapid shift in consumer behaviour from traditional search engines to conversational interfaces powered by large language models. Trustpilot has made its data accessible to these platforms, allowing verified reviews to appear within AI-generated responses. According to Promptwatch data, Trustpilot ranked as the fifth most cited domain globally on ChatGPT in January.
Chief Executive Adrian Blair described AI as a “major tailwind” for the business, noting that visibility within AI search has become a key selling point for client engagement. “Businesses increasingly focus on how they appear in AI-generated responses,” Blair said. “Trustpilot’s repository of verified consumer feedback is a valuable asset in this evolving search ecosystem.”
Analysts suggested the results indicate potential winners as search shifts toward AI-led discovery, particularly for platforms built on user-generated content. Investec analysts noted that Trustpilot’s performance shows how highly relevant data can drive growth in AI-driven queries.
Alongside earnings growth, the company announced a £30 million share buyback programme, including £7.5 million allocated to its employee benefit trust, signalling confidence in its financial position. Trustpilot also upgraded its medium-term profitability targets, forecasting adjusted EBITDA margins of 25 per cent by 2028 and 30 per cent by 2030, up from 15.6 per cent in 2025.
The strong results follow a period of scrutiny over allegations by short-seller Grizzly Research in December regarding the company’s dealings with non-paying customers. Trustpilot denied the claims and issued a detailed rebuttal, helping stabilise investor sentiment.
Blair emphasised that Trustpilot’s platform remains distinct from other technology businesses. While AI can aggregate and present information, it cannot replicate the real-world customer experiences that underpin the platform’s value.
As AI reshapes how consumers search, discover and evaluate brands, Trustpilot’s integration into this ecosystem appears to be driving both immediate performance gains and longer-term strategic advantages for the company.
